Langston Hughes's The Ways of White Folks,

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In Langston Hughes's The Ways of White Folks, Hughes illustrates the deepest feelings of resistance and frustration from blacks towards the white-American society in which they live. By analyzing only a few of his short stories, one can see the techniques Hughes used to show the treatment of blacks in different geographical locations, class roles, and also in those musically inclined. In his stories, he blurs the racial line that separates the North and South United States while at the same time accentuating the racial limitations between The United States and Europe. He also illustrates that though the treatment of blacks by the upper class appears to be less violent than that of the lower classes, it offers the same, if not more, belittling condescension. In addition, Hughes also demonstrates, through the medium of music, the ironic hypocrisy and envy of many American whites towards artistically talented blacks. With these strategies, Hughes attacks the issue of race, which defines the social relationships in America today.

The distinctions made of the geographical settings in Hughes' work are separated into the possibilities and limitations of blacks in America as compared to their possibilities and limitations in Europe. This distinction is