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I understand the large hearts of heroes by Walt Whitman

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I understand the large hearts of heroes by Walt Whitman

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I understand the large hearts of heroes,

The courage of present times and all times,

How the skipper saw the crowded and rudderless wreck of the steam-ship, and Death chasing it up and down the storm,

How he knuckled tight and gave not back an inch, and was faithful of days and faithful of nights,

And chalk'd in large letters on a board, Be of good cheer, we will not desert you;

How he follow'd with them and tack'd with them three days and would not give it up,

How he saved the drifting company at last,

How the lank loose-gown'd women look'd when boated from the side of their prepared graves,

How the silent old-faced infants and the lifted sick, and the sharp-lipp'd unshaved men;

All this I swallow, it tastes good, I like it well, it becomes mine,

I am the man, I suffer'd, I was there.

The disdain and calmness of martyrs,

The mother of old, condemn'd for a witch, burnt with dry wood, her children gazing on,

The hounded slave that flags in the race, leans by the fence, blowing, cover'd with sweat,

The twinges that sting like needles his legs and neck, the murderous buckshot and the bullets,

All these I feel or am.

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What figures of speech are used? How do they contribute to the tone and meaning of the poem?

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What figures of speech are used? How do they contribute to the tone and meaning of the poem?

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Walt Whitman's "I understand the large hearts of heros," there are many kinds of figures of speech but one that keeps reappearing is the use of onomatopoeias.  The text states, "The cries, curses, roars, the plaudits for well-aim'd shots," This quote helps the reader understand the poem and its tone better. It provides great imagery and allows the reader to get a more accurate understanding to what the author wanted to portray in his poem.

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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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In “I understand the large hearts of heroes,” by Walt Whitman, the central idea or common theme is that heroes sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others regardless of the situation they face. Heroism is not caring about the punishment or outcome of giving away yourself but what it does for others. One piece of text that supports this theme is “the skipper saw the crowded and rudderless wreck of the steam-ship, and Death chasing it up and down the storm, how he knuckled tight and gave back not an inch, and was faithful of days and faithful nights.” Although the skipper “faces Death” he is not discouraged and keeps faith in himself to help others.

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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 author, Walt Whitman, who wrote, "I understand the larger hearts of heros," provides great detail in his poem which help the reader better understand the meaning behind the story. "I lie in the night air in my red shirt". This image creates a sense of solitude and innocence. However, the author follows up with an image of pain and exhaustion, "painless after all I lie exhausted but not so unhappy,"

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What is the poem’s tone? Which words reveal this tone? Is the poem ironic?

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What is the poem’s tone? Which words reveal this tone? Is the poem ironic?

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In “I understand the large hearts of heroes,” Whitman created a tone of bravery and valor. Some pieces of text that produced this tone are “the courage of present times and all times,” and “would not give up.” Some examples of less broad and more individualistic text that created the tone are “the disdain and calmness of martyrs” and “the mother of old, condemn’d for a witch, burnt with dry wood, her children gazing on.” This poem is not ironic but sticks to a common theme and carries the same tone throughout.