"I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman by Ethan Tran (Student FVHS)

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? (Ethan Tran)

ehtran101 — 2024-02-16 18:58:55 UTC

The heavily connotative words used in this poem are blithe, robust, and melodious. The word Blithe has an unusual meaning, which is happy and cheerful. He uses these heavily connotative words to describe the society in this poem, and how they are all connected and happy to be connected. "I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong," This quote makes you understand he's making this poem to talk about the individuality, and connection in the American life. The word "singing" is repeated, as this poem is about everyone being connected, and all singing together. The word I needed to look up was Blithe, as this word is new and I have never seen this word before.

3. 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? (Isaac Mai)

idmai100 — 2024-02-16 19:04:26 UTC

The types of images that Walt Whitman "I Hear America Singing" poem is described as certain people doing their jobs. For example "The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam" and "The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves of work". These lines relate to each other by how they are worded and with similar words like "singing his as he" as they do something for their job. One last line explains the pattern of the poem, "Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else. As you can see in the poem every person Whitman talks has their own unique song or job.

How important is the contribution of form, such as rhyme scheme and line arrangement? How does form influence the overall effect of the poem? (Ethan Tran)

ehtran101 — 2024-02-16 19:06:14 UTC

The contribution of form in this poem is important, as there isn't any rhyme scheme, but instead he uses anaphora, which is the repetition of the same word or phrases in the beginning of clauses. This is important, as Walt Whitman is known for his free verse poems, and it doesn't follow any rules, but in this poem he does use the word "the" in the beginning of the clauses. This influences the poem as this makes the reader understand that Walt is trying to show that everyone in this poem is connected. "The carpenter singing", "The mason singing", "The boatman singing", "The showmaker singing," all show how he's connecting all these people by saying the same word in the beginning, then the person, then them singing.

Walt Whitman

ehtran101 — 2024-02-16 19:10:33 UTC

Biography Connection:

ehtran101 — 2024-02-16 19:13:58 UTC

This poem connects to his biography by, him wanting everyone to be connected, and this poem shows everyone singing together. Walt Whitman was also a very upstanding man for highly influencing woman's rights and freeing the slaves. This can relate to this poem as everyone is singing as one. Not only that, but since Whitman loves writing in different writing styles than what is commonly used. This poem shows that, as it is organized uniquely. Also he uses free verse and shows that in this poem, as it doesn't follow any rules.

5. Are there any symbols? What do they mean? Are they universal symbols or do they arise from the context of this poem? (Isaac Mai)

idmai100 — 2024-02-16 19:20:09 UTC

A symbol in the poem "I hear America singing" would be the words "uniqueness " or "differences". In the lines of the poem it says "the varied carols I hear". This explains the symbol of ''uniqueness" because Whitman states he hears many carols or songs, hearing people singing their own songs. The word songs relate to people's roles in their community, which would be America. Another symbol in the poem is "time". The lines "The day what belongs to the day--at night the party of young fellows." I believe this represents to have time for work and time for fun showing the time differences in day and night showing that the day is for working time and night is for party time.

idmai100 — 2024-02-16 19:22:32 UTC