Death "we Real Cool"

Death in “We Real Cool”

In Gwendolyn Brooks poem “We Real Cool” Seven African-American high school dropouts want everyone to admire them. These teenagers explain how they stay out late playing pool, fighting, sinning and drinking. Though they believe they have everybody else fooled, they know themselves that the destructive behavior they are taking part in will lead to their death. “The sluggard’s carving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work” (Proverbs 21:25) The Bible makes a very clear statement in this passage as to how being lazy can be the cause of one’s death. In “We Real Cool,” Gwendolyn Brooks uses denotation and sound devices to suggest that although humans may often think of themselves as being cool for dropping out; However, it will give them time to engage in sinful activities which will result in a broken, short life.

Brooks uses denotation to suggest that although some African-Americans may often think of themselves as being cool for dropping out of school they know in reality that dropping out will give them time to engage in sinful activities. “We real cool. We/ left school” (Lines 1-2), explains how these African-American teenagers think they are cool because they drop out of high school. “We/ Lurk late” (3-4). The point that they lurk late provides support in understanding that these teenagers are dropouts by them not caring and staying out during the late hours of the night. Not only do these young African-Americans stay out late, but while they out they start fights “We/ strike straight” (3-4). While being out late, the teenagers that are talked about in this poem are into drinking alcohol. “We/ thin gin” (5-6). Although these young African-Americans think of themselves as being cool because they dropped out of school, stay out fighting and drinking, they know that all of the untruthful things they are taking part of will lead to their death quickly, “We/ die soon” (7-8). The creative way Brooks uses denotation in this poem helps explain that although some African-American teenagers may often think of themselves as being cool. By dropping out, staying out late, fighting, and drinking they know in the back of their minds that these corrupt things they are taking part in will lead to a shortened life.

Brooks uses sound devices to suggest that although some humans may often think of themselves as being cool for dropping out of school. Brooks uses pauses in the middle of lines to aid in helping the audience see how the brokenness of ideas and sound contributes to the brokenness felt by these African-American teenagers. “We/ Lurk late. We/ Strike straight.” In lines 5-6, when the reader reads the brokenness in the middle of the line contributes to the meaning of the poem. The short lines in this poem, given meaning to the short lives that these African-American teenagers live. “We/ sing sin. We / Thin gin. (5-6) except for the first and last lines in the poem each of the other lines has three syllables. Brooks uses the decreasing number of syllables to show how the (sound or meter) of a line being condensed strengthen