750-800 words long
The Revolution in Claude McKay’s America and Bob Dylan’s Time They are a-changing Powerless people suffered pain and distress, lives of the innocents were taken, and bloods were shared, all in the name of selfish leader. However, people have suffered physically and emotionally, but they never lost hope that their country will someday become a better place. Moreover, although, it may be painful, sorrowful, and deadly, people join their faiths and fought for the people’s right. The poem “America” by Claude McKay and the poem “Times they are a-changing” by Bob Dylan are alike in their use of symbolism, imagery, and theme. Both authors use symbolism to communicate sorrow. Claude McKay uses sorrowful symbolism to illustrate problematic issues that arose for people during the American Revolution. However, the character in McKay’s poem never gives up his hope and love for his country. Symbolism is employed in the McKay’s “Sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth” to describe the oppressive nature of his country. In addition, “Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood” which signifies that, the character’s country treats him as someone who does not exist. In other words, the character’s own home town neither appreciates nor loves him. Likewise, the symbolism in the song “Times they are a-changing” by Bob Dylan also illustrates negative emotions. Dylan also uses painful symbolism to reveal the problematic issues that occurred in his poem as a result of motivating people to fight for revolution. Moreover, Dylan used (verse 1, line 6), to illustrates that fight for ones right may also result with pain and sorrow. An example is “You’ll be drenched to the bone” which symbolizes the sorrow one must go through while fighting in order to obtain peace and harmony. In other words, without standing up for what are right, people will suffer consequences of sorrow