Carlos Rodriguez

Mr. Opachan
CP English III
6 May 2016
Keep America Singing
During the early 19th century, poetry had a certain style. Many poets were
distinguished Europeans, whom would always write poems with rhyme, and rhythm.
However, Walt Whitman would change the normal view of poetry forever, and become a
national landmark in history. Walt Whitman believed that America was still growing, and
that since they were a new country entirely, America should have their own unique voice.
His poems would later on enlighten America, and raise the whole idea of democracy and
patriotism. Without a doubt, Walt Whitman is one of the most important, nationalistic
poets in the history of America.
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in New York, to Walt Whitman I
Louisa Van Velsor(History.com). Whitman had eight siblings; some did not survive
birth(Biography.com). Interestingly, Whitman might have had such love for American
freedom since his parents were also very patriotic, since many of his siblings were named
after Central American figures such as George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson(Biography.com). The first three years of his life, Whitman grew up on a modest
farm, but his father tended to struggle with his job as a farmer and carpenter. Then he
moved to Brooklyn, New York, where his father hoped to have better
success(Biography.com). Whitman was also dragged into his fathers mess, eventually
taken out of school to help pay the bills. When Whitman reached 17 years old, he began

to teach(Biography.com). He stated that he loathed the job, since many of the

circumstances he was required to teach under he disagreed with, such as removing some
parts of history(Biography.com). Later. In 1841, he started to develop an interest in
journalism(Biography.com). He became the editor of famous newspapers such as the
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and gave his opinions on certain issues such as immigration and
womens rights(Biography.com). His reputation became slandered, and started getting
rejected from some newspaper companies(Biography.com). He later started his own
newspaper named Brooklyn Freeman, in which he started to discuss the most debated
topic at the time: slavery(Biography.com). Arguing these matters in his newspaper, along
with his love for democracy, would eventually shape Whitman into the poet he
becomes(Biography.com).
Whitman would eventually go on to print off the first edition of his book called
Leaves of Grass with his own printing money(Biography.com). This book was originally
very small, and was a composition of only twelve short poems(Biography.com). It sold
extremely poor at first, but Whitman kept on revising it for years, and it gathered much
further attention with each passing month(Biography.com). Eventually at his death,
Leaves of Grass would be compiled of 400 different, unique short poems such as I Hear
America Singing, I Sing of the Body Electric, and Recorders Hence(History.com). His
works in Leaves of Grass are very widely acclaimed. Jessica DeSpain, from Papers on
Language & Literature, states: Whitmans truest expression to his readers is one of his
most affected modes of transmission,(DeSpain 333) and Library Journal states it as A
peach.(Rogers 127) Overall, Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass is a novel arguing the
matters of Civil War and full of patriotic themes.

A running theme in almost all of Walt Whitmans poems is individualism.

Individualism is the viewpoint that the individual is most important, rather than society.
This is a cherished thing among Americans, since the individual represents independence
and freedom. However, Whitman wanted to keep his individuality, but also merge himself
with nature and creation. Whitman would most definitely take it upon himself in order to
incorporate these themes into many of his poems. One of the most significant examples
of individuality in his poems is Song to Myself(1855), in which he combines both themes
of individualism and being one with the universe:
I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
In this quote, Whitman is expressing his joy for himself, and that he is celebrating;
however he also says that the person he is singing about is one in the same (For every
atom belonging to me as good belongs to you). Another one of his poems that expresses
this theme is I Hear America Singing, it explains the uniqueness of sounds in America,
which represents individuality:
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe
and strong,
Throughout many of his poems, Whitman constantly emphasizes these themes.
Another theme prevalent in some of Whitmans poems is sex. During his time,
Whitman believed that the best way to be into union with one would be through love, as
he saw it as Gods intentions. Whitman uses this theme most notably in the poem Once

I Passd Through a Populous City. Whitman mostly describes a very crowded and
bustled city, filled with many people, yet the only person he remembers from the entire
crowd is one woman, who passionately clung to him day and night. Also like in many of
his other poems, Whitman again quickly hints at individualism; there are many people in
the city that are each doing their own work. Whitman believed that through acts of love,
one could grow closer to another, and become one.
The author known as Walt Whitman was a very intelligent and popular thinker.
Through his poetry, he was able to appeal to both the transcendentalists and the realists of
the time. His works influenced many American writers and still to this day many people
credit him in their work. Whitman deserves much praise for becoming one of the most
famous American poets that had ever lived.

Works Cited
DeSpain, Jessica. "Working Through Whitman's Contradictions." Papers On Language
& Literature 45.3 (2009): 330-333. Academic Search Elite. Web. 8 May 2016.
Editors, Biography.com. "Walt Whitman." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 23
Mar. 2016.
Editors, History.com. "Walt Whitman Is Born." History.com. A&E Television Networks,
2009. Web. 05 May 2016.
Rogers, Michael. "Leaves Of Grass." Library Journal 130.5 (2005): 127. Academic
Search Elite. Web. 05 May 2016.
Whitman, Walt. "I Hear America Singing." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d.
Web. 05 May 2016.
Whitman, Walt. "54. I Hear It Was Charged against Me. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of
Grass." 54. I Hear It Was Charged against Me. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of
Grass. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Whitman, Walt. Once I Passd Through A Populous City. Poets.org. Academy of
American Poets, n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself (1892 Version) - Poetry Foundation." Discover Poetry Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 3 May 2016.
Whitman, Walt. "The Walt Whitman Archive." RECORDERS AGES HENCE. ( Leaves of
Grass (1891-92)) -. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.

Works Consulted
Whitman, Walt, Robert Sabuda, Gunta Alexander, and Lisa Tracy. I Hear America
Singing. New York: Philomel, 1991. N. pag. Print.
"Song of Myself (1892 Version) - Poetry Foundation." Discover Poetry - Poetry
Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 3 May 2016.
Whitman, Walt. "26. Once I Passd Through a Populous City. Whitman, Walt. 1900.
Leaves of Grass." 26. Once I Passd Through a Populous City. Whitman, Walt.
1900. Leaves of Grass. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Whitman, Walt. "The Walt Whitman Archive." RECORDERS AGES HENCE. ( Leaves of
Grass (1891-92)) -. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Whitman, Walt. "54. I Hear It Was Charged against Me. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of
Grass." 54. I Hear It Was Charged against Me. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of
Grass. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Cull, Ryan. "We Fathom You Not--We Love You": Walt Whitman's Social Ontology And
Radical Democracy." Criticism (2015): 761-780. Academic Search Elite. Web. 23
Mar. 2016.
Bora, Indu. "A Study Of Whitman's Thematic Drift In 'Leaves Of Grass'." International
Journal Of Multidisciplinary Approach & Studies 2.4 (2015): 33-37. Academic
Search Elite. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Riggs, Thomas. Democracy in the Poetry of Walt Whitman. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2013.
Print.
Editors, Biography.com. "Walt Whitman." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 23
Mar. 2016.

"Walt Whitman." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.

"The Walt Whitman Archive." The Walt Whitman Archive. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.

Folsom, Ed, and Jerome Loving. "The Walt Whitman Controversy: A Lost Document."
Virginia Quarterly Review 83.2 (2007): 122-127. Academic Search Elite. Web. 23
Mar. 2016.