Dreaming Black Boy

By: James Berry

Background information
• In 1948, many young Jamaican men found themselves destitute and looking for a
better life. And so they left, initiating the biggest movement of people yet from the
Caribbean to Britain. Among them was the poet, James Berry, OBE (born 1924),
is a Jamaican poet who emigrated and settled in England in the to England in 1948
as part of the Windrush . In this time segregation was prominent Segregation is the
practice of requiring separate housing, education and other services for people of
color. Segregation was made law several times in 18th and 19th-century America
as some believed that black and white people were incapable of coexisting
Title
• The title is appropriate as it prepares us for the aspirations of a boy who is black.
The fact that his colour is mentioned in the title suggests that the poem is about
a boy who suffers discrimination because of his race.
Speaker
• A black boy who wishes that he could have regular things in life.
Things such as a congratulatory hug, to be educated to the highest
level and to travel without harassment. The persona yearns to stop
fighting for the basic right to be successful and to rise above societal
expectations.
Mood
• The mood of the poem is one of hurt and strong desire
Tone
• The tone/mood of the poem is one of sadness. The persona is thinking
about how he is treated, and he reacts to this in a sad way. He keeps
wishing that things were different.
• The tone is wistful as the boy repeatedly expresses a longing for the
things that will make his society a better place and make him safe and
happy.
Setting
• The poem is set in the 20th century when racism was rife in society. Though racism
was also prevalent before that period, the persona refers to slaves being his
ancestors. Slavery ended in the 19th century, so for the slaves to be his ancestors he
must have existed a generation after them. Another factor indicating the setting is
the fact that the boy went to school. No black children went to school, in fact not
even all white children went to school as institutions were not as abundant then as
now.
Figures of Speech/ Literary Devices-Identify

• Reputation and Allusion

Figures of Speech/ Literary Devices-Significance

• The constant repetition of the phrase 'I wish' points to a yearning, a desperation

even, for the basic things that life has to offer. The repetition gives credence to the
idea that the persona might believe that his wishes are dreams that might not come
true.
• The fact that reference is made to this hints to how the persona feels about his life.
He does not feel as if he has control over it. ... The persona wants them to leave
him alone, find something else to do other than make his life difficult by
contributing to his wishes remaining in the realm of the dreams. (allusion)
Figures of Speech/ Literary Devices-Effectiveness
• Stanza 1, lines 6 and 7, alludes to slavery, the state of lacking control over one’s own life and
destiny. The fact that reference is made to this hints to how the persona feels about his life. He
does not feel as if he has control over it.
• Stanza 3, lines 19 to 20, alludes to Paul Robeson, a black intellectual, who attained success despite
difficult circumstances. The persona yearns to be like this person. He wants room to stretch
intellectually.
• Stanza 4, lines 22 to 25, alludes to the Kul Klux Klan. Burning lights refers to the burning of
crosses and the pajamas alludes to their white outfits that look like pajamas. The persona wants
them to leave him alone, find something else to do other than make his life difficult by
contributing to his wishes remaining in the realm of  the dreams. 
Figures of Speech/ Literary Devices-Effectiveness

• The boy conveys his strong desire for an end to racism by starting every stanza
with ‘I wish’. He makes it clear his yearning and desperation for simple things
that should be enjoyed in life.
• Repetition may also give rise to the belief that the speaker is confident in his
words as if he were confident a stronger phrase would have been used
THEMATIC CATEGORY:

• Racism,
• survival,
• oppression,
• desire/dreams.
• childhood experience