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"A Noiseless Patient Spider" By Walt Whitman

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"A Noiseless Patient Spider" By Walt Whitman

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A noiseless patient spider,
I mark'd where on a little promonotory it stood isolated,
Mark'd how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,
It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you O my soul where you stand, Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them.
Till the bridge you will need be form'd, till the ductile anchor hold,
Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul.

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What images does the poet use? How do the images relate to one another? Do these images form a unified pattern (a motif) throughout the poem?

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What images does the poet use? How do the images relate to one another? Do these images form a unified pattern (a motif) throughout the poem?

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The poet uses images of a spider up on a raised hill in the middle of the void to symbolize the vastness of our world. He compares himself to a spider that “launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,” in which each filament is another idea and connection he makes with the world. He describes how each “gossamer thread you fling” out goes out into the world and eventually builds a bridge, forming something more than just an idea that only he can conceive. Slowly connecting all the threads together, his natural instinct to bring people together may be finally fulfilled and when his wishes are finally accomplished only will he then feel fulfilled. - Faith

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What heavily connotative words are used? What words have unusual or special meanings? Are any words or phrases repeated? If so, why? Which words do you need to look up?

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What heavily connotative words are used? What words have unusual or special meanings? Are any words or phrases repeated? If so, why? Which words do you need to look up?

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Whitman uses descriptive words of despondency to accentuate the vastness of the world around him and the isolation he feels through it. The loneliness he sees through the seemingly endless seclusion he experiences encourages him to make connections and seek out what may be beyond his own knowledge. He depicts loneliness as, “Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them”(7-8). Though intimidated by such a task, he uses the idea of a spider making a web to show how even something as small as a spider can create something beautiful through each string of web it makes.

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Are there any symbols? What do they mean? Are they universal symbols or do they arise from the context of this poem?

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Are there any symbols? What do they mean? Are they universal symbols or do they arise from the context of this poem?

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The spider is a symbol of the speaker's soul. The first stanza focuses on “a noiseless patient spider," found on “a little promontory it stood isolated”. The spider is a reflection of Whitman and how it’s secluded, “surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space”. He feels disconnected, desiring a connection to the world and his want for connection is symbolized through the spider as it "launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself". “The gossamer thread” expresses the people’s need for connections to other people and ideas similar to the connections of filament the spider produces to make a web. - Hailey

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What is the theme (the central idea) of this poem? Can you state it in a single sentence? Elaborate on your idea.

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What is the theme (the central idea) of this poem? Can you state it in a single sentence? Elaborate on your idea.

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The theme of “A Noiseless Patient Spider” is making connections between oneself and the world around you through exploration. A large part of the poem focuses on a spider, a major symbol that is used to give light to the author’s message about forming connections. It begins with a spider that “mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding” (3). Exploration is part of making connections between your soul and the world. Without exploring, there would be nothing to find a connection to. Whitman points this out by describing how making connections feels like in that he is “Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space, Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them” (7-8). Being lonely and having to reach out is the speaker’s isolated soul throwing out connections and trying to find something to attach to. The word “connect” is vague but also can be interpreted multiple ways such as connecting to people, ideas, and emotions. But overall, it does specify a connection between an isolated soul who is trying to find an affiliation to something in the vastness of the world. - Hailey