Walt Whitman's I Hear America Singing

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In “I Hear America Singing,” the Walt Whitman describes various "carols" that arise from different figures in the American working class as people go about their work. He strongly incorporates patriotism and his strong belief in the importance of the “common man and woman” in American society. He hears the mechanics, the carpenters, the mason, and the boatman singing. The deckhand, shoemaker, hatter, wood-cutter, and ploughboy sing their own songs. He celebrates the individual’s passion for their job and together they create a sound of America singing. He is making a statement about human greatness by telling the reader that human achievement is not measured by what one does, but instead by how one goes about doing it. This poem has a tone of musicality as it was written as a free verse. Whitman uses music to emphasize the connection with human experience as the workers unite under one American identity. "I Hear America Singing." -Poem Text Poetry for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski and Mary Ruby. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 1998. 151-165. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.…show more content…
He writes about all the several types of jobs that Americans do to help provide for our country to be successful. Whitman’s tone is serious, positive, and informal to the citizens. I think he is extremely smart and this poem allows the people of this country to know what he thinks about work. He states “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else” which means to me that everyone has their own niche in life. Work is a theme in this poem because he saw work as something needed in everyone’s life to be great. In the end of the poem, he adds “Singing with open mouths their strong melodious song.” This means people are happy, proud, and grateful to apart of their job and working in this country. It is a celebration that the war is over, and it is time to create the country
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