A Child Said What Is The Grass? by Keira Lino (Student FVHS)

kmlino101 — 2024-02-16 20:05:44 UTC

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

olwirthlin100_ — 2024-02-16 20:11:22 UTC

As the poet writes, he seems to be somewhat unsure and mysterious. "How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is anymore than he." He gives a long answer that still seems unsure, using language like "I guess". The confused answer he does give is very thoughtful though, answering with the life cycle being like grass and talking about equality. In the end, we are all same and grow around everyone.

Theme

kmlino101 — 2024-02-16 20:16:35 UTC

The theme of this poem is that life is a cycle and in the end we are all equal. In the poem Whitman goes on to describe how all of us when we die will become the grass. He says, "sprouting alike... Growing among black folks as among whites" Here he talks about that no matter the race we all end up in the same place. Whitman also goes on near the end of the poem saying, "what do you think has become of the young and old men... they are alive and well somewhere" and, "The smallest sprout shows there is really no death" In this poem the theme is that when we die we go to the next stage of our cycle and become the grass. While in the grass we are are equal well and alive.

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

olwirthlin100_ — 2024-02-16 20:18:00 UTC

There is a symbol of grass in the poem. When the child asks "What is grass?", he is asking about life. To which the poet answers grass is equality, we are all "Sprouting alike in broad zones and narrow zones, Growing among black folks and as among white". We are born in different places and grow along side of so many different people. The grass also stands for an eternal cycle of life and death. The poet seems to believe we come back alive and equal.

olwirthlin100_ — 2024-02-16 20:21:30 UTC

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?

kmlino101 — 2024-02-16 20:22:49 UTC

Throughout this whole poem there are the images of death and equality in almost every stanza. For example he says, "Sprouting alike in broad zones and narrow zones,
Growing among black folks as among white," and, "It may be you are from old people, or from offspring taken,
It may be if I had known them I would have loved them, soon out of their mothers' laps, And here you are the mothers' laps." In these two quotes it shows how people of all races and all ages with many different lives all end up the grass. He uses these images to show there is a life after death and it's one where we are all equal.

kmlino101 — 2024-02-16 20:25:27 UTC

Biography

olwirthlin100_ — 2024-02-16 20:28:31 UTC

The author writes about grass, relating to a previous piece of his writing called "Leaves of grass". Whitman also writes about equality, a common theme in his writings. Walt lived during the civil war. During this war, the country was divided North and South, freeing slaves and keeping slaves. Walt had a strong opinion on equality that all men actually are created equal. So in many of his poems, including this one, it shows the idea of equality of all people.