...stories, lines of poetry, college essays; I’ve proven myself to be more than adequate at expressing myself on paper. Yet, when faced with the challenge of writing about myself, I can never seem to commit. My junior year of high school, my English teacher tasked the class with writing a poem modeled after Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” It was to be an ode to our individuality, our inner unique selves we rarely give others the permission to see. I couldn’t...
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...In “Song of Myself,” by Walt Whitman, Whitman uses grass and a hawk as symbols to convey an underlying message of equality in America. During this time era, the 1800s, slavery was going on, meaning many racism was also going on. Whitman supports the idea of having equality for instance in the section, “A Child Said What Is The Grass?,” Whitman says, “Kanuck, Tuckahoe, Congressman, Cuff, I give them the same, I receive them the same” (Lines 11 - 12). This evidence reveals that Whitman did not care who you are, but that everyone would receive equal actions. Whitman says that all people should treat someone the same as you would want to be treated. If someone wants respect they should also treat others with respect. Whitman uses the slang terms for a French Canadian or African American showing that Whitman does not care if you are a different race....
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...of a perfect circle - starting with birth and completing with death to start the cycle again. They express that the circle of life is the best model to completely understand how life works. In the poem, “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman, he describes his distinct interpretation of the classic symbol of the circle to represent the meaning of life that differs from most poets. Whitman believes that the circle of life can be found within the grass on the ground. Whitman sees grass as a vehicle for people to find comfort with death and learn how life works. Through the extended metaphor of grass, Whitman taught us not to be fearful of death and that all people are connected together. First of all, Whitman used the metaphor of grass to help explain to people how they should not be afraid of dying, rather to...
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...Halimeh Salem 1130428 Laila Shikaki Short Essay Nov. 5 2015 Unity and the Cyclical nature of life Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” and Mahmoud Darwish’s “To My Mother” and “Rita and the Rifle” explore a sense of unity and cyclical nature of life. Death, life, immortality, unity and oneness are all inner themes of such poems. Mahmoud Darwish, a Palestinian poet, conveys these ideas through the representation of the strength of love whether between mother and son or between a couple. On the other hand, Walt Whitman, an American poet, illustrates these ideas in a different way. He explains them in a broader sense by portraying unity and cyclical nature of life through many things found in Earth and beyond. It is evident that these poems are clear...
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...is writing without any need to rhyme or have a set meter. Free verse writing became Whitman’s signature it was what made his writing different from the normal poets writing at the time. Whitman’s free verse opened many doors to changing the way he wrote, it allowed him to become a truly free thinker. Lived by his rules, he even was not afraid of going after the editors of his time, he even promoted women’s voting and their right on own property....
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...David Deaton Mr. Huitt American Lit and Comp 24 January 2014 Dickinson versus Whitman Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson's works have numerous differences. Compared to Dickinson's short and seemingly simple poems, Whitman's are long and often complex. Yet both twentieth century writers share several similarities when scrutinized thoroughly. Though their approaches differ, they often deal with the same themes, and both pioneered their own unique style of writing. Using death as a theme is probably the strongest connection that Whitman and Dickinson share. Whitman's view on death is reflective of his belief in Transcendentalism. In "Song of Myself", Whitman uses the scientific principle of the conservation of energy to assert that there is life after death, because energy cannot be destroyed; only transformed. In stanza six, he writes "And what do you think has become of the women and children?/ They are alive and well somewhere,/ The smallest sprouts shows there is really no death" (Whitman 124-126). Whitman contends that life remains long after death, Dickinson's writings on death are more complex and contradictory. She personifies death, generally seeing as a lord or as a compelling lover. In one of her more popular poems, "Because I could not stop for Death", death is like a kindly courter. He picks her up in a "Carriage held but just for Ourselves-/ And Immortality" (Dickinson 3-4). Many of her other poems are about the moment of death, and what happens when the living...
