In “I Hear America Singing,” Walt Whitman’s message of the American identity is that it is diverse and proud. The fact the American identity is diverse is proven best in the first line, which states, “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear.” In this line, the word “varied” proves that it is diverse because if something is varied it has a variety of things amassing it. The American identity being proud is proven by the line, “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else.” This line proves that the American identity is proud because it is saying that we celebrate what only we have. This celebration evinces that we are proud of what we gain by working. In “I, too,” Langston Hughes’ message of the American identity is proud. …show more content…
This is because the whole poem is saying how the Native Americans were not represented. In the middle of the poem it states, “...here’s a guitar/ for you/ -a chicana guitar-/ so you can spill out a song/.../ big enough for my people/- my Native Amerindian race/ that I can’t seem to find in your poems.” This is saying that her people were not represented. Due to that being her response to Walt Whitman’s poems, she is saying that her people are also part of the American identity and need to be acknowledged as well.
The message that Hughes and de Hoyos are trying to convey is that their races were forgotten in Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing.” This is proven by one quote from each poem. In “I, Too,” Hughes says, “I, too, sing America./ I am the darker brother.” This is hinting that Walt Whitman neglected to mention anything about the African Americans, who are also proud of what they do. In “To Walt Whitman,” de Hoyos says, “-my Native Amerindian race that I can’t to seem to find in your poems.” This line says that, in all of his poems, Walt Whitman never seemed to talk about the Native
From this poem one can feel the compassion that Whitman has for the common American workingman. He has much respect for him and believes that he is what makes up America and what causes America to keep on moving. He portrays the workers to all be singing to emphasize that they are proud of the work that they do. Whitman and Sandburg both enjoy going through and naming each of the workers separately in order to display the vast number of people who fall into the working class. In the poem above you can see how Whitman talks about how the different workers enjoy their jobs and are happy with the talents that they have in their specialized positions. The last line of part 1 demonstrates how the workers leave their work and are able to relax and enjoy their lives at night when the work day is over. The second part of I hear American Singing is Whitman sending an invitation to all of those who are
Born ten years after the death of Walt Whitman, there was no possible way for Langston Hughes to ever meet or communication with Whitman, but that did not mean Hughes could not establish a connection to him, or at least his work. In 1925, Hughes wrote a poem titled “I, Too” was inspired by and directed in response to the poem “I Hear America Singing”, which was composed by Whitman much earlier. Whitman’s poem consisted of a variety of different American laborers who “sing” as they do their jobs. This well-known poem never specifically addresses the ethnicity of these singing laborers of the American population, but Hughes sets about to rectify that omission.
Each of these two poems are extremely patriotic and portray the American spirit. After reading these poem the readers typically reaction is having a lot of pride in their great country. In “I Hear America Singing” it describes all the small hard jobs that keeps America running. Such as farmers, mechanics, sailors and many more essential jobs. In “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes, he talks about how he is not accepted as an American, because he is darker. He thinks this is wrong, because he sings America just like us. There is only one difference between us and that is skin color. Both Walt Whitman, and Langston Hughes were born in America and have a deep love for it, that makes them both American. So a skin color should not keep another human being, from treating them the
Whitman’s poem tells how he sees America during the 1800s with everyone having something to do. However, De Hoyos viewpoints are affected by her heritage and sees America as a melting pot. Hughes uses his experiences to invoke a everyone is equal if not today then in the future. All three poems are talking about America with viewpoints from two men and a woman. America has a unique identity that is shaped by conflict, cultures, immigrants, and our special government of Grand Republic or Representative
Whitman depicts American workers as taking pride in their own individual work by using selective pronouns. Whitman uses singing as a metaphor to describe the pride in the work that Americans hold. He writes that each American is, “singing what belongs to him or her.” The use of “him or her” illustrates the idea that each individual person, rather than a collective group of people, is in possession of their own pride. The exclusivity of this pride is strengthened by the continuation of the line,“and to none else.” This shows that the
America is a country that has been through many different times of trials. Wars and disease have spread across that nation several times. During times of depression, though, a group of people seems to always emerge from the destruction. That group of people are the poets and writers of America. Through trial and strife, writers are able to find inspiration for their works, and are able to give readers hope for a better day. Walt Whitman was an amazing writer who wrote several poems concerning the great United States of America, talking about the people that have built the nation up from the dust. But, a group of people that Whitman forgot to write about on most occasions were the slaves and black people of which America thrived. Langston Hughes was a black man in the 20th century that took note of Whitman's poems, and their lack of recognition towards his people. Whitman wrote a poem called, "I Hear America Singing," in which Hughes wrote the poem, "I, Too Sing America," in response. In the poem by Hughes, there are several different ways that the writing interlaces with Walt Whitman's.
