Finding light in darkness

Abstract

This dissertation entitled Finding Light in Darkness: Sandy Rogers’ Path to Maturity and Understanding in Langston Hughes’ Not without Laughter (1930), undertakes an analysis of the protagonist Sandy who navigates the racial and social challenges in early 20th century America. Through the lens of the literary theory New Historicism, this work explores the interrelationship between literature and historical context. It aims also at showing how Hughes constructs a narrative of growth rooted in the realities of race, class and family. This present work analyzes Sandy’s moving journey into Maturity and Understanding, revealing how he emerges from hardship with quiet strength, shaped by the trials of his world and the enduring wisdom of those who raised him.