American Literature

The humble beginnings of Festus Claudius Claude McKay emanated in Jamaica, West Indies where his parents Hannah Ann Elizabeth Edwards and Thomas Francis McKay were considered well-to-do farmers. They had enough properties in order to be qualified for voting. His first school was at the age of four in a church where he attended. He lived with his older brother at seven. His brother owned a library of huge number of books encompassing science, poetry and novels. This was considered his best opportunity for education at that time. The library triggered his enthusiasm in reading and writing. At ten, he eventually showed his writing prowess and indicated his interest in British literature, theology and science.

It is indeed undeniable how his brothers home became an initial arena in discovering his writing potentials. However, it was only in 1907 when the real inspiration for honing Claudes talent came in. Walter Jekyll was his first inspiration and mentor. His encouragement to Claude made the latter concentrate on writing using his own dialect and even set his writings as lyrics to music. In 1912, Claude, with the help of Jekyll, was able to publish his first book entitled Songs of Jamaica. The book was a remarkable work of literature in Jamaican history as it became the very first poems which were printed in English words anchored on firm African structure called Patois. In the same year, Claude published his next volume known as the Constab Ballads which talked about his experiences as a Jamaican police officer. His writing journey continued as his education went on when he enrolled in the Tuskegee Institute. As a Jamaican, the primary problem which he had to face was the social concern on racism which he greatly felt when he was in South Carolina. His encounter with discrimination was very evident in the literal segregation of public facilities. His disappointment in the social system implemented in South Carolina made him transfer to University of Kansas State. After a while, he went to New York and married Eulalie Lewars.

Having to raise a family, he worked as a waiter on the railways but he did not forget about his passion for writing. He wrote his two poems in 1917 entitled the Seven Arts with Eli Edwards as his pen name. Two years later, he worked with Max and Crystal Eastman as Co-Executive editor in the production The Liberator. His poem If We Must Die is anchored on the issue on severe racial discrimination and violence that thrived in most Anglo-American Societies. This poem also indicated the beginning of role as a professional writer. His opposition to racism made him involved with the black radicals who also expressed their grievance over nationalism advocated by Marcus Garvey. Along the context of socialism, Claude and his group fought for self-determination for the black leading to the formation of African Blood Brotherhood, a revolutionary organization. He then wrote the Negro World but this did not earn much recognition as few copies proliferated and survived. Claimed to have been the first paid black journalist in the land of Britain, Claude began his journalistic career by chance. His main intention was to have his response to E.D. Morels article on black severe hypersexuality also known as Black Scourge in Europe Sexual Horror Let Loose published in a newspaper but was declined the chance. He found an opportunity from the Workers Dreadnought where his regular involvement earned him his salary as a journalist. His political involvement also furthered when he joined the international communist congress in Moscow.

For the next years, Claude was able to make a strong struggle to improve his mastery of the prose fiction. Hew tried to write one novel which was entitle the Color Scheme which he then described as a satire that constrained black novelists. It was then that American publishers refused his work for sexual frankness, uneven in quality and explicit language. In his despair, he burned the novel. Upon the encouragement of a friend Harper, he expanded his short stories into a novel. His next masterpiece was known as Home to Harlem, which was in time during the peak of the Harlem Renaissance or what was dubbed as the New Negro Period.

The novel was able to clearly depict the working class composed of blacks. It reaped both positive and negative commentaries. Home to Harlem became a pivotal ally in the battle and advocacy for Afro-American freedom in America through literary masterpieces. The novel further became inspirations to youthful writers at that tie including Langston Hughes.

Claude McKays contribution to the Afro-American literature freedom has highlighted the New Negro Movement in which the blooming of the intellectual and literary aspects of black society fostered the creation of new black identity. Indeed, it was a chance for the black community to seize moment of self-determination and expression.

After this breakthrough in the black community which Claude was a primary agent in achieving, he wrote more novels including the Banjo and the Banana Bottom. Both were known to have advocated for maltreatment experienced by the black people in other communities including the French society. He also authored Gingertown, A Long Way Home, and My Green Hills of Jamaica.

Claude McKay may have been misunderstood by many American critics and other conservative Africans who viewed his works in extreme exaggeration of expression. However, the lighter side of his life managed to earn the respect and admiration of other younger budding writers during his time. As anything good or bad must come to and end, Claude McKay died in 1948 at 59. Before his death from a heart attack, Claude McKay embraced the religious teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

If We Must Die
The poem is a clear depiction of the conflict between the white and the black in the American society. A powerful piece as it is, If We Must Die was a mirror of how racial discrimination was then enslaving the black community. The poem is also a clear depiction of Claude McKays dream of having a noble form of death  that is something not likened to the hogs that were hunted and penned. His anger to the white has been embodied in symbolic figures which he used in the poem such as the terms mad and hungry dogs and the monsters we defy.

The poem is an encouragement of his fellow black men and all members of the black community to work together in one aim against racial conflicts. He further recognizes their being outnumbered in the community as whites are generally greater in number especially in the states where he stayed including South Carolina. He stated how the white Americans have caused pains and sufferings a thousand times and how he wanted to avenge in just one deathblow.

Moreover, Claude McKay insinuated the need for the black community to fight back and grab what they are entitled as human beings. In the poem, McKay showed acceptance of their fate yet he was firm for his desire to change their fate as slaves. It was clear how he further identified the battle for justice as a more difficult task. And the only armor to win the battle is bravery to defend them against inequality in the society.

America
America is Claude McKays portrayal of his life and the black communities way of existence in the United States where racial discrimination was a deadly societal concern during his time. He described how this land made his life miserable by using images of tigers tooth and bread of bitterness. McKay made use of good word choices, rhyme, rhythm and imagery. His utilization of figurative language made readers creative an imaginative yet horrifying picture of the land described in the poem.

Technically, he used the iambic pentameter to make the poem sound and seem Shakespearean with a rhythm scheme of a b a b c d c d e f e f g g. The tome shifts from anger and incrimination to gratitude and appreciation. It was in the first lines when McKay described how horrible it was for a black like him to live in America that gives him nothing but bitterness and pain. As the lines go one, he expressed how he loved America no matter how blinded it was with colors.

The poem reflected McKays intervention to social stratification as he took it as nothing but source of courage and hope against hate. He became a picture of emulation for his kinsmen to move forward despite the odds of their skin color.

McKays creativity and writing prowess was then revealed as he made use of personification in highlighting the subject America creating a picture of her as a caring and loving mother yet sometimes, harsh and bitter. His use of the lines she feeds me bread of bitterness and vigor flows like tides into my blood depicted mother providing nourishment either by hand or by the breast.