Strange Fruit Essay

“Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol, explores the treacherous lynching that is occurring in the south through symbolism via the use of a fruit. Meeropol uses a strange looking and smelling fruit to symbolize hanging bodies who fall victim of lynching. “Black body swinging in the Southern breeze / Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees” gives the reader a sense of this terrible time period as well as the symbolism (3-4). In addition, one may classify this as a poem with multiple symbols, themes, and motifs. Likewise, on the topic of symbolism, Meeropol indicates that the strange fruit is “for the crows to pluck / For rain to gather, for the wind to suck” as if the whole world was acting against the fruit (9-10). This signifies the discrimination
occurring during this time period. In Conclusion, the symbolism is shown through a fruit set to represent lynching in the south in the poem “Strange Fruit”.