Why are some words and phrases---such as "Everybody for hisself" (4) and "Since you black" (6) deliberately ungrammatical?
In "Harlem Hopscotch," Angelou utilizes grammatically incorrect phrases in order to enhance the authenticity of the time period of the poem, as well as emphasize the dialect of the speaker and what type of person they are.
Angelou includes seemingly simple words/phrases that actually have a significant impact in revealing the time period and dialect of the speaker. For example, instead of saying "himself," Angelou utilizes the term "hisself." She uses a grammatically incorrect, casual term that was often spoken by African Americans during that time period. This demonstrates the significance of the fact that the speaker(s) are African American and their dialect/poor grammar represent their low status in society. Angelou also utilizes the phrase "since you black" as if to say "since you are black," which therefore indicates again the lack of proper grammar. She tries to add a sense of genuineness to the poem by really using terms and phrases that would be used by the speaker(s) during that time.
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