The voice of one person can send a profound sound into the hearts of people to help liberate one’s mind. That profound sound is seen through poetry. The creative structure and style of poetry creates a different form of writing that can either have rhythm, alliteration or have a direct message. In the poem “I Too Sing America”, by Langston Hughes had a significant message in that he desired to voice his expression on the issue of black oppression in America. Langston basic themes focused on the American Dream and the possibilities of hope and advancement were constantly present in his poetry. The tension between the unrealized dream and the realities of the black experience in
In “I Hear America Singing” Whitman uses metaphors to explain the work that the workers did in America. Whitman uses metaphors in the entire poem. The uses of metaphors give the reader an allusion that would not normal are used. Metaphors
In this essay I will be talking about the differences between Walt Whitman's poem “ I Hear America Singing” and Langston Hughes poem “ I, Too, Sing America”. I will also be giving my opinion on whether or not Langston Hughes is responding to Walt Whitman's poem. Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and a columnist from Joplin, Missouri. Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist, and a journalist from West Hills, New York. This is all just background information about the two poets jobs and of where they came from. In the poem “ I Hear America Singing” Walt Whitman talks about lots of different types of jobs and of their distinctive carols. He talks of mechanics and how their singing is blithe and
In the poem "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman, the reader envisions a country of people working for the greater good of mankind. These people come together as part of the whole society developing industry and production. Each person has a different occupation, but each job is important to the bigger picture. The bigger picture and theme being that of a country in which everyone is working together to create a successful and harmonious civilization.
Today I answered questions based on the poems "I Hear America Singing" and "I, Too Sing America".I think the Socratic Seminars in our class are easy to understand and help us understand that there is more than one way to annotate a passage.There is nothing i want to change about the Socratic
those of firemen each sing in hope of safety and well being of others as much as themselves
Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" is a vision of the American spirit, a vision of Whitman himself. It is his cry for democracy, giving each of us a voice through his poetry. Each of us has a voice and desires, and this is Whitman's representation of our voices, the voice of America. America, the great melting pot, was founded for freedom and democracy, and this poem is his way of re-instilling these lost American ideals. In this passage from "Song of Myself" Whitman speaks through his fellow man and speaks for his fellow man when his voice is not socially acceptable to be heard.
While “I Hear America Singing” champions the work of the people, the words of “I, Too, Sing America” are lined with a deep sense of pride in individual identity. Whitman’s poem includes a number of vocalists with varying professions, such as a carpenter, a hatter, and even a young wife. The words of the piece show that these laborers complete each day’s tasks with pride and singing. Their jubilee is even described as continuing into the night with “strong melodious songs” after the work was done (Whitman 11). They rejoice in their work because their positions represent much more than jobs, but have, in fact, become the people’s resounding contributions to the great machine that is the United States. It is what they are able to offer their country to keep it moving ever forward. Similarly, the narrator in Hughes’s work takes pride in his identity, but in a much different way. It is uncertain whether he is living in a period of widespread slavery or afterwards, but his words clearly convey an environment of inequality. He is, for instance, ordered to “eat in the kitchen” when company comes (Hughes 3). However, the narrator boasts both in what he is and what he will be; he has faith that in the future, he will not be huddled away from the others, but sitting at the table, a citizen. He will be his own man, and the