Freedom Summer

The poem utilizes various symbols of martyrdom, Christianity, and American history to present its themes. The most prevalent symbol is the penny Hope.

The poem also relies on figurative language in key places to enhance the tension of important moments. These examples of figurative language stand out even more than normal because they are surrounded by literal, prosaic language instead of what readers might expect in a poem.

The figurative language begins midway through the poem once the three men are ambushed. Lewis uses the metaphor of their lives evaporating like smoke in the fog, and he also uses figurative language to describe the Klan. He embodies their conviction in their cone hats and calls their guns “long-necked persuaders,” personifying their weapons and tying their beliefs to a very poignant American image: the Klan hood.

Finally, he personifies the flames of the fire that consumes the men’s car, saying the flames “licked” the car as it sank. This figurative description gives more ferocious power to the hate the men encounter, and it adds another layer to the perverse imagery of the Klan and its actions. The flames don’t consume or burn or engulf; they lick.