vortega,TL, MDRMS 5/14/2009

Walt Whitman

• Whitman was born May 31, 1819 & lived at a farm in West Hills, Long Island

• Young Walt, the 2nd of 9, was withdrawn from school at 11 to help support the family.

• After school, he worked as an office clerk and a teacher.

• Considered one of the top 5 poets of American literature

Walt Whitman• After finishing school at 11 he never returned• He studied independently the works of Sir Walter

Scot, Shakespeare, Homer, and Dante, the Bible and, ancient Hindu poetry

• He worked first at a printmaking job• In 1836, at the age of 17, he began his career as a

teacher in school houses of Long Island.• He continued to teach school until 1841, when he

turned to journalism as a full-time career. • He also was a medic during the civil war

“I Hear America Singing”

by Walt Whitman• Based on the Title (alone) what do you

think this poem will be about? • I think this poem will be about…..

• REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR CREDIT FOR THIS POETRY ANALYSIS ASSESSMENT!

I Hear America Singing

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it would be blithe and strong,The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he

stands,The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at

noon intermission or at sundown,The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,The day what belongs to the day --- at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Features of List Poems

The writer is telling you something—showing you something: "Look at this" or "Think about this." There's a beginning and an end to a list poem, like in a story: an introduction and a conclusion. The list poem is created from a list of persons, places, things or

ideas which have a common denominator. The endings of the lines in a list poem don’t usually rhyme.

Poetry Analysis“I Hear America Singing”

Ask yourself: When was this poem written?

Answer: About 140 years ago. Think about American history. This poem was written not long after the Civil War—after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

I Hear America Singing Line 1 = The Introduction

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Where? When? What does this mean?

1870 Find a word that

means the same

Use a Thesaurus find a synonym

varied = different carol = song

Line 2

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it would be

mechanics = someone who repairs things, builds things

blithe and strong,

blithe = happy, carefree

So, what is this poem about?

American men after the Civil War, each person singing his own song, working, repairing, building and feeling happy and strong.

Lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: The LIST

What do the PEOPLE in these lines have in common?

What is each person doing? VERBS

What do the PRONOUNS tell us?

3 The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

4 The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

5 The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

6 The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

7 The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

Lines 8, 9, 10: The LIST

What do the PEOPLE in these lines have in common?

What is each person doing? VERBS

What do the PRONOUNS tell us, is there a change?

8 The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

9 Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

10 The day what belongs to the day --- at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Line 11: The ConclusionWhat is each person doing? VERB

What does the PRONOUN tell us, is there a change?

What words are used to describe (ADJECTIVES)?

11 Singing with open mouths their strong melodious

songs.

Look at the first line and the last line together:

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.