Claude McKay's work is an authentic representation of the Harlem Renaissance and the struggles against racism and prejudice in the 1920s. The poem "If We Must Die", written by McKay in 1919, illustrates the theme of fighting against oppression using the symbolism of war and how those who are oppressed must fight for their rights in society. This theme is supported by literary devices used in the poem such as diction, imagery and overall structure, McKay's biography and historical context of this poem, and references to other works by McKay such as "America." Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? You get an original essay "If We Must Die" at a glance without any context by Claude McKay and his writing could be interpreted as describing a group at war, which is seen through McKay's use of diction and imagery . McKay uses diction to support this statement such as line 9, “O kinsmen! We must meet the common enemy!” where the words “relatives” and “enemy” allude to terms of war. Another significant use of the phrase includes the term “cursed,” which is defined as a strong dislike or anger toward a group. This represents the discrimination and hatred that the enemy puts towards the group represented in the poem. The imagery in the poem shows emphasis on a smaller group fighting a large enemy and how the group must “die nobly,” despite the struggles they face. The imagery is also seen in the first two lines which state, “If we must die, let it not be like the pigs / Hunted down and confined in an inglorious place.” This creates images of warriors being killed but comparing them to animals (pigs). This image also represents the desire to die with honor, instead of being hunted, and the fact that they must not die without fighting the enemy head-on. At first reading, this poem also has a significant structure, as it contains elements of an English sonnet. This is because the poem has 14 lines and the standard rhyme scheme, however, there are no stanzas separated by three quatrains and a final couplet. The typical use of a sonnet would be to write to a single person, usually with a common theme, whether romantic or to solve a problem. Using a sonnet may have been a deliberate strategy by McKay to represent unity in support of the theme as the speaker expresses words of motivation to those fighting. However, underlying the motivational songs of war in this poem is a much deeper meaning when looking at Claude McKay's background and the time of this poem, revealing information about who is fighting in this war. Knowledge of Claude McKay's impact on the Harlem Renaissance and the events following the Red Summer, after World War I, show the deeper message behind McKay's words of unity and struggle in the war. McKay's biography has a major influence on his work based on his life transitions, including leaving Jamaica, where his African heritage was valued, to move to America, where the fight for racial equality is evident throughout the company. McKay's background and ambitions in defending the rights of black individuals give his words more meaning in verses masquerading as war words. His words in this poem reflect the underlying meaning of resistance in lines like 13 and 14, "As men we will face the murderous and cowardly pack, / Pressed to the wall, dying, but we fight back!" These lines not only highlight the fight against racial injustice, but also give a voice to everyone.