Whitman's Essay 'When I Heard The Learn' D Astronomer

These scholars, in their quest for excellence both revert back to simplicity. In both works children, and child-like thought are exalted. Emerson is awes at the freedom of a child, seeing it as god-like independence. He says a child conforms to no one, but rather all conform to the child. Whitman speaks of the wonder of a child contemplating what grass is.

As the speaker sits in an auditorium, they observe the lecturer’s many notes, “When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me, / When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,” (lines 2-3). This line provides strong visual imagery of complex investigations in astronomy, and a reader can easily imagine a full lecture room with endless notes and charts which aids in providing the mind-numbing mood of the experience. Moreover, the repetitions of what are essentially synonyms in this context make these lines sound like the rambles of the astronomer, contributing to the tone. As the speaker tires of the lecture, he leaves the room and “In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, / Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars” (lines 8-9). Here Whitman again employs imagery to make the night seem appealing and

After first reading Edna St. Vincent Millay’s lyric poem, “If I Should Learn, in Some Quite Casual Way,” one may be taken aback by just how unconcerned the speaker, possibly Millay herself, seems to be with this scenario. Only after going back through the poem a time or two can one understand what Millay truly means. Figures of speech are methodically placed to give the impression that not much effort went into this mere thought.

When taken literally, the warning derived from the book threatens death, misery, and the strangulation of my significant other should I seek glory as a student instead of education. Hopefully this is not the case. I enter Whitman excited to come to learn. I will learn from my teachers, peers, friends, and classes, among other things. I will remain open to new ideas and excited to consider them. I will work hard to empathize with those around me, and remember not to judge a book by its cover. I will not create a

Whitman tries to convey his theme of loss through a story of a sailor that lost his captain, the feeling of loss is certainly conveyed well but feel like it's giving

As Young argues, the point is not to critique students’ poems for poetic elements of form but to allow students to make a personal connection with the material and to construct meanings in a different way. The benefit of this approach across the curriculum, according to Author, is that students are challenged to think outside the box, which prevents cookie cutter approaches to learning, especially in the sciences where lab reports and essays are written according to a standard formula which over time becomes a mundane and predictable task.

Walt Whitman’s “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer,” was written in 1865 and published in 1867, in the fourth edition of his collection Leaves of Grass. Throughout this poem, Whitman suggests that nature’s beauty cannot be measured by scientific explanations, mathematical equations, or taught through lectures, but that you have to go and experience it for yourself.

tells a tale of a student that grows uninterested in what is being taught to him/her. Thus, the student decides to leave and self-educate him/herself. Whitman writes this poem to demonstrate how experiences and learning within one’s mind can help an individual flock intellectually rather than being taught by someone based on their thoughts. Obviously, Whitman took part in the transcendentalism movement; which members believed that one must learn through instinct and through their own ideas. The student in the poem leaves the astronomer in hopes of finding answers for themselves through their own interpretation of whatever they are interested in. This is evident when the student observes the stars for him/herself. The student no longer limit

Walt Whitman is known for having some of the most distinct poems in history. His work is instantly recognizable due to his particular traits of: individuality, an emphasis on the natural world, constantly using free verse, usually encompassing numerous subjects in one poem, using personal details, and the speaker speaking for himself and the reader. Many have tried, but very few poets have mastered the techniques Whitman once did. He wrote with a stylistic freedom and proved he was worthy to be an American Poet.

They seem to find peace in the silence, rather than hearing the astronomer teach or the applause of the classmates. While both of these poets observed the night sky, the poems have very contrasting themes of unimportance versus

Walt Whitman was an acclaimed American poet whose work and methods still inspire people today, both young and old. He was influenced in his childhood because he was part of such a big family that struggled on a daily basis. In fact, when he was 11 just eleven years old he concluded formal schooling to get a job and help support his large family. Also, Walt was influenced by Deism, he agreed that everybody's faith was the same. Whitman was named: “The father of free verse” by many people because he had such a strange life which influenced him to write like this.

In the beginning lines of the poem, the speaker begins to tell an anecdote about a time he heard a “learn’d astronomer”. The man is perceived to be highly intelligent and specifically invested in the study of astronomy. However, Whitman contracts the word “learned”, presenting a plain voice that contrasts to the revered sophistication of the astronomer (Whitman 1). This ironic use of tone could be used in order to make fun of the astronomer, despite being a well-educated man and a master of astronomy. Continuing on, the astronomer presents his mathematical “proofs”, “ranged in columns” by using “figures” and the “charts and diagram” (2-3). The speaker at this point hears the lecture as a list of random

The Jarawa tribe is indigenous to India’s Andaman Islands, with a small population that has declined greatly since their beginning; approximately 55,000 years ago. This group of around four hundred people has been struggling to remain clear of the outside attention and influence that has been harming its members. Despite orders from the Indian government meant to preserve and protect the Jarawa, they are still being exploited and treated extremely poorly. The best way to change this would be to integrate the Jarawa tribe, to prevent another extinction.

“In science one tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by everyone, something that no one ever knew before. But in poetry, it's the exact opposite.” Paul Dirac In this quotation, Paul Dirac says science is taught to people in a way so people can understand; it has not been taught before.

Almost every college student in the world can relate to being bored in a lecture hall. Old professors teaching boring material that does not relate to what you want to be doing with your time. In Walt Whitman's poem, "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer," Whitman’s character is describing just that. The character leaves a lecture and is one within nature. The character uses past tense throughout the entire poem. I believe that this poem is someone reflecting on a moment in life where they made a choice between knowledge and true happiness. The character’s ability to connect with nature helps them make a tough decision about what they want in life.