“I
love this cultured hell that tests my youth!”(4) is a line in the poem “America”
by Claude McKay that mostly sums up the speaker of this poem’s opinion of
America, the country. Throughout the poem, the poet praises America and the
energy and vigor it gives him to be in such a country, even through all of the
hardships it gives, suggesting also, that he might be an immigrant. This shows
that the poet wanted the reader to recognize his love for America, through its
hardships.
Throughout
the poem, the author praises America. The line “I love this cultured hell that
tests my youth!”(4) shows the extent of his love for America, saying he loves
it even though it is comparable to a hell. Also, the lines “Her vigor flows
like tides into my blood”(5) and “Giving me strength against her hate”(6) shows
that being in America, and the fortune it brings give him the strength to
ignore the negatives of being there. This allows him to communicate to the
readers his love the country, while also giving sight on how hard it is to be
there.
Also,
the poem suggests the speaker had to go through many hardships. The line “Although
she feeds me bread of bitterness”(1) suggest the speaker, referring to she as
America, went through famine and had little to eat at one point. Also, the line
“And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth”(2) suggests that the speaker may
have been treated harshly by others, also suggesting the possibility that he
was immigrant, as immigrants, when first coming to America, suffered many
insults and discrimination.
Overall,
the message the poet wanted go bring out was to show people his love for his
country, America, and to have his readers recognize that. He wanted his reader
to realize that he’ll love America, even though it brings him hardships he has
to pass.
