The Harlem Renaissance was a time when African American writers and artists expressed and articulated themselves through their writing and art. It was an extraordinary time, as for the first time in history African American writers and poets were popularly credited in America. While many of the writers of the Harlem Renaissance were born and raised in the United States, McKay, of Jamaican descent, had a different point of view than his. His poems "America" ​​and "If We Must Die" explored the intricate and unique connection that African Americans had with their ethnicity. His poems sang of America with words that mixed love and hate, pain and pleasure, contempt and veneration. He saw America passionately with all its virtues and vices because he had chosen America as his home. Analyzing "America" ​​and "If We Must Die", one discovers how McKay builds on Du Bois's concept of "double consciousness", which manifests itself through his adoration and frustration with America in the first poem and revulsion in the second, ergo giving a voice to Black Americans to discuss subtle and overt identity conflict and racism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Respect and revulsion are two of the most overwhelming emotions one can feel. Outwardly these feelings appear dissimilar as polar opposites, but diving deep yields some evocative similarities. In the poem “America,” the reader is offered the manifestation of both of these emotions in a poem filled with defiant opposition and weighty statements about society. Before McKay's "America" ​​and "If We Must Die," another important writer of the Harlem Renaissance, W. E. B. Du Bois, wrote of the "duality" or "double consciousness" of African Americans. “Double consciousness can be defined as “the conscious splitting of the inner self in an attempt to create a character that can be accepted into mainstream society” (Du Bois, 3). The concept explains how African Americans are caught between being black and being American. This was a crucial question in countless Harlem Renaissance writings as writers grappled with belonging to a country that celebrated freedom and were at the same time bound by African ethnic identity. The essay focuses on "America" ​​and "If We Must Die." ' among all the poems from McKay's treasure trove of anthologies because the two poems above perfectly and accurately conveyed what it meant to be black in America. The unusual ardor and emotion in the poems makes them stand out. McKay was notable as he was the first writer of the Harlem Renaissance to express the spirit of the New Negro. The “New Negro” is a term popularized during the Harlem Renaissance that suggests a more sincere promotion of self-respect and a refusal to peacefully submit to Jim Crow practices and laws of racial discrimination. The term "New Negro" was popularized by Alain LeRoy Locke. McKay seems to obey the conventional and "white" ideas of poetry by writing a Shakespearean sonnet. “He believed that Western societies were much more advanced than African ones and that in some sense black men brought to the West were lucky; furthermore, he considered himself a child of Western civilization.” (Hansell 1) But the fact that the poem itself deals with issues of black identity shows that he is in an identity crisis just like most other African Americans. Many poets before and after McKay spoke of the theory of "double consciousness", but most of them aspired to and referred to the coexistence of African and American cultures. However, aUnlike them, McKay vehemently believed that the two identities were irreconcilable and there was no way one person could live with two very conflicting principles. For example, in “I, Too,” Hughes, another Harlem Renaissance poet, envisions a black poet as part of an American “family” and says, “Tomorrow, / I'll be at the table / when company comes. / … Besides, / They will see how beautiful I am / And they will be ashamed / I am America too. (8-18). In “Theme for English B,” Hughes says, “You are white – / yet you are part of me, just as I am part of you. / He's American." (31-33). We can observe from the previous stanzas that Hughes is much more concerned with making blacks a part of America, unlike McKay who always finds himself as an outsider and therefore never attempts to blend his dual identity. Many poets of the Harlem Renaissance movement were born in America, but because McKay was born in Jamaica, he approached the concept from an international perspective and was more critical of experiences of spoken and unspoken “apartheid.” in America. It is also interesting that “McKay did not learn to protest by being a victim of American racism. Before coming to the United States he had protested against injustice, the cruelty of man, the misunderstandings that ignorance can generate and the evils of deprivation. For general disharmonies he blamed fate; for specific ills, he placed primary responsibility on individuals.” (Hansell 139) Thus, unlike many poets, McKay did not blame Americans entirely for the misery of his community. McKay's writings are often characterized as separatist in nature as they were significantly influenced by his un-American stature. 'America' is a sonnet composed of three quatrains and a couplet composed in iambic pentameter. The poem sees the speaker constantly oscillating between his concentrated feelings of positivity and negativity that he feels about America. The dichotomy of dual emotions in the poem reflects the attitude of the African American citizen during the time the sonnet was published. In the poem, America is personified and addressed as an entity with which the speaker appears to have a bittersweet relationship. In the first verse, McKay vents his contempt for America and the way it has treated him; however, he also expresses his confidence in the country. When McKay says “Though he feed me bitter bread” (1), the ambiguous speaker is saying that he or she relies on America for his or her sustenance as an infant depends on its mother. The receptive reader evaluates the fact that America provides for the speaker, even though the food he is offered is unpleasant and