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Analysis Of The Poem America By Claude Mckay

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McKay’s Misfortune There is a multitude of factors that influence the human experience. One of the most important of these is one’s culture and country. The interaction between a country and an individual in response to their identity is powerful. It is visible in Claude McKay’s poem “America” as he discusses his experiences. In the poem, McKay uses imagery and various simulacrums of America to depict his experience and his bleak view of the future and America. One of the most important elements in understanding the poem is knowing the identity of the author and the setting of the poem. Claude McKay is a black immigrant from Jamaica, and the poem was written in 1922. Because of the time period and the fact of the oppression faced by African Americans, it is more apparent to the reader why the writer takes a more cynical perspective of America. This leads to the speaker either being McKay himself or some other person of similar circumstances experiencing life in America. Like traditional sonnets, this poem focuses on something that McKay cares about deeply; however, there tone of this poem …show more content…

Freedom and equality and other cherished ideals are dying away. McKay is not rejecting all of American society; McKay desires a place where the founding principles are rebuilt, renewed, or actually implemented. The course in 1920s America was bleak, but maybe there simply to be a recovery or uncovering of the hidden treasures. Claude McKay’s poem “America” is a highly reflective piece of his time. The darker tone shows the bleakness of the circumstances of many African American times, but the figurative language goes on to illustrate how they were able to stand proud with what they had. This lead to the theme of the poem of pointing out structural issues within the country. This message was delivered with powerful emotion; it was more than a poem to elicit a tear, but a poem to bring

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