The Lynching - Literature Notes
Please note that the information given on this poem is not meant to replace any material given in the classroom setting. It is a very BASIC giude to enable a literal understanding of the poem. Metaphorical interpretations should be sought in the classroom.
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The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text.
His spirit in smoke ascended to high heaven. 1.His father, by the cruellest way of pain, Had bidden him to his bosom once again; The 3.awful sin remained still unforgiven. 1.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 4.char. Day dawned, and soon the 5.mixed crowds came to view The 6.ghastly body swaying in the sun: The women thronged to look, but never a one 2.Showed sorrow in her eyes of 7.steely blue; And little lads, lynchers that were to be, Danced round the dreadful thing in 8.fiendish glee. Claude McKay, A World of Poetry (2005) |
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
LITERAL MEANING The poem is about a black male who has been lynched. The morning brings with it spectators that have come to see the body. These are women and children who show no remorse for the scene before them. 
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LITERARY DEVICES
1. ALLUSION
2. ALLITERATION / METAPHOR
IMPORTANT WORDS / PHRASES
3. awful sin:
This 'awful sin' refers to the state of being Black. This term serves to highlight that racism was the basis on which this individual was lynched. The use of the word awful also lends a sarcastic edge to the tone of the persona because it implies that colour is something that can be controlled, when that is not the case. people do awful acts, people cannot be awful based on race.
4. char
This word implies that the body was blackened on the outside. This highlights the horrific pain that the person must have endured during the process of being lynched.
5. mixed crowds
This tells the reader that different races were present to view the body after the event.
6.ghastly
This word implies extreme disgust. The body is in a deplorable state that is not pleasing to the eye. A few synonyms for this word are: horror, fear, frightful, macabre. This emphasizes, or is the manifestation, of the level of hate that it takes to lynch some-one.
7. steely
The root word in this context is steel. Characteristics of steel are hard and impersonal. Therefore,
the eyes of the women, supposedly representative of soft and nurturing qualities, are, instead, impersonal and cold.
8. fiendish
This literally means to be devilish, or intentionally cruel. The fact that children can dance around in this type of glee implies that innocence is lost. They, like the women, are steeped in the racist values of the society in which they live.
THEME
Racism
The poem confronts a time in history when Black people were not viewed as human. On this premise, they could be lynched without it causing a ripple in the moral fiber of their society. The fact that women and children could view the charred remains with little or no feeling speaks volumes about the extent to which racist values were entrenched in the society.
Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
BACK LITERARY DEVICES
1. ALLUSION
- This alludes to the death of the individual, presumably a Black person, who is now in heaven. This seen in the reference to being bidden, or called, to his father's 'bosom'.
- This star alludes to the one that guided the three wise men to baby Jesus. In this context, it highlights that this star has, possibly, provided illumination in the night for the victim of the lynching, but also served to lead others to him as well.
2. ALLITERATION / METAPHOR
- The alliteration serves the purpose of drawing the readers' eye to this particular passage in the poem. This line also doubles as a metaphor. In this case, the metaphor tells the reader that the woman is white, because blue eyes are a feature of the Caucasian race. It also highlights the level of racism in the society. This is the case because if women, who are suppose to be nurturing and caring, show steel (unfeeling, clinical) in their eyes, then it is an echo of the views of the society.
IMPORTANT WORDS / PHRASES
3. awful sin:
This 'awful sin' refers to the state of being Black. This term serves to highlight that racism was the basis on which this individual was lynched. The use of the word awful also lends a sarcastic edge to the tone of the persona because it implies that colour is something that can be controlled, when that is not the case. people do awful acts, people cannot be awful based on race.
4. char
This word implies that the body was blackened on the outside. This highlights the horrific pain that the person must have endured during the process of being lynched.
5. mixed crowds
This tells the reader that different races were present to view the body after the event.
6.ghastly
This word implies extreme disgust. The body is in a deplorable state that is not pleasing to the eye. A few synonyms for this word are: horror, fear, frightful, macabre. This emphasizes, or is the manifestation, of the level of hate that it takes to lynch some-one.
7. steely
The root word in this context is steel. Characteristics of steel are hard and impersonal. Therefore,
the eyes of the women, supposedly representative of soft and nurturing qualities, are, instead, impersonal and cold.
8. fiendish
This literally means to be devilish, or intentionally cruel. The fact that children can dance around in this type of glee implies that innocence is lost. They, like the women, are steeped in the racist values of the society in which they live.
THEME
Racism
The poem confronts a time in history when Black people were not viewed as human. On this premise, they could be lynched without it causing a ripple in the moral fiber of their society. The fact that women and children could view the charred remains with little or no feeling speaks volumes about the extent to which racist values were entrenched in the society.
Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
BACK LITERARY DEVICES
