Essay Questions

Show how knowledge and education are brought out in Claude McKay’s Home to Harlem.

Ray is a character whom Claude McKay portrays as a rather intellectually centered individual with a virtually unquenchable thirst for knowledge as well as intellectual power. In fact, it is the aspect that the writer uses to distinguish and differentiate him from the other characters. Claude McKay’s utilization of this contrasting approach reveals the poor education that is deep-rooted within the African American commune, particularly at the beginning of the 20th century. The encounter between Ray and Jake forms a rotary point for the novel as well as a place of hope for the African Americans as epitomized by Jake’s interest in learning from Ray.

Show how Jake Brown fights for Felice and the feelings they share in Claude McKay’s Home to Harlem.

After returning home to Harlem, Jake runs into one of his friends from the war b the name of Zeddy Plummer. After Jake leaves Harlem as a cook on a train, he later meets Ray, who is also a waiter on the same train on which he is a cook. When finally Jake runs into Felice, the two have a reunion. However, Zeddy having had something going on with Felice, confronts them. Jake is, however, not ready to let Felice go, and to protect what he has for her pulls a gun on Zeddy. Zeddy calls Jake a traitor, perhaps for taking Felice. The two then later move for a fresh start in Chicago

What was the punishment for deserting the army?

The act of deserting the army was seen as the highest crime a soldier could commit and was punished as such. During the period of World War I, the harshest punishment a deserter could receive was execution. However, it is estimated that less than 10% of deserters were executed and that instead, other punishments were used. Imprisonment, fines, and loss of rank were also punishments given out to deserters. Even though the war was over, Jake knew he could still be held accountable for his actions and as such decided to flee once more to avoid being caught.