Themes in Songs of Myself
In the final section, 52, Whitman compares himself to this wild creature, symbolizing his free spirit and merging with nature as he prepares for death.
A hawk
Whitman uses this poem to celebrate what?
The individual self or human existence.
In Excerpt 6, Whitman describes grass as "the beautiful uncut hair of graves," symbolizing the connection between life and this.
Death
Whitman empathizes with these groups of individuals who show heroic qualities, including soldiers and this group of people.
Sailors
The spotted hawk represents who?
Whitman himself, or a person yearning for freedom
In section 6, Whitman uses this common natural element to symbolize the ongoing cycle of life and death, stating, "the smallest sprout shows there is really no death."
Grass
This technique, involving the repetition of initial consonant sounds, is used in the line "I celebrate myself, and sing myself."
What is alliteration?
Whitman contemplates grass as a symbol of this, suggesting that it belongs to everyone regardless of status or background.
Equality/unity
What specific types of people does Whitman catalogue as those that have suffered injustice?
Women burned as witches, slaves, and or people dying in battle
What literary device is present in these lines: "I too am not a bit untamed, I too am untranslatable."
Repetition
In section 33, Whitman lists various heroes, including firemen and martyrs, to celebrate this trait, which he sees as a defining quality of humanity.
Bravery/Self-Sacrifice
Whitman frequently uses this first-person pronoun to emphasize the poem's personal and inclusive nature.
"I"
Whitman suggests that every blade of grass represents this, symbolizing the smallness and yet vastness of human life.
A single person/individual life
In "Song of Myself," Whitman suggests that understanding heroes involves recognizing this essential characteristic.
Selflessness
The hawk "complains" about these two things Whitman is doing.
Gab and loitering
In section 1, Whitman writes, "For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you," expressing this major theme about the shared essence of all people and the universe.
Unity/Interconnectedness
Whitman writes that every atom belonging to him also belongs to this.
"What is you (or the reader)?"
Whitman describes the grass as a reminder of those who have passed, suggesting that it grows where this happens.
Graves
In Excerpt 33, Whitman celebrates the heroism of this group of people, showing that everyday, unsung individuals are worthy of admiration.
Workers or common people
Whitman’s depiction of the hawk reflects his broader connection to this element in his poetry.
The natural word/ nature
At the end of Song of Myself, Whitman reassures readers that they can find him in this everyday natural setting, where he says they should look for him after he is gone.
Boot-soles
In Excerpt 1, Whitman declares "Creeds and schools in abeyance," meaning he is temporarily setting aside these in favor of personal experience and intuition.
Traditional beliefs and formal education.
Whitman refers to grass as the "new birth" that represents the idea that life is constantly renewing itself, showing this cycle of continuous growth.
Regeneration (how life comes from death and so on and so on)
According to Whitman, the hero who dies in service to others is forever honored by this, which ensures that their actions live on.
Memory/legacy
According to Whitman, the hero who dies in service to others is forever honored by this, which ensures that their actions live on.
Memory or legacy