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If We Must Die By Claude Mckay

583 Words3 Pages

“If We Must Die” is a poem written by Claude Mckay as a response to the mob attacks against African Americans during Red Summer. Mckay uses this poem to help encourage members of the black community to fight back against white oppression, representing the “true meaning” of bravery. Harper Lee wrote To Kill A Mockingbird, a book that takes place in Alabama during the 1930s. The book is from the perspective of a young white girl, Scout. Scout’s father, Atticus, is defending a young black man, Tom Robinson, who is wrongfully accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. Tom is convicted guilty of the death penalty but dies as a result of his decision to escape from prison and ends up getting shot seventeen times. Claude Mckay and Harper Lee define …show more content…

He emphasizes the idea of communal bravery. Using the repetition of “we”, he is advocating for all the black people who have been mistreated and threatened by society demonstrating their communal courage through their unwavering willingness to fight back against oppression, “Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” (Mckay lines 13-14) This shows that Claude Mckay wants men to stand up for themselves even if they die in the struggle. He believes it’s better for them to die, knowing they made an effort to reclaim their dignity and freedom, than for them to lose hope and let the oppressors take advantage. In the poem, he says that if they were to die let it not be “like hogs''. This is a simile that compares the harsh slaughtering of animals to that of African Americans, stripping them of their humanity. He fears that African Americans will start believing that they are only destined to die, being kept in “pens” waiting for the inevitable to happen. This poem talks about breaking down this metaphorical wall of oppression and highlights the importance of standing up for what's right despite the consequences that might

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