Reaper
Reaper
The poem “Reaper” by Jean Toomer presents a theme that is quite dark, for the mood of the poem deals with the effects faced by African American slave labor during that time period. In his poem, Toomer portrays African American laborers as black reapers working like black horses mowing the field. They are able to sharpen their tools and carry their sharpening stone in their back pocket working independently in the field but are equal to machines like mowers being pulled by black horses in the field making the poem’s tone serious and dramatic. Rather than black being used only as reference for a person 's skin, it’s used more as the object of what the whole poem signifies. Toomer is trying to emphasize the strong hold African Americans faced during the 19th century that when most blacks were viewed as objects or possessions and not free thinkers. For this reason, Toomer 's description misleads anyone who reads it for the first time because it is unclear what his message is. After I broke down each point that he was trying to make however, I began to appreciate the message behind this poem. It is a clear reminder of America 's darker times, when man had no civil rights due to the fact of his color. As well as discrimination in which African Americans were not considered as people but more as an asset like an animal or machine that were bought and sold.
For instance, the poet begins by stating in his first stanza, “Black reapers with the sound of steel on stones are sharpening scythes. I see them place the hones in their hip pockets as a thing that’s done.” This clearly shows that the reapers understand procedure and their condition. They do not deviate from what they have learned and accept the fact that survival depends on the work they perform. The poet saw significance in the act of sharpening the tool and carrying the hone in the hip pocket while the laborers did not. The difference could be while both are black men on the inside he is whiter on
The poem “Reaper” by Jean Toomer presents a theme that is quite dark, for the mood of the poem deals with the effects faced by African American slave labor during that time period. In his poem, Toomer portrays African American laborers as black reapers working like black horses mowing the field. They are able to sharpen their tools and carry their sharpening stone in their back pocket working independently in the field but are equal to machines like mowers being pulled by black horses in the field making the poem’s tone serious and dramatic. Rather than black being used only as reference for a person 's skin, it’s used more as the object of what the whole poem signifies. Toomer is trying to emphasize the strong hold African Americans faced during the 19th century that when most blacks were viewed as objects or possessions and not free thinkers. For this reason, Toomer 's description misleads anyone who reads it for the first time because it is unclear what his message is. After I broke down each point that he was trying to make however, I began to appreciate the message behind this poem. It is a clear reminder of America 's darker times, when man had no civil rights due to the fact of his color. As well as discrimination in which African Americans were not considered as people but more as an asset like an animal or machine that were bought and sold.
For instance, the poet begins by stating in his first stanza, “Black reapers with the sound of steel on stones are sharpening scythes. I see them place the hones in their hip pockets as a thing that’s done.” This clearly shows that the reapers understand procedure and their condition. They do not deviate from what they have learned and accept the fact that survival depends on the work they perform. The poet saw significance in the act of sharpening the tool and carrying the hone in the hip pocket while the laborers did not. The difference could be while both are black men on the inside he is whiter on