In high school I used to HATE interrupting poetry, but I actually enjoyed the McKay poems. The White House on page twenty-nine waved extreme interested to me. The way I read it I thought of it as the African American’s journey through life and how they dealt with racism. In the first few lines, I believe McKay talks about the black race having the “door” of opportunity shut on them by the whites. They keep their composure and courage as they continue to walk down the hard road of life (“The pavement slabs burn loose beneath my feet”). McKay walks down a decent road where a “chafing savage” or an irritating and cruel white person lives. He seems to find strength or “superhuman power” to contain his anger. The last two lines where of most interest to me:
“Oh, I must keep my heart inviolate
Against the potent poison of your hate.”
I think the African Americans want to be undisturbed while they swallow their pride and try to be the bigger person in this situation of racism and oppression. They refuse to give up and even though the white people’s hearts are filled with hate, the blacks will not allow it to affect them.
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I agree, I think that this poem is about surviving or handling treatment in a manner that is dignified and poised. When he uses the first line “your door”, I interpret that as being a door of opportunities to freedom. It is noted as “your” because it belongs to the whites. In America, the whites possess control of opportunity and decide who is allowed to freedoms. Another line that I found intriguing was; “Where boldly shines your shuttered door of glass”. As I read this poem several times to respond to your post, I couldn’t help but think of the saying “those in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks” and I think that this particular idiom is very important to this poem and to the whole white black racism issue is that; white people should not throw a rock, because as a race we have done despicable and unjustly things throughout the ages. We are being watched and scrutinized just as we are doing to the black race.
I think that this poem as you point out, uses words such as courage, grace, proudly, superhuman. I think McKay uses these words to look and point out how graciously and dignified the black race is, and then look at what savages, cowards, and volatile treatment and ways the white race inflicts out of fear upon the black race.
I really like how you put your last paragraph. I agree, that this poem is specifically saying look at you as a race and look at us as a race, and your race will not destroy us but instead will cause us to hold our heads high, will abide by your laws, and will not be infected with your poison of hate.
I also thought about that poem in that way of a journey through life and how they have to deal with racism. The door being shut is like the white people shuting them out of the world of opputunities. I think that the last to lines is the most important lines it says keep a good heart even though the white people try to shut them out with hate.
When I first read this poem I took the meaning to refer to the governments inability to legislate laws and policy that would help the black race overcome the problems they were facing. I got this from the governments inability to pass laws from lynching. I like how the poem can be read both ways.
I too, disliked interpreting poetry until recently...but having the knowledge of how to pick apart a poem helps me grasp its understanding so much better! Anyway, good points made in this post, Ashley. I think "The White House" is a representation of a fiery culmination of McKay's bountiful anger towards the white race. Every single part of this poem re-inforces the frustration and tension he is experiencing personally and feeling for the black race. Not only does McKay use angry words such as "discontent," "wrathful," and "hate," but he also employs a large amount of alliteration to add strength to his phrases of hatred (i.e. "sharp as steel," "potent poison"). Even though the topics of McKay's poems are very serious, I like reading them because the emotions are so raw.
I agree with your last paragraph of your blog. They do refuse to give up and do not allow the hate of the whites to affect them. I think that is a great point and I also think this point is brought out in alot of his other poems as well, specifically the ones we focused on for today's class.
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