Skip to main content
Try Wikispaces Classroom now.
Brand new from Wikispaces.
Pages and Files
Survey and Form
World Series Debate
(as seen in the
Amer Lit Videos
If We Must Die (Block 34)
Cody Dellinger, Shane Munzert, Tuan Dam Lesson Plan
1. First start of with building backround, to set a basis for the students.
2. Read "If we must die" to the Class.
3. Discuss sclift and how it plays a part in the poem.
4. Discuss every 5 stanzas that lie within the poem.
5. Underline the themes within play.
6. Discuss word choice within the play.
7. Break down to uncover what "If we must die" title really means.
8. Discuss Claude McKay his impacts and backround and how they play a part in the play.
Took place in the 1920’s
Racial prejudice and discrimination were still being taken place at this time toward African Americans
When McKay wrote this piece he was responding to violence against African Americans in 1919
During this time some writers ignored the hatred that African Americans went through
End Rhyme: hogs and dogs Lot, spot die, defy
Punctuation; a lot of commas and exclamation points at the end of lines
Language: strong and direct
Capitalization: beginning of sentence/lines
Author: Claude McKay
Represents African Americans Hardships
Repetition: “If we must die”
Parallelism: shows his hatred for being treated badly and not equally.
Sight: hunted and penned, hungry dogs, blood
Sound: barking dogs,
Metaphor- first 3 lines comparing blacks and whites to dogs and hogs
Tone and Theme
Tired of being discriminated upon, and shows that he is not going to take the prejudice any longer.
If we must die is an important title because it underlines that if he is going to die at all he will be fighting back, and he will not die giving up, he will be constantly fight against the discrimination and prejudice he faces.
Author Claude McKay
Known as poet of rebellion
Helped start the Harlem Renaissance
Known as one of the best African-American Writers
help on how to format text
Turn off "Getting Started"