In this extract Hughes presents many forms of political unrest in America at the time. One of these forms of political unrest is the point that America is seen across the world as a beacon of liberty and freedom where anyone can be rich if they try, this extract shows a different view, although the poem starts out with a slightly optimistic hope of America the reader is then hit by a direct contrast view when they read “(America never was America to me).” This short powerful statement is in brackets which are used to show that this different opinion or voice is marginalised from the others as brackets are used to make things a side plot away from the main focus of a writing.

One of the other ways Hughes shows political unrest is through the idea that America rids you of any hope, this is evident when the poem says “I am that young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain.” This uses a metaphor to show that America still has the grievances it had in the past such as slavery represented by the ancient endless chain, in the quotation this infers the idea that people of colour are still held back or marginalised from the days of slavery, this contrasts with the voice that says that America is free as Hughes is conveying the idea that certain people in society are not free but in chains from the past which holds them showing that many people feel that America is a lie which creates political unrest.
In conclusion Hughes shows that America is seen as a beacon of freedom but in reality grounds and holds people based on race an class.