“ The Lynching ” By: ClaudeMcKay

1. “The Lynching”By: ClaudeMcKay By: Erica Greco

2. Background Information • Born in Jamaica on September 15 1889, the youngest of 11 children; died in may 22, 1948 • Suffered from high blood pressure and heart disease • Abandoned his lifelong agnosticism and embraced Catholicism • Wrotesuch classics as Harlem Shadows, Harlem: Negro Metropolis, My Green Hills of Jamaica, Banana Bottom, and The Negroes in America • He is considered as the "foremost left-wing black intellectual of his age” • Influenced black authors including James Baldwin and Richard Wright.

3. The Lynching His spirit in smoke ascended to high heaven. His father, by the cruelest way of pain, Had bidden him to his bosom once again; The awful sin remained still unforgiven. All night a bright and solitary star (perchance the one that ever guided him, Yet gave him up at last to fate's wild whim) Hung pitifully o'er the swinging char. Day dawned, and soon the mixed crowds came to view The ghastly body swaying in the sun The women thronged to look, but never a one Showed sorrow in her eyes of steely blue; And little lads, lynchers that were to be, Danced round the dreadful thing in fiendish glee. By: Claude McKay

4. Analysis: • Lynchingis defined as murder for supposed crime: to seize somebody believed to have committed a crime and put him or her to death immediately and without trial • The title of this work speaks for itself, it tells of a story of a man who is lynched for a “awful sin” that of which is not named and ethnicity untold. Lynching was common in the 1920’s but most people were killed only because of their skin color Factoids: Not only African Americas were lynched but white men were as well. Lynching was a tool that mobs (like the KKK) used for the persecution of blacks and most people in pursuit of integration rights were killed, making it a racist and politically incorrect punishment Title: Purpose Connotation Attitude Shifts Title (2) Theme

5. Analysis: Title Purpose: Connotation Attitude Shifts Title (2) Theme The poem shows the racial injustice in the 19th century for African Americans, it shows the true feelings of the community when someone is lynched and how there is no compassion for any of the victims It goes from the peacefulness of ascending to heaven to be with his father to the sorrow-less women and the children who dance around his body, “fiendish glee”.

6. Analysis: Poetic Devices • “high heaven” is an example of alliteration • “night a bright” is an example of rhyme • “fate's wild whim” is not only personification but is alliteration too • “little lads, lynchers” is an example of alliteration • “eyes of steely blue” is an example of imagery Title Purpose Connotation: Attitude Shifts Title (2) Theme

7. Analysis: The attitude or tone of the poem starts out very peaceful and spiritual but then turns sad and distressed, because even though the man was rising up to heaven where his body remained was being desecrated and destroyed by an angry mob. And because of the awful and violent ways they treat the body the assumption could be made that the man was African American Title Purpose Connotation Attitude: Shifts Title (2) Theme

8. Analysis: • The poem is arranged in an ABBA formation • The title of the poem remains the same and recalls of a tale of a man lynched for his crimes • The theme of The Lynching is to tell the reader of the time in which Claude lived and what circumstances there were for people who committed crimes in this time whether white or black Title Purpose Connotation Attitude Shifts: Title (2): Theme: