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Topic On American Literature
Topic On American Literature
Topic On American Literature
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The American Voice American Voice is characterized by themes of hard work, determination, and unity. The American Voice is characterized by the theme of hard work. This is demonstrated in Walt Whitman’s Poem “I Hear America Singing”, where all throughout the poem, he mentions the peoples constant singing and how joyful they are while they work. This means that the american people enjoy their jobs so much that it causes them to start singing. This idea develops over the text where Whitman states that they love their jobs and that they sing
while working, and that shows that they love what they do. This supports the claim because throughout the poem, it acknowledges how their hard work makes them happy as to grace in such form. The American Voice is also characterized by determination. The idea of determination of the American Voice is demonstrated in Patrick Henry’s speech “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death”, were he talks about speaking freely and being able to do so. In his speech it is written, “I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve” (Patrick Henry). Meaning that americans should be able to have liberty. This idea is also found in paragraph six of the speech, and it states how people might view us as weak, but that we are strong and can do anything. Determination is what we need, to be able to cope with such society and prove that we americans have what it takes. This supports the claim because it demonstrates determination. Finally, the American Voice is characterized by unity, In Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too, Sing, America”. In Hughes poem, “I am the darker brother” (Line 2), signifies that an African American is speaking. He states, “I, too, am America” (line 17) meaning that even though he is “the darker brother” he is still an American because America is everyone, not just the whites. America is united like a family, therefore conveying that unity is part of being America. This supports the claim because the darker brother is stating that he too, is America, gives a clear view of America being united, as being American means everyone can and is America. In Conclusion, the American Voice is characterized by themes of hard work, determination, and unity.
America the great, land of freedom, home of the brave--each of these phrases has been used to describe the United States of America. Walt Whitman was a man who lived through many tough times in this country, but who would prosper as a poet. He was personally affected by all of the death and destruction that he witnessed during the Civil War. "A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim" and "I Hear America Singing" have some fascinating similarities but include many differences. Although both poems were written by the same man, he seemed to see America in a different light when writing each poem. Each piece uses different tones and images, but they are tied together by the style of writing and use of America as a main subject. In "I Hear America Singing" and "A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim," Whitman uses differing tones, images, styles of writing, and even different themes to show the splendors and downfalls that America can bring.
In "I Hear America Singing," Whitman refers to "the varied carols" of different workers "mechanics", "the carpenter", " the mason", "the boatman" and "the deck man", "the shoemaker" and "the hatter”. Whitman includes workers of both genders, listing "the mother,"the young wife at work," and "the girl sewing or washing". These Americans at work are "singing what belongs to him or her and to none else," The have a sense of pride for what they can do and for the skills of which they hold. Whitman, on the other hand, identifies each person with his or her task; the work is what defines the person here. Whitman only allows the entitlements these works be their name and voice.
This darkly satiric poem is about cultural imperialism. Dawe uses an extended metaphor: the mother is America and the child represents a younger, developing nation, which is slowly being imbued with American value systems. The figure of a mother becomes synonymous with the United States. Even this most basic of human relationships has been perverted by the consumer culture. The poem begins with the seemingly positive statement of fact 'She loves him ...’. The punctuation however creates a feeling of unease, that all is not as it seems, that there is a subtext that qualifies this apparently natural emotional attachment. From the outset it is established that the child has no real choice, that he must accept the 'beneficence of that motherhood', that the nature of relationships will always be one where the more powerful figure exerts control over the less developed, weaker being. The verb 'beamed' suggests powerful sunlight, the emotional power of the dominant person: the mother. The stanza concludes with a rhetorical question, as if undeniably the child must accept the mother's gift of love. Dawe then moves on to examine the nature of that form of maternal love. The second stanza deals with the way that the mother comforts the child, 'Shoosh ... shoosh ... whenever a vague passing spasm of loss troubles him'. The alliterative description of her 'fat friendly features' suggests comfort and warmth. In this world pain is repressed, real emotion pacified, in order to maintain the illusion that the world is perfect. One must not question the wisdom of the omnipotent mother figure. The phrase 'She loves him...' is repeated. This action of loving is seen as protecting, insulating the child. In much the same way our consumer cultur...
Instead, he hears what he wants to hear, which is the joyous songs of working Americans who have the ability to get jobs and make money. Although, he claims to hear America singing, he doesn’t state the songs of struggle from African-Americans or the songs where they overcame their obstacles. Whitman’s title of his poem falsifies the audience to believe that he sees America for what it truly is, even at its worst time. Despite that, he still seems to avoid mentioning the songs of
In, “ I Hear America Singing”, Walt Whitman uses alliteration, literal imagery, and tone to express the idea that there are many individual, hardworking workers in this country, but as a whole these people carry out the American pride. America does not only consist of one person, but it is the whole population that makes what America is today. This country is filled with fun and laughter for everyone to enjoy!
