In Claude McKay’s volume of poetry, Harlem Shadows, published in 1922, McKay uses poetry to share his African American heritage with his readers. Many of his poems reflect on his home in Jamaica and his family. Other poems in the collection encourage his fellow African Americans to embrace their heritage and withstand their oppression in the hopes that they will soon hold a better position in society. One of his poems in particular inspires blacks to push through the years of racism and to hope for better days ahead. McKay’s poetic devices and structure in “If We Must Die,” coupled with the rough years preceding the Civil Rights Movement, correlate with the desire for American respect and African American confidence.
In his poem, McKay conveys his sincerity and humility concerning his African heritage through his diction. McKay chooses specific words to create images and invoke emotions. In the first section of the poem, he describes the scene of dogs penning hogs in a corner, “hunted and penned in an inglorious spot.” Words like “penned” and “inglorious” portray an unavoidable and degrading situation in which escape is unlikely. Later on in the poem, McKay says, “Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” These are ordinary words put into an unnatural context. Words in the repeated phrase and title, “If we must die…” communicate surrender. These words mark the moments where McKay relinquishes his desires with the hope that oppression of African Americans will soon end. McKay’s words put together reveal a humble mind yet unwavering spirit. Throughout the poem, McKay uses simple but poignant words to express fortitude.
To creatively express his purpose within the poem, McKay uses a variety of poetic devices to mold ordinary words into an original poem. The most prevalent device he uses is personification. In the first half of the poem, pigs are personified to represent blacks and dogs are personified to represent whites, “… round us [the pigs—blacks] bark the mad and hungry dogs, making their mock at our accursed lot.” The pigs are personified with a “lot,” or predicament, and the dogs are personified with mocking, making fun of the pigs’ unfortunate situation.
McKay also uses metaphors, both extended and temporary. The extended metaphor is in the first half of the poem when McKay uses the continuing comparison of barn animals to humans. He compares the relationship between dogs and hogs to the relationship between blacks and whites in the early twentieth century. Dogs, particularly hunting or herding dogs, put pigs in their place. Pigs are known as dirty animals that eat scraps and become the food on our plates. Dogs are enforcers; they keep other animals in line. However, pigs are just as smart as dogs, revealing how African Americans felt just as capable as whites. McKay also uses a collection of temporary metaphors like in line seven, “…then even the monsters we defy….” Shorter metaphors show glimpses of emotion that are first thought to be harsh but later found to be a creative form of conveying emotion. The animal metaphors show how McKay and other African Americans hated being likened to dirt and treated as inferior and unequal to whites.
While the diction and poetic devices create meaning with words, the structure of the poem constructs meaning with form. The poem seems to follow the model of a sonnet. There are twelve lines with an attached couplet; there is a regular end rhyme pattern following an ABAB CDCD model throughout. In some instances, the rhyme is approximate. McKay’s common topic of hope and purpose in life unifies the poem without strict meter. The repeated phrase, “If we must die…” also succeeds in tying the poem together while allowing flexibility.
Throughout the poem, there is a common message of perseverance and humility. McKay does not linger on the bad times; he encourages other blacks to bring about change as well as remember and embrace their heritage and identity. Because African Americans suffered from racism and prejudice up until the latter part of the twentieth century, they deserved to oppose the whites who persecuted and killed them. However, McKay seems to optimistically approach the past of torment with the hope that it may benefit future generations. In the early twentieth century, blacks were willing to suffer if it meant, “… though far outnumbered let us show us brave, and for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” This poem was written as a response to social conflicts arising in the early twentieth century. In particular, “If We Must Die” was written as a response to the Red Scare of 1919 when Americans were violently acting against each other and other races. With this poem, McKay hoped to encourage African Americans to stand strong through the conflict and look for resolution.
During his life, Claude McKay witnessed many startling and disturbing instances where African Americans were oppressed. The social turmoil in the early 1900s leading up to the Civil Rights Movement sparked determination and a will for equality in McKay that inspired this poem calling for freedom. With his concise and poignant images, McKay helps his readers feel how many African Americans have suffered as well as his hope for better days and confidence in his fellow African Americans to stand strong. Through a unique blend of words, poetic devices, structure, and powerful theme, the poem cries for integrity, morality, and respect.
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