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...Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson are two of America’s greatest poets. They both wrote about death, life, and God. They also both had a love for nature and included it in their works. They led drastically different lifestyles and their writing styles were very different but the messages they presented through their writing were actually fairly similar. Their Life Dickinson and Whitman had very different upbringings. Dickinson came from a very wealthy family, attended an elite school, and also attended college. She lived a very introverted and reclusive life. She made few attempts to publish her work, choosing instead to share them privately with family and friends. During her lifetime only 7 of her poems were published only because she wrote them to others who had them published. Dickinson's youthful years were not without turmoil. Deaths of friends and relatives, including her young cousin Sophia Holland, prompted questions about death and immortality. Since her house was located near the town cemetery, Dickinson could not have ignored the frequent burials that later provided powerful imagery for her poems. Not having conventional religious views may have also contributed to her isolation. She did have a belief in God but it was different than the views held by her peers. Although Dickinson's friends, sister, father, and eventually brother all joined the church, Emily never did. In her later years, Dickinson increasingly withdrew from public...
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...Although the poets Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were alive around the same time, they had different interpretations of death in their poems. Both of the poems, “I heard a fly buzz- when I died” from Emily Dickins and “Song of Myself” from Walt Whitman, express their disparate perspective about the theme of death. In the two poems, the poets also have diverse approaches of conveying their conception of death. Which is either optimistically or depressingly. Consequently, it accentuates the differences of the mood in both poem and style of the authors. Emily Dickinson is most famous for her gloomy poems that illustrate the concept of death. For example, her poem “I heard a fly buzz- when I died” and “After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes”....
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...Name Professor Course Name Date Walt Whitman, Man of Influence Introduction Walt Whitman’s literary works have occupied the highest place in the world of American literature. He has been recognized as the focal center of creativity having truly American experience in the literary expression. Although a late bloomer in the literature world, Whitman embodies the elements of indigenous realism and the New England philosophy which makes him a truly national spiritual synthesis. His works touched on the trying times in the American history during the civil war and a story that influenced the society in many ways. Though a very individualistic poet, his works have influenced many other modern poets, who take after his style and themes. The most exceptional characteristic feature of his work is that he endeavored to always produce a mystical vision where everything was a part of something bigger and was equal in every aspect. Walt Whitman, indeed, embodies many qualities that highlight the real American character like viciousness, diversity, love for adventure and the ever pioneering fortitude of the American people. He is a symbol of variety, largeness and the tendency toward innovation. Brief History Walt Whitman was born on May 31st, 1819 in West Hills, a village near Hempstead in Long Island, New York. His mother, Louisa Van Velsor was a farmer, while his father, Walter Whitman was a carpenter. The family moved to Brooklyn where Walt attended school. He left school at...
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...Walt Whitman was one of America’s most inspiring poets. Born a poetic genius in the nineteenth century, Whitman influenced the twentieth century with his idealistic poetry. He envisioned democracy as a way of life and looked to America for inspiration. Walt Whitman’s background influenced his writing in many ways and produced a new poetic style which changed the face of American Literature. Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, New York, to Walter Whitman, a carpenter, and Louisa Van Velsor. He was the second oldest of nine children (Price and Folsom online). At age four, Whitman and his family moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he spent a difficult childhood because of his family’s poor financial circumstances. At age eleven, Whitman ended his formal education and sought employment to supplement his family’s income. He got a job as an apprentice on a liberal, working-class newspaper called the “Long Islander Patriot.” There he “learned the printing trade and was first exposed to the excitement of putting words into print and observing how thought and event could be quickly transformed into language and immediately communicated to thousands of readers” (Price and Folsom online). Whitman began promoting his ideas to the newspaper. By age twelve, he had his first words published (Price and Folsom online). He was fascinated with seeing his own words and thoughts in print. Two years later, Whitman’s family moved back to West Hills leaving fourteen year old Whitman...
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...There is no simple explanation for the term “American Literature.” Encyclopedia Britannica defines it as “the body of written works produced in the English language in the United States” but this definition does not reveal what specific qualities designate the writing as “American Literature.” A vast array of traits including but not limited to freedom and equality, individuality, death, and nature. All these elements are present in the writings of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickenson confirming that both are embodiment of American Literature. America was founded on the principles of Individuality and endeavored for population diversity and equality. These aforementioned traits are notable in Walt Whitman’s poem, Song of Myself beginning with individuality. He begins “I celebrate myself, and sing myself,/And what I assume, you shall assume/for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” Here Whitman is celebrating his identity and expressing that individuality is as much a part of him as it is to everyone else and for reason everyone shares their uniqueness. Whitman hints to his belief that all races should be considered equal and this equality...
