Cross by Langston Hughes

Before I read the poem Cross by Langston Hughes, I initially thought that it held some sort of religious meaning because of the title. I immediately associated the word cross with Jesus Christ and Christianity. I also thought that perhaps cross referred to the feeling of anger or fury. However, after reading the poem I realized that the title was referencing the speaker's mixed background, his mother black and his father white. The word cross has many denotations and it is clear that Hughes chose this title for a reason. The poem's subject matter came as a complete surprise to me because that idea had not came to me prior to actually reading the poem. Langston uses more colloquial language in this poem using phrases such as "old man" and referring to his mother as "ma". I believe that this is appropriate for the subject matter because it presents the idea that his aristocratic father did not help educate him. Considering that Hughes was raised during the time of racism and segregation it would be more common for African Americans to use colloquial language, not having access to equal educational opportunities. He presents the apparent difference between the lifestyles of white society and African American society, his father dying in a big white house and his mother in a shack. There is apparent inequality but what does this mean for the speaker? If he is mixed, what is his fate? This cross represents an even more complex criticism of his society.