Allen Toussaint

Walt Whitman Mini Research Paper Walter “Walt” Whitman, also known as “the father of free verse,” is one of the most influential writers in American history. Whitman was born, on May 31, 1819, in Long Island, New York. His family settled in North America in the first half of the 17th century. His father and mother, Walter Whitman Sr. and Louisa Van Velsor, got married on June 9, 1816. Together, they had nine children. Whitman's father was of English descent and his mother was Dutch; this ancestry

In Walt Whitman’s long poem “Song of Myself” there are several reoccurring themes that relate with society today. The central theme is individuality, which Whitman uses the word “I” throughout his poem to express three components of himself as an individual being. Another theme is that of the visions of America that brings the diversity of America together in harmony and love. Whitman presents the theme of friendship directly to the reader and to everyone he meets. He wants to live in peace and try

1. In "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," how does Whitman "invent" himself? Whitman invents himself by focusing and keeping to himself but, also keeping himself from society while watching how society is that surrounds all of us. However, he also thinks about how he is not just drifting through society but he is part of the large society. Whitman tries to connect himself with the crowd of people that cross the ferry but, sees himself as part of the big picture instead of not having a place there. Whitman

In the 1960’s, Allen Ginsberg was already different from most because of his beliefs of peace over war, he was an advocate drug user, and a strong believer of gay rights. He’s what you would call a “hippie” of that time period. Ginsberg also suffered from mental illness that is very noticeable throughout his actions and poetic pieces such as “Howl.” Ginsberg uses this poem to express his life through a different perspective. He does this by talking through a speaker that the reader can clearly see

Oh how do I compare thee… During the nineteenth century also known as the antebellum period, two poets began to separate themselves from the traditional methods of writing poetry yet still capturing their readers with their unique styles of writing. These poets were Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. These two poets led different lifestyles. From what I had read the poems that they wrote had similarities that to me were based on common themes such as, Nature, death, and immortality, with that being

The Search of America In the speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” by Fredrick Douglas, he talks of fettered liberty and a disregarded constitution. In “Songs of Myself” by Walt Whitman, one can see a young man’s journey to find a purpose within himself. In Bret Harte “The Outcast of Poker Flat”, is the story of a gambler, a duchess, a salon girl, and a drunk who become outcast. These incredible works provide for the readers a glimpse in to the past. These works of literature brought

From the title, “The Rose That Grew From Concrete,” readers can infer the poem will be about the impossible and the undone due to the fact that the title is about an impossible act of nature, where it allows a rose to flourish from a crack in the concrete. Have you heard about the rose that overcame the odds while it grew from crack in the concrete? Indeed, it proved nature’s law wrong. It learned to walk without having feet. Funny it may seem but by keeping it’s dreams it learned to breathe fresh

Walt Whitman was a writer who was able to reflect the human spirit through words on print. Though Whitman didn’t have as much recognition as he does today, due to what people felt was crude and offensive material, he was able to create poetry that displayed the human emotions. When reading his material, it is easy to get the impression that Whitman had strong opinions over several subjects. Through his writings, Whitman was able to convey these messages in his work. Having been influenced by the

Poems are a very powerful form of literature that can inspire individuals. They can build pride for your country, tell a spectacular story, or inspire people to stand for what is right. “I, Too, Sing America” and “I Hear America Singing” are two spectacular poems that, may seem completely different at a quick glance share quite a bit of similarities. “I, Too, Sing America” and “I Hear America Singing” have interesting similarities and differences such as, the significance of the poems’ titles, the

How else has Whitman crafted his work? Often times poets will use personification. Personification is when a non human object is endowed with human characteristics, according to Purdue Owl. An example of Whitman’s work in personification can be found within section twenty-two. The line speaks of a “Sea breathing broad and convulsive breaths,” Whereas, the sea cannot breath, only people and living creatures possess the ability to swallow air. Rather, the sea lulls, waves and crashes, but by relating