Read the prompt and then the poem, annotating as you read. Then, respond to the prompt in a fully developed paragraph of 8-10 sentences.

Question

Read the prompt and then the poem, annotating as you read. Then, respond to the prompt in a fully developed paragraph of 8-10 sentences.

What is the theme of Countee Cullen’s “Any Human to Another”? How does Cullen develop this theme, stanza by stanza, through imagery and figurative language?

Any Human to Another
by Countee Cullen

The ills I sorrow at
Not me alone
Like an arrow,
Pierce to the marrow,
Through the fat (5)
And past the bone.

Your grief and mine
Must intertwine
Like sea and river,
Be fused and mingle, (10)
Diverse yet single,
Forever and forever.

Let no man be so proud
And confident,
To think he is allowed (15)
A little tent
Pitched in a meadow
Of sun and shadow
All his little own.

Joy may be shy, unique, (20)
Friendly to a few,
Sorrow never scorned to speak
To any who
Were false or true.

Your every grief (25)
Like a blade
Shining and unsheathed (1)
Must strike me down.
Of bitter aloes (2) wreathed,
My sorrow must be laid (30)
On your head like a crown.

Answer 1

The theme of Countee Cullen's poem "Any Human to Another" is the interconnectedness of human suffering and empathy. Cullen develops this theme through imagery and figurative language, stanza by stanza. In the first stanza, he describes how the sorrows of one person affect others deeply, penetrating to the very core. This imagery of an arrow piercing to the marrow creates a visceral image of the depth of shared pain. In the second stanza, Cullen uses the metaphor of the sea and river intertwining to show how grief must be shared and united, even though individuals may be diverse. The use of figurative language here emphasizes the idea of interconnectedness and unity in suffering. In the third stanza, Cullen warns against pride and highlights the universal nature of sorrow by contrasting it with the exclusive nature of joy. The imagery of joy being shy and sorrow being outspoken further emphasizes the theme of shared suffering. Finally, in the last stanza, Cullen illustrates how one person's grief must be borne by others, and how empathy and compassion are essential in acknowledging and sharing each other's pain. The imagery of a blade striking down and sorrow being laid like a crown on another's head reinforces the idea of interconnectedness in human suffering. Overall, Cullen develops the theme of shared human suffering through vivid imagery and powerful figurative language, highlighting the importance of empathy and compassion in connecting with others in times of distress.