Claude McKay’s poem‚ If We Must Die‚ is a poem about racial inequality and persecution with a very angry tone. The words of this poem exude with the poet’s rage against the injustices done to his race. His hatred of the inequality is evident in his harsh descriptions of his persecutors. However‚ the reader can also feel the emotions of triumph because "If We Must Die" is also a poem of strength‚ rally and hope for the African American race. In the opening line‚ McKay urges his people not to die
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Claude McKay was born in Jamaica‚ West Indies‚ in 1889 (there has been much confusion over whether McKay was born in 1889 or 1890‚ but his birth certificate has been discovered showing that he was born in 1889 [See Winston‚ Footnote 8] ). Educated by his older brother‚ McKay published his first work entitled Songs of Jamaica in 1912‚ the same year he left his homeland for the United States. There he attended Tuskegee Institute‚ although his enrollment was short-lived. He left after just a few
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Claude McKay Claude McKay was one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century African American literature. When mentioning controversial writers‚ Claude McKay comes to mind. He was first of many African American writers who became known for speaking his mind through literature during the early 1900’s. He used his gift of creativity with words to express his feelings on various issues. Claude McKay is an unforgettable African-American writer who was influenced by his culture as well as
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their art. One person famous for expressing his feelings during these times through his poems was Claude McKay. McKay believed that change was in order and the black community needed to do something in order to make that change. In the poem “If We Must Die‚” Claude McKay calls for racial pride against white oppression through his use of similes‚ metaphors‚ contradictions‚ and biblical allusions. McKay uses a simile to introduce his trope of blacks being hogs trapped in the city. He also establishes
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Claude Mckay was an honorable figure in the Harlem Renaissance. His books and poems tell the stories of the lives of the African Americans during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. They had a constant struggle for equality. Claude Mckay is unique in style and tone. Claude Mckay tried to guide African Americans to accept African Culture. Claude McKay was born in Sunny Ville‚ Jamaica‚ and had a very good childhood. Claude was exposed to things that not every child would find interesting. .
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“America” is a poem written by prominent Harlem Renaissance writer Claude McKay. In this poem we are told about life in America through the narrator’s point of view. It is through the narrator’ experience that McKay delivers his message‚ America will one day lose its greatness if it continues in its evil ways. Personification and diction is used to convey this message. Personification is used to give human-like qualities to America. Diction is used to explain how the hostility he/she experiences
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“America” by Claude McKay is a poem describing the speaker’s alternating‚ yet passionate view of love and hate of their country due to the prominent racism they must endure. Throughout the poem the theme that a person’s struggle teaches them to grow is revealed. The theme‚ a person’s struggle helps them to grow‚ is expressed through the metaphor‚ personification‚ and unique diction. Metaphors are used contribute to the theme‚ person’s struggle helps them to grow‚ and convey the speaker’s relationship
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In the poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay‚ the author cries out to his audience -to his men at arms- to fight back against those that oppress them and are intent to kill them. Though not as rich in poetic symbolism as the poems by Emily Dickinson and George Herbert‚ McKay’s poem evokes a stronger and more inspiring emotional reaction. He achieves this through his rhyme and rhythm scheme‚ through alliteration and repetition‚ and through animal imagery. They shall be examined in reverse order.
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Claude McKay was a poet during the Harlem Renaissance period and considered himself a voice of his people. A poet projecting the feelings of the colored youth as well as the African American community‚ who did not have one. “America” by Claude McKay is a sonnet that does not explore the meaning of love like traditional sonnets do‚ but instead McKay uses the form of a sonnet to express the rage and frustration the African Americans were feeling during that time period. A sonnet is one of the oldest
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We are already introduced with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People‚ which is an African-American civil rights organization started by Ida B. Wells‚ W.E.B Du Bois‚ and many others to end the civil rights struggle. However‚ according “The Negro Movement”‚ some African-American critics began to challenge NAACP’s approach to the civil rights struggle‚ which is portrayed on the poem “If We Must Die”. From the excerpt “Black Conflict Over World War I” till “James Holden
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