Harlem Renaissance author and poet, Claude McKay, in his poem “America,” describes the complicated relationship he shares with America. McKay intends to share this relationship, highlighting both the good and the bad. He uses a harsh tone to describe the unforgiving nature of the struggles America poses, while using a more hopeful and determined tone when describing the good the America does. McKay hopes through sharing his love-hate, he is able to connect to his audience, people going through similar racial struggles at the time, in order to get them to stand up and act on the issue of racism, by using several literary devices and techniques such as metaphors, personification, strong diction, and a shifting tone.
Claude McKay was born in Sunny Ville, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, on …show more content…
McKay begins the quatrain by writing “her vigor flows like tides into my blood.” Once again America is personified as a woman, and once again it is used to make her a motherly figure. America has “vigor”, and that vigor is then transferred into the speaker. He says that it “flows like tides into my blood.” Tides go back and forth, in an out, at a constant rate; sometimes the tides are high and sometimes they are low. The strength given to him by America comes in waves, and when it does, that is when his love for the country shows. The strength keeps him going and assists in rebounding from the low times filled with struggle. The strength rejuvenates him, filling his blood. This contrasts with the “tiger’s tooth, stealing [his] breath of life” because rather than his blood and life draining, the blood is filled with the vigor and strength. The strength given to him to fight back “against her hate.” America, which gives him the strength to keep going is also what is holding him back. This is another example of the recurring symbol of a love-hate relationship he shares with
Claude McKay was born in Sunny Ville, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, on …show more content…
McKay begins the quatrain by writing “her vigor flows like tides into my blood.” Once again America is personified as a woman, and once again it is used to make her a motherly figure. America has “vigor”, and that vigor is then transferred into the speaker. He says that it “flows like tides into my blood.” Tides go back and forth, in an out, at a constant rate; sometimes the tides are high and sometimes they are low. The strength given to him by America comes in waves, and when it does, that is when his love for the country shows. The strength keeps him going and assists in rebounding from the low times filled with struggle. The strength rejuvenates him, filling his blood. This contrasts with the “tiger’s tooth, stealing [his] breath of life” because rather than his blood and life draining, the blood is filled with the vigor and strength. The strength given to him to fight back “against her hate.” America, which gives him the strength to keep going is also what is holding him back. This is another example of the recurring symbol of a love-hate relationship he shares with