What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore – And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over – like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? —“Harlem,” Langston Hughes Which figure of speech does Hughes primarily use in the poem? ✔ simile What theme is supported by the images? answer A When a society withholds equal opportunity, violence may result. It is best to defer dreams of equality to avoid disappointment. Chasing dreams is painful.