A defining element of modernist poetry was the realistic, direct discussion of troublesome topics. This theme is seen in both McKay’s “If We Must Die” and Hughes’s “The Negro Mother.” In McKay’s poem, the speaker recognizes that white people in America tend to treat Black people as lesser. In a similar way, in Hughes's poem, the speaker discusses the pain and sorrow that enslaved people faced.

Both poems also speak to the theme of alienation and oppression. Consider how Hughes's poem draws attention to the way enslaved people were disconnected from the world. This prompts the reader to reflect on the role of race in alienation and the creation of marginalized identities. The same concept is explored in McKay’s poem. McKay personifies white people as insane and ravenous dogs who are constantly trying to attack and mock Black people. This brings attention to the way in which African Americans are oppressed in society.

It is also interesting to note that both of these poems depart from traditional modernist poetry in their determination to persevere. Hughes’s speaker encourages African Americans to “stand like free men,” which includes a hint of optimism and hope that is not typically seen in modern poems. This is similar to the way that McKay’s speaker encourages African Americans to fight back so that they die nobly.