When you think of slang today, the most positive connotation probably doesn’t come to mind. We often times associate slang with a term used in a derogatory context. You may even find yourself linking the use of slang to a particular group or social class, where in reality, almost all of us use slang every day without realizing it. In Walt Whitman’s “Slang in America”, he gives several examples of common words that underwent a change of meaning through the usage of slang. “Insult” originally meant “to leap against”, “wrong meant twisted”, and “spirit meant breath or flame” (Whitman 2). Whitman valued and recognized the effects slang had in the development of the American language. Another author who acknowledged the importance
America is a country rich in history, which can be dated back to 1776 with its independence from the British. With this new-found independence came a great loss of life and new found freedoms. This land did not come without struggles and bloodshed, from people that believed that this land was worth fighting for. It wasn’t necessary the land that was special, it was the belief of what this land represented. With the new-found freedoms, giving to individuals where the freedom to express them self in many formats, many express their patriotism in forms of poetry and in music. There have been several songs written by many different musicians, but the most significant to America’s core values are My country, ‘tis of thee by Samuel F. Smith, God
In Whitman’s poem I hear America Singing, the first line immediately shows a parallel of I, too: “I hear America singing.” On the other hand, Whitman’s poem doesn’t empower blacks, but Americans as a whole. He describes the working class and unifies Americans with their corporate singing.
Let America Be America Again, written by Langston Hughes, was written to make a satirical statement about the American Dream. He uses personification, alliteration, and imagery to bring home his point that the “dream the dreamers dreamed” (Hughes ???) not only has never existed but will never truly exist for the common man. According to the speaker, assumed to be Hughes but in reality could be anyone who is hopeless and unhappy in this land where “equality is in the air we breathe” (???), that as long as there are “kings” and “tyrants” (???), the American Dream is only an unobtainable goal but is something that must be kept alive.
Of all the poems that Walt Whitman wrote, the poem, “I Hear America Singing” has the strongest emotional appeal. This poem can be analyzed by its line length, repetitive technique, and thematic contents.
In 1920, Langston Hughes became the voice of black America. He was the inspirational voice of the African-Americans, the hope and motivation of many. Langston wrote about freedom of creative expression, about ordinary people leading ordinary lives, politics, America, dreams, equality and inequality. No surprise was created when his poem: “I, Too, Sing America” was about a black man wish and hopes to live a life with equality. This poem conveys the fact that despite the differences of color, all people living in America are Americans and have the right to be treated equally. Langston’s poem “I, Too, Sing America” illustrates the hope of equality, ambition and freedom of an oppressed person.
This quote shows the mechanic singing as he works: “Those of mechanics, each one singing his” (line 2), as a sign of joy. Whitman uses enjambment to highlight the routine of daily life in lines such as “the carpenter singing as he measures his plank or beam” (line 3). The carpenter’s singing during his mundane work, implies happiness while he’s working. In the line “the shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the gentleman singing as he stands” (line 6), Whitman gives another example of how he uses singing to depict a strong, joyful working class. In contrast to Whitman's vision of America, Hughes’ poem I, Too portrays a future with social equality for Black people.
Society shapes human beings into what they think is perfection. People in today’s society follow the world’s rituals as they continue to conform to fit in to the latest trends. Today, implants, plastic surgery, and weight loss treatments are the reason people have money set aside in their savings accounts. The pressure of others claims to be the main reason people change their hair, skin, and size, and often forget about their own special characteristics. There is a reason Walt Whitman, writes “I Celebrate Myself, and Sing Myself,” to show the importance of loving yourself and cherishing your own personal qualities as a human being. He speaks of himself, hoping to grab his readers’ attention. Throughout the poem, “I Celebrate Myself, and Sing
Walt Whitman was arguable one of the most influential poets during the Civil War era. Though never directly involved in war, Whitman was able to talk about the war in a more insightful way than many poets at the time could. Whitman was most active in writing during the times before and after the war, choosing to dedicate himself to helping wounded soldiers during the war instead. Walt Whitman’s poetry reflects the progression of his philosophy of America: his initial view of America was uplifting, represented in his Pre-Civil war poems and while the Civil War poetry presents the degradation of American society, Whitman’s final poetry returns to a realistic, optimistic view for America.
In his first line he urges, “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear” (I Hear, 1), referring to the people as one group of Americans who are all somehow united by their individual tunes. Each and every individual has lived a different walk of life, with different hardships, and varying circumstances. With that being said, the people singing these tunes are all driven by their ambitions, and have achieved a level of freedom they could not anywhere else in the world. Whitman writes, “Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else”, implying the importance of independence and individuality. Like their different tunes they sing which together form a melody, the different circumstances they come from unites them as Americans. Ironically it’s the fact that everyone in America does live a different walk of life, with different goals, and different circumstances that unites them. It is the ability to express one’s own individuality that forms the American, the same way the individuals different songs form a melody.