upsetting. This statement comes close to the buried emotions experienced by Black Americans regarding their limited rights in the South. Blacks were granted pseudo-equal rights, as rights were limited to only a tiny portion of the black population who met unrealistic expectations both financially and socially. This led to deep-seated hostility among African Americans. The speaker felt fervently that America was a parasite taking the life from his body and is clearly supported by the lines, “he sinks his tiger tooth into my throat, / Stealing my breath of life, I will confess” (2 -3 ). This is another scathing observation about the unjust treatment of blacks that has destroyed people's pride and soul. The speaker makes a controversial move and says, “I must confess, / I love this cultured hell that tests my youth!” (3-4) which is quite contradictory to the anguish with which the poem opens. The dyad element is evident in the transition of both tonality and the confession made by the speaker, and clearly relates to Du Bois's theory of Double Consciousness.In the following lines the speaker uses the expression “hell caught” (4) which is an oxymoron. The speaker lets his guard down and brazenly confesses that he appreciates the filth that exists in American culture. Suddenly he presents America as a guilty pleasure and is no longer averse to admitting it. It therefore constitutes a powerful example of the dichotomy that exists throughout the piece and in the minds of many African Americans who have a love-hate relationship with America. McKay appears to appreciate the challenges, both physical and intellectual, American society presented to him during this time period. McKay, the poet, also seems to relish the trials that society hits him with during that time, and this is clearly reflected in his writing and poetry. The second stanza begins on a more positive note and is strongly indicative of the optimistic feelings the speaker has for America. “His vigor flows like tides in my blood, / Giving me strength to stand against his hatred” (5-6). This line is one of the most powerful lines of the evocative poem as it is of the tactical images the reader perceives as conveying the speaker's passion fueled solely by the birth of America. As the speaker boldly proclaims that America is the source of his strength, he rebels against those who provided him with that same strength and uses it to oppose the racial hatred that was prevalent during this time period in America. Although the speaker is fervently against racism in America, he feels that he is only a drop in the ocean of the fight for equality, which is clearly echoed in the phrase: "His greatness overwhelms my being like a flood" ( 7). It is easy to identify with his feelings because we often fear losing our individuality and identity, we fear facing the masses as they approach us like a flood. The speaker feels the same way as he conveys one person's ineffectiveness in fighting the bigoted history of an unaccompanied nation. However, he is brave enough to take a solid stand and express his opinions as sincerely as possible through his work. A rebel in the presence of a king will surely see his downfall. The speaker talks about the prospect of standing before a king as a rebel and awaiting censure and punishment. He compares standing in the face of rigid racism to the above and says: "And yet, as a rebel faces a king of state, / I stand with his walls without an ounce / Of terror, malice, without a word of derision" (8 - 10). Interestingly, here it is the reaction of the “king” that breaks down the expected barrier in the interaction between the two parties. He does not barge in or express malice towards the stranger present in his court. The rebel stands tall and mighty before the king within his fortifications because he is protected by law. McKay provides us with an interesting metaphor to convey the true variation of the American system and the reality that existed in America at that time. The speaker, like many Africans, lived in grey, in the constant struggle between being black and white. America is the source of his strength, but it is also the cause of his anguish and frustration. Like many African Americans, the speaker wishes to be true to his cultural roots in Africa, but America is his home, even if the feeling of alienation haunts him. This expression echoes the concept of “Dual Conscience” explained by WEB Du Bois and echoes what every African-American experiences. The poem settles on a melancholy note as the speaker predicts what lies ahead for America: “Darkly I look upon the days ahead, / And I see its might and its granite wonders there, / Under the touch of the unerring hand of Time, / Like priceless treasures that sink into the sand” (11-14). Conventionally in the United States, to pay homage to a worthy citizenof note, or at a significant event, a memorial stone is erected for posterity to remember the exploits of those who came before. In this passage, the speaker examines the statues that preceded him. remind people of America's inspiring history. The speaker then predicts that America will eventually fade into memory as time passes. The speaker ingeniously uses the phrase “sinking in the sand” (14) which leads the reader to believe that he knows the brevity of America similar to most civilizations that over time have sunk in the sands of inconsequence. The poem's robust use of metaphor and duplicity gives it a strong edge. The stark dualism offered by McKay is the sole purpose behind the prose. The dots create a strong connection with all those African Americans who felt this way during the 20th century and pushes them to recognize this feeling and allow it to empower them instead of making them feel degraded. The chaotic cry that McKay emits from the lines of this poem are the reverberations of a group caught between true equality and false hope. Diving into the depths of the speaker's emotional and confusing mind in "America," the reader feels almost suffocated by the tonality of "If We Must Die" and the militant message it seeks to spread. Although McKay denied making specific references to Blacks and