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...Biography of Walt Whitman Walter "Walt" was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse. His work was very controversial in its time, particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described as obscene for its overt sexuality. Born on Long Island, Whitman worked as a journalist, a teacher, a government clerk, and – in addition to publishing his poetry – was a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War. Early in his career, he also produced a temperance novel, Franklin Evans (1842). Whitman's major work, Leaves of Grass, was first published in 1855 with his own money. The work was an attempt at reaching out to the common person with an American epic. He continued expanding and revising it until his death in 1892. After a stroke towards the end of his life, he moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. He died at age 72 and his funeral became a public spectacle. Whitman's sexuality is often discussed alongside his poetry. Though biographers continue to debate his sexuality, he is usually described as either homosexual or bisexual in his feelings and attractions. However, there is disagreement among biographers as to whether Whitman had actual sexual experiences with men. Whitman was concerned with politics throughout...
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...of 19th-century American poetry who played the greatest role in redefining modern verse are Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson" (Burt). Both poets Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are considered as the founders of today’s modern American poetry that are tried to revalue the poetry of the last century. Sooner or later, but they succeeded. They put the keystone of the modern American poetry which drifted in the breeze. The poetry has been redefined in a way to be able to get to the modern society's cultural level. The modern poetry becomes more discreet and it uses the topics of everyday life spiced with emotions. The emotions of the human being began to depict a higher quality. By the poets, so to speak, the mankind adjusts to...
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...10-15-12 During ancient civilizations little was known about the cause of disease and treatment often revolved around magic. Witch doctors or priests were looked upon very favorably and had a high status in these ancient societies (Blais & Hayes, 2011). As societies evolved more was learned about the causes of disease. In 1900 B.C. there were recorded codes regarding sanitation and public health. The Bible even speaks of quarantine to prevent disease and nurses are mentioned as caring for infants and the sick. But, much of today’s nursing practice seems to have evolved from the need to provide care to soldiers during wartimes. Two historical figures that left an impact on the development of modern nursing are Harriet Tubman and Walt Whitman. Araminta Ross, also known as Harriet Tubman, was born into slavery. At age 25 she married John Tubman, a free African American. They did not share the same desire to move north and after 5 years of marriage, Harriet left her husband and escaped to Philadelphia (“Harriet Ross Tubman Timeline”, 1996). After her escape, she became an operator of the Underground Railroad, an abolitionist, nurse and spy for the Civil War, suffragist, and humanitarian. In 1862, in support of Union activities, Harriet joined Northern abolitionists. She provided nursing care during the Civil War to newly freed slaves and black soldiers. After the war she moved to Auburn, New York. Tubman treated dysentery with a brew of boiled roots and herbs...
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...“Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman immediately reminded me of texts and poems written by modernist authors, poems designed to reject traditional methods of writing and creating a new, cutting-edge style of writing based on emotions and simplicity. While this poem in particular isn’t exactly simple, it is powerful because it creates sharp images and evokes certain emotions for the reader about numerous topics, including religion, nature, and aging; a lot of the images are based on Whitman’s experiences and memories. Whitman’s style of writing includes heavy usage of anaphora (repetition of words at the beginning of lines or clauses), which also contributes to the creation of sharp images to be able to manifest his emotions in the poem; for example, That I could forget the mockers and insults! That I could forget the trickling tears, and the blows of the bludgeons and hammers! That I could look with a separate look on my own crucifixion and bloody crowning. (Line 961) Whitman’s poem is also reminiscent of imagist poetry. Imagism was a precursor to modernism and endorses the creation of sharp images in poetry, almost creating a still-life full of detail using words. One verse that struck me as such was I visit the orchards of spheres, and look at the product: And look at quintillions ripen’d, and look at quintillions green. (Line 797) This particular sentence elicited a clear and beautiful picture in my mind of a small path lined with orchards and countless amounts...
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