The word “racism” never appears in “I look at the world.” Yet racism, and the immobility that it creates, are the primary themes of Hughes’s poem. The first stanza shows the link between racism and autonomy when the speaker observes “This fenced-off narrow space / Assigned to me” (Lines 4-5). Being Black has led to a lack of freedom. The United States of America—its racist laws, history, culture, and societal norms—has given or “[a]ssigned” them little to no freedom.

In Stanza 2, the speaker continues exploring the themes of racism and freedom. The speaker sees “the silly walls / Through dark eyes in a dark face” (Lines 6-7). “The silly walls” circle back to the speaker’s truncated freedom. The walls are obstructions. They limit the movement of Black people. The speaker declares that the racist, oppressive constructs “Will have to go!” (Line 10) so that Black people can have the freedoms they’re entitled to as human beings.

The poem shifts in the final stanza. The speaker, with “eyes no longer blind” (Line 12) realizes they have the power to make a world free of racism and limitations. In the first two stanzas, the speaker sees racism and immobility. In the last stanza, the speaker envisions the possibility of a world without bigotry.