Countee Cullen's "Incident" Exercises

from Portable Legacies (page143)

Explorations of the Test:

1. What is the nature of the interaction between the two boys?

A two way interaction, starting with the speaker's smile, friendly and happy from the lines "Heart-filled, head filled with glee" but met with the antagonistic Baltimorean who "Keep looking straight at me" and "...poked out/His tongue and called me, "Nigger"". The Baltimorean who was "no whit bigger" than the speaker used the term "nigger" which brought forth a negative connotation of probably skin-color differences.

2. Why does the speaker remember nothing more than the incident, even though he stayed in Baltimore from "May until December"?

The speaker, young and innocent, depicted by "...I was eight and very small" must had been scarred deeply by the act of prejudice put forth by the Baltimorean. The lack of emotion and neatness of the poem, showed the speaker's detachment towards the poem and probably the incident-as if he didn't really want to go in-depth and speak on it but he had to get it out. "...the whole of Baltimore" and "...all that I remember" shows how that incident was all that he remembered throughout the trip/his travels in Baltimore. The speaker's pain and shock overshadows the other memories of his summer till fall in Baltimore and probably increased his awareness of his skin-color or social standing in the society, and would have taint his experience with other Baltimoreans. "

Ideas for Writing

1. What do its form and rhyme add to this poem?

The poet, Countee Cullen used the neatness of the poem's structure to bring out his feeling of detachment. The rigidness of the poem suggests how he probably wish to distance himself from the incident. The three four-lined stanzas and abab rhyme scheme gives a strict feeling to the reader and by conforming himself to poetry writing rules, he probably intend to show how serious the issue of racism is.

2. What is the power of language? What are the effects of the use of the term nigger?

More often than not, language or words, hurt others. It could give comfort, but it is time that heals; and sometimes; it doesn't heal completely, leaving a scar. The term nigger generally gives a negative meaning although it might have evolved over time. Back in the days of slavery if America, the term nigger often refers to a black person, or those who are dark-skinned. Also, it a reference for slaves. 

The poet used the term nigger and his reaction after, "That's all that I remember" shows how a word can give such a huge impact on a person. It was instantly highlighted to the speaker of his social standing and skin-color and how much society likes/view of them.