Whites in the poem, the fact that it was written after the “Red Summer” of 1919, when anti-Black riots broke out, makes the sonnet resonate with the desperation of African Americans during that time. “The character calls on black men in America to arm themselves against racial oppression and lynching. He further goes on to urge them to defy all sinister forces and meet violence with violence in ascertaining their ethical dignity in their struggle for social, economic and political emancipation, regardless of all odds. (Adewumi and Bolawale 17) McKay uses a derisive tone throughout the poem, quite contrary to that used in 'America' and seems to cross the line between devotion and anguish. The speaker aims to empower Black Americans and emphasizes the significance of an honorable death. The existence and terrible death of African Americans is rightly equated to raising and feeding a pig only to be slaughtered. The rhetoric used here hits the mark as it has a powerful impact. The pigs are castrated male pigs and the reference indicates that the blacks were rendered defenseless and had to die without choice. “cast out and confined in an inglorious place” (McKay 2), he goes on to show the appearance of being trapped in a pen; just like pigs. The sickening contrast is intentional as McKay wants the severity of the problems to be firmly entrenched in the minds of his people. He wants readers to be touched by it so that their conscience can understand what his people were undergoing at that time. McKay is strongly linked to African Americans in this poem and addresses them directly. This poem is addressed to all those who are subjugated, especially black people, and they are the people referred to in this poem. The speaker implores his people to passionately resist all those who kill him, saying, “If we must die, oh let us die nobly, lest our precious blood be shed in vain.” (McKay 5-7). He wants them to forget the idea of ​​being moral through non-violence and shows them the nobility in purposeful death. The opening line "If we must die" is supposed to incite the rebels to act regardless of the consequences and is conveyed in the line "then even the monsters we challenge will be forced to honor us even if dead." (McKay 7-8). It is interesting to note the contrast in the speaker's mind as on the one hand it gives them hope, but on the other it tells them thatdeath is imminent and inevitable. The duality and uncertainty are explained by the conditional clause “if” in the poem. McKay insists on mortality throughout the poem and seems concerned with the manner of death rather than the time of death. The setting of the poem is that of an ongoing war, and McKay urges his people to remain united and fight for their honor regardless of the outcome. He says: “O relatives! We must meet the common enemy! Even if vastly outnumbered, let's be brave. (8-9) and warns them that they may dig their own grave, but courage is more important than victory. He urges them to never give up: "Stand against the wall, dying, but fighting back." It can be strongly argued that the poem only addresses men in society as the imagery and tone used in the poem are masculine, for example: "As men we will face the murderous and cowardly pack." (McKay 13). The poem seems to say that the act of rebellion is associated with men and male visual imagery is used to impose acts of war and huntingFight brings the distinction between cowards and real men in the final line of the poem and intends to give voice to African Americans and instill in them that they deserve an honorable death. McKay wants his people to deliver the final death blow knowing they may not survive and he wants them to know that dying under oppression for freedom makes it all the more honorable. The theme of nobility and honor is summed up by the phrase "you must be forced to honor us even though we are dead!" Dogs represent the enemy in this poem and the image of ferocious, hungry dogs creates fear among readers. The poem, like many of McKay's poems, ends on a double blue note. He calls the enemy a bunch of cowards but at the same time bluntly tells his people to fight back knowing that death may be imminent: "pressed against the wall, dying, but fight back!" Brevity is emphasized and conveyed by McKay and leaves readers with the hope that the death of his people bears fruit for posterity in the form of true equality and humanity. The impact of the poem was significant and surprising even to McKay himself. “If We Must Die” became, as Joel Rogers said in 1927, truly the “Marsellaise of the American Negro.” (James 17) A generation later, Melvin Tolson, the distinguished African American poet, similarly noted that the poem was the anthem and McKay a symbol of the militant New Negro in the aftermath of World War I and not just in the United States. . “Indeed, “If We Must Die” is not only one of the most famous poems ever written by one of Africa's children; poetry also became the rallying cry of oppressed peoples of all colors, throughout the world.” (James 17) The reason for the fame is to be attributed to both the poetry and the poet's state of mind. Both McKay and his poems were plagued by double consciousness. We see a burning passion and reverence for America in the poem of the same name and we also see the speaker's desolation. In “If We Must Die,” the poet rightly criticizes white people as the “enemy” and implores his people to take revenge. Thus, McKay's double consciousness is evident. The fact that the name of the country is the title of the poem “America” shows that it was in many ways a tribute to the land of dreams. McKay saw America through a utopian lens, but found flaws in the system. Both of his poems insist on the concept of brevity. “America” is about the end of a great civilization and “If We Must Die” is about the brevity of African Americans waging war against the “common enemy.” McKay, as a poet, lives in the gray and has two feelings for America, because the poem “America” was written in 1921 and “If We Must Die” was written three years earlier in 1919. We can therefore say that McKay has he immediately changed his mind. 2, 22 2016