The movement
of the Harlem Renaissance brought about some very moving literary works, and
really helped expose some of the issues that African Americans were facing at the
time in America. I think Claude McKay’s poem, “America” is just one effective
example of this. Through the use of language and emotion, McKay is able to
create a piece that portrays these struggles, and I think these elements help
make it relatable and relevant today to some readers.
I think what
makes McKay’s poem so interesting and effective, is the use and theme of
emotion, and the confliction of emotions within it. For example, McKay talks of
how he loves America, even though it imposes pain and hatred upon his daily
life. McKay writes, “I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!” (McKay,
928). These conflicting feelings help
show the complex relationship that McKay and other African Americans had at the
time, as they loved the country the lived in, even though they were exhausted
by its racism and hatred, and yearning for better times, and better lives. The
poem and speaker’s contrasting feelings of love and hate also help create the
almost frustrated emotion within the poem, which also adds to the relationship
between African Americans and America.
The use of
descriptive and metaphoric language also aids in McKay’s writing. I think a
great example of this is when McKay writes, “Although she feeds me bread of
bitterness, And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,…” (McKay, 928). Lines
such as these create interesting imagery, but also allow the reader/audience to
interpret and understand the meaning through more fascinating and thought
provoking language. By using these elements, McKay is further able to add to
the feeling of the poem, and to the complex relationship African Americans had
with America. Furthermore, it is effective in getting his audience to realize
the severity of the problem, especially to those who suffer at the hands of
such discrimination, etc.
I think McKay’s poem can still be relevant/relatable
to people and society today. The whole poem has such a confliction of feelings,
as mentioned, but ultimately ends things on a rather bleak note. I think there
are still race issues and injustices today that leave many people in society,
looking on with a sort of feeling of injustice and hopelessness over the state
of present things in society. With recent events, people are left questioning when
things will ever get better. I think the last line of the poem sums up these
sort of feelings and scenarios rather well as it states, “Like priceless
treasures sinking in the sand” (McKay, 929). For this line gives off such a
hopeless feeling, and perception of the future, and it gives off the idea that
we will have to dig away at our troubles and issues if things get worse.
I really liked this poem. I like how he is so torn between loving and hating America. I think the line " I love this cultured hell that tests my youth" really sums up his feelings pretty well about the country he lives in. He says he loves it but comparing it to hell shows a dislike for America. This is one of my favorite lines in the poem.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy this poem because he is so conflicted about his emotions. It is a realistic feeling that we all feel about many events and situations happening in out lives. He just decided to write a poem about his. I like how in his writing, well in my view, I can see his thoughts. As if, his poetry is him thinking out loud. Great Post!
ReplyDeleteThere's such emotional tension in this poem, isn't there? And those analogies of bitter bread and tiger's tooth amp up this emotional tension, as you note.
ReplyDeleteThere's such emotional tension in this poem, isn't there? And those analogies of bitter bread and tiger's tooth amp up this emotional tension, as you note.
ReplyDelete