Claude McKay is a man who spans national boundaries‚ literary genres‚political identities‚ and even his own time. Born in the country of Jamaica in 1890‚ McKay was a talented young man. As a Jamaican immigrant to the United States‚ Claude McKay’s writing spanned many complex themes‚ both from his experiences of life in Jamaica and his life in the United States. His early writings would be focused on his life in Jamaica. They would go on to win several literary awards‚ allowing McKay to fund a trip
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Charles Bailey “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay‚ we must fight!! The poem “If We Must Die‚ by Claude McKay” is about a certain group of people who are hated and hunted by another group of others. I believe that the poet has made this poem to speak to his fellow African-Americans‚ who are being mistreated by the white slave owners. The speaker tells his people not to go easily‚ but rather fight as long as possible and don’t ever give up before they are killed. The poet believes that the worst things
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Shaymeon Robertson AP English Literature If We Must Die By: Claude McKay If We Must Die‚ by Claude McKay is a sonnet written during the Harlem Renaissance period; a period where there was a flowering of African-American literature and art‚ (1919- mid 1930s). Though the Harlem Renaissance period was a time of thriving people and culture in the African-American community‚ prejudice was still very much active; something
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In rhyme and meter‚ Claude McKay’s “If We Must Die” generally conforms to the conventions of a Shakespearean sonnet‚ but at several moments throughout the poem‚ McKay also strays from the rules of the English sonnet. In composing his poem in the style of the traditional Shakespearean sonnet‚ McKay creates a clear narrative that is both easy to follow and equally artistic. However‚ in deviating from this conventional style‚ McKay draws attention to specific phrases that contribute greatly to the contrasting
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Racism had always been a problem in certain parts of the United States around the 1930s‚ but that sparked many movements‚ one especially was the Harlem Renaissance. In the poem “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay uses key phrases to show how colored people are being treated during the time of the Harlem Renaissance and how they should be able to overcome the racism and violence because he himself was colored and experienced some of the racism himself and was able to stand strong against it. One of the
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Claude McKay was a Jamaican poet who created a literary movement and heavily influenced the tone for the Harlem Renaissance. In “If We Must Die”‚ he expresses how he wants to retaliate for prejudice and abuse of African-Americans within a english sonnet. McKay employs the english sonnet form to create a couplet that explains the purpose of this fight as the quatrains describe how they will fight. In the first quatrain McKay introduces the the issue; it is announced that they are being attacked.
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Read the poem‚ If We Must Die‚ by Claude McKay Answer the questions: 1. What theme or conflict is being dramatized in the poem? The main theme is honor‚ no matter the toughest of times we can always find the way to live with dignity and respect. 2. Can the poetic speaker be identified? The poet‚ Mr. McKay‚ is the speaker. 3. Who is the poetic speaker speaking to? The reader 4. What is the poetic speaker’s motivation? Fight the toughest situations with pride and dignity. 5. What type of poem is it
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In the passages “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay‚ the speaker set a courageous tone by using words like “brave”‚ “fighting”‚ and “honor” in sentences throughout the passage to show that the men were not afraid although they were outnumbered. This work of literature teaches the reader that if a group of people can come together as one they can be more powerful then a greater population. In the literary work “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines‚ Jefferson’s tone was cowardly/immature in the
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If we must die : A summary At the beginning when I started reading the poem “If we must die” I spent a long time thinking what does this poem mean and then I had to read it a couple of times to understand every sense of each word. Various question started running in my mind I became more interested in the poem as well as the writer. I tried to find out more information about the writer and different meanings for the poem. Indirectly‚ the poem clarify how black people were suffering from the way they were treated and how
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Term Papers Can’t find it here? Try MegaEssays.com If We Must Die - Claude McKay By: Pamela Atkins Poetry Claude McKay "If We Must Die" One of the most influential writers of the Harlem Renaissance was Jamaican born Claude McKay‚ who was a political activist‚ a novelist‚ an essayist and a poet. Claude McKay was aware of how to keep his name consistently in mainstream culture by writing for that audience. Although in McKay’s arsenal he possessed powerful poems. The book that included
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