Walt Whitman

1. Walt Whitman “I Hear America Singing”

2. About Walt Whitman • Born in 1819 on Long Island, New York • He had eight siblings • 1823- the Whitman's moved to Brooklyn so he could attend public school • Walt Whitman worked as an office boy in a law firm at age 11 • Afterwards, he worked as an apprentice at numerable print shops

3. About Walt Whitman • Back in Brooklyn, he started his own newspaper “Long Islander” where he published many paper poems and short stories • In 1850-1855, He created his first collection of poems entitled “Leaves of Grass” • Suffered of a paralytic stroke in in 1873 • Died in Camden, New Jersey at the age of 72

4. “I Hear America Singing” I hear America Singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

5. “I Hear America Singing” The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing of what belongs to him or her and to no one else, The day what belongs to the day – at night the party of young fellows,robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs

6. Influences • Walt Whitman wrote this poem in the beginning of the Civil War • He loved his country, but hates what all the dispute that was going on • He had faith that America would return to equality among all • This poem shows Whitman’s ideal picture of what America would be

7. Symbolism • Walt Whitman symbolizes his patriotism in this poem • Believes in the importance of the “common man and woman” • Poem contributes to a democratic government “of the people, for the people and by the people” • Refers to the working class to be better then the upper-class by denying them a place in the poem

8. Theme • Each person is unique and imprtant in their own way • Through out the poem there is so many different people and each one of their jobs are different as well. Each is equally unique and important because they all add up to (or contribute to) America • Each person has their place in a bigger whole (America) • The whole song goes on about all these different people and what they do to contribute to America, but in the beginning and end of the poem Walt refers to each person adding up to one big America.

9. Poetic Devises • Imagery: through out the poem the author effectively put description wordsto help envision what each person did that added to Americaex: “The delicious singing of the mother, or the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing” • Simile: Whitman used many simile’s to compare people of the working class to descriptive words so the reader can see what the specific person does and how they contribute to Americaex: “Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong”

10. Work Cited • "I Hear America Singing." Poetry for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski and Mary Ruby. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 1998. 151-165. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 May 2014.