Hatred of the Rope From 1882 to 1968 4,743 people were lynched. In the poem, “The Lynching” written by Claude McKay, during the time of the Harlem renaissance lynchings where very common because this was the time where there was a burst of creativity and outspokenness from the African American community. This poem in particular shows how horrible people we’re back then because they basically have a big gathering around a black man being lynched. This poem shows one of the most devastating things at the time and how cruel people were. Who was Claude McKay?He was one of the most influential African American poets and authors at the time. Claude was born in Jamaica in 1889 and in 1912 Claude was able to move to America because he used award money from his first volume “Songs …show more content…
What was the mistrust there was, along with a great admiration for it, he wanted equality and fought against inequality. Claude is best known for his influence during the time and how his work has inspired others even up to today. One of the Ways Claude McKay talks about how devastating lynchings where through rhyming at the end of the lines, in this next line “ his father, by the cruelest way of pain/ has bidden him to his bosom once again “ lines 3-4 this line reveals how this is one of the most cruel ways a person can go. In the next phrase, “little lads, lynchers that were to be danced round the dreadful thing in glee” lines 13-14, this phrase shows that even kids were exposed to these horrific things and they were joyful about it happening. Claude McKay uses visual imagery to show how cruel lynchings are, For my example of personification is the line “ Fates wild whim” Line 7 this line describes how fate is uncontrollable and is wild. Another example of personification is the phrase, “his spirit in smoke ascended into high heaven” line 1 this phrase means that his spirit lifted upward to heaven kinda like how smoke from a fire goes