Me and the Mule
Me and the Mule - meaning Summary
Acceptance Through Blunt Defiance
Hughes uses a wry animal image to state a simple, defiant truth about identity. The speaker likens himself to an old mule that has outlived socially imposed categories and thus no longer cares about racial judgments. The poem insists on self-acceptance and demands others accept him as he is. Its tone mixes humor, resignation, and blunt pride in a few direct lines.
Read Complete AnalysesMy old mule, He's gota grin on his face. He's been a mule so long He's forgotten about his race. I'm like that old mule -- Black -- and don't give a damn! You got to take me Like I am.
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