# Workin’ Man explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Langston Hughes.

## What happens

A hardworking man describes his exhausting labor with a pick and shovel, returning home to a dilapidated hovel and a woman who neglects him despite his efforts to treat her well, leaving him feeling exploited and unloved.

## Themes in this chapter

### Poverty and Class Struggle

The speaker's grueling labor and squalid living conditions highlight the cycle of poverty and the struggle for dignity.

### Love and Loss

The speaker's unreciprocated love and the betrayal by his partner underscore a profound sense of loss and emotional isolation.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker, a hardworking man who labors all day and feels betrayed by his partner.

## Key lines

> I works all day Wid a pick an’ a shovel. Comes home at night⁠— It ain’t nothin’ but a hovel.

I labor all day with a pick and shovel, only to return at night to a miserable shack.

_Highlights the stark contrast between hard work and poor living conditions._

> I’m a hard workin’ man An’ I sho pays double Cause I tries to be good An’ gits nothin’ but trouble.

I am a diligent worker who pays a heavy price for trying to do right, yet I receive only hardship in return.

_Expresses the speaker's frustration and sense of injustice despite his efforts._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters/workin-man
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters