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Mark Twain Bildungsroman Analysis

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In today's society, being an individual is easier compared to 19th century society. Depicted in Mark Twain's satiric and bildungsroman novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (1885). The 14 year old protagonist Huck exposes the hypocrisy of white society morals during it´s childhood in the antebellum south. The author´s purpose for writing his work is to criticize white society´s ignorance about religion and the bible.Similar to Mark Twain's purpose, Walt Whitman's free verse poem Songs of Myself. (1855). Whitman believes that everybody in the universe are the same and equal. Whitman's Purpose for composing his poem was to give his perspective during the Industrial Revolution and slavery. He wants people to be themselves and not …show more content…

In the poem ¨ Songs of Myself ¨ by Walt Whitman, the poet expresses their´s and the individual's place in the world and how everything is the same. Whitman professes ¨ For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you¨ (ll.3). This line from the poem explains how everyone is the same. The poet uses the word atom since everything contains atoms. The poet is trying to show that everyone and everything are made of the same thing. Furthermore, Whitman believes ¨ Not I, not anyone else, can travel that road for you, / You must travel it for yourself ¨ (ll. 80-81). These lines from the poem say that everyone is unique. The poet uses the words must and yourself to help the audience understanding that only they can define who they are as an individual and not anyone else. Whitman's purpose in writing these 2 lines was to show the reader that while everyone is the same, they are also unique. Lastly, Whitman writes ¨ I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love, / If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles ¨(ll.112-113). This piece of the poem indicates that he's giving himself to the earth. Whitman uses the word bequeath to help readers understand that he is dying and will come back again as part of the earth. Whitman is trying to say that there is life after death. In James McPhersons non-fictional book What We Fought For, McPherson develops the notion of independence and individualism by giving real

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