Love and hate both carry the same powerful psychological impact on a person. The fine line where love and hate meet is a blurry one. The central theme of Claud McKay’s poem “America” is the contrast of how love and hate, in a deeper perception of reality, represent the same emotion. Love and hate, despite having different denotative meanings, convey similar emotional burdens on a person who is experiencing either one.
Throughout the poem, McKay shifts between emotions of love and hate. McKay emphasizes on giving his expressions of love the same enthusiasm as to the ones of hate a great example of this shift is the following quote, “… sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,/ Stealing my breath of life, I will confess/ I love this cultured hell …show more content…
This metaphor is used to help McKay compare American culture to hell. Hell, in a general context, is the place of purest evil and sin. McKay emphasizes American culture to be similar to hell because he knows in the eyes of American society not everyone is equal. During the 1920’s black people received the harsher part of American social inequality. For that reason McKay knows from firsthand experience the hell American social racism brought upon him.
McKay declares his admiration for America by stating “Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,/ Giving me strength to erect against his hate” (lines 5-6). McKay uses this contrast of his hate for systematical racism in American culture during his time period. By comparing the vigor of America to a tide he makes a remark of America’s greatness and vastness. He admires the global political power of the United States. As well as its flawless justice system and …show more content…
He further supports his argument with the following quote, “Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,/ And see her might and granite wonders there,/ Beneath the touch of Time’s unerring hand,/ Like a priceless treasure sinking in the sand” (lines 11-14). With this final sentences McKay displays his opinion on the future of America if its people do not change their ways. He knows that with time America will start sinking because despite of its wonders and greatness, American social structure is something that will eventually bring down everything
Throughout the poem, McKay shifts between emotions of love and hate. McKay emphasizes on giving his expressions of love the same enthusiasm as to the ones of hate a great example of this shift is the following quote, “… sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,/ Stealing my breath of life, I will confess/ I love this cultured hell …show more content…
This metaphor is used to help McKay compare American culture to hell. Hell, in a general context, is the place of purest evil and sin. McKay emphasizes American culture to be similar to hell because he knows in the eyes of American society not everyone is equal. During the 1920’s black people received the harsher part of American social inequality. For that reason McKay knows from firsthand experience the hell American social racism brought upon him.
McKay declares his admiration for America by stating “Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,/ Giving me strength to erect against his hate” (lines 5-6). McKay uses this contrast of his hate for systematical racism in American culture during his time period. By comparing the vigor of America to a tide he makes a remark of America’s greatness and vastness. He admires the global political power of the United States. As well as its flawless justice system and …show more content…
He further supports his argument with the following quote, “Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,/ And see her might and granite wonders there,/ Beneath the touch of Time’s unerring hand,/ Like a priceless treasure sinking in the sand” (lines 11-14). With this final sentences McKay displays his opinion on the future of America if its people do not change their ways. He knows that with time America will start sinking because despite of its wonders and greatness, American social structure is something that will eventually bring down everything