Walt Whitman is known today as one of the most crucial American writers ever to live. During the late 19th century his work flourished and his thoughts and ideas were shown in his poetry. His extraordinary way of thinking was new and in some ways his ideas were embraced by the American people. In the book, “Leaves of Grass”, several of Whitman’s pieces are collected together to form one amazing piece of work. Included in these poems are abstract ideas that hold underlying messages. Many different poems have many different meaning, but today I will be trying to take a part Whitman’s "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, and piecing it together to paint his image.
"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” is Whitman’s first person view of living and experiencing life in America. Here he describes this new phenomenon and this new way of living. With the ferry now in play time is something that is now extremely important to American living. There is a set schedule for the working people/passengers and technology is the reason for this change. The world is combined into two elements witch are science and nature. Science and nature collaborate with one another further more creating this new ear for human beings. This idea of a time consuming world was new, but it was also something that was shared with all Americans.
In the article, “In Whitman's Country”, Meena Alexander describes her new life her in America. She was born in India but after finishing school she moves to America. In her article she describes her emotions that came up during her first ride on the Brooklyn Bart. She describes her experience just as Whitman describes his. Though all the other passengers are not aware, each and every one of them is connected by this shared experience. The sense of time and space is something that all Americans will share. As Whitman and Alexander are connected, so is everyone else. The space between their time and are time does not matter. We all are American sharing the same experience.
Though everyone may be doing different things with their life everyone is connected by time. Whitman’s "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, and Alexander’s “In Whitman's Country” are prime examples of this American ideal. No matter where one is from, if you are now living in America then you are now living in this new era of technology, time and space.
Work Cited: Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004
Alexander, Meena "In Whitman's Country." 186-192. Virginia Quarterly Review, 2005. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Dec. 2009.
I agree with you when you said that all the passengers in the boat shared the same experience because of being connected to each other. Nevertheless, for Whitman, his experience “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" with different type of people such as African Americans, immigrants, rich and poor people and etc. is very sacred because this is the only chance that he could be with everyone else. In addition, Whitman is one of the people who was trying to tell to all people that this is America and this is the world he lives in. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” is absolutely Whitman’s first person view of living and experiencing life in Brooklyn (America). Moreover, Whitman tried to experience this because he wants to talk about other people, which you said in the first place that his poems have meaning and messages about his life experience and the people around him.
This section was one of my favorite in whitmans book. His imagery was very well done. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" gave a real sense that we all are apart of the world and most of us do similar things throughout our daily life. His life experiences are similar to millions of other people in America and it ties everyone together.
I agree with you when you said that all the passengers in the boat shared the same experience because of being connected to each other. Nevertheless, for Whitman, his experience “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" with different type of people such as African Americans, immigrants, rich and poor people and etc. is very sacred because this is the only chance that he could be with everyone else. In addition, Whitman is one of the people who was trying to tell to all people that this is America and this is the world he lives in. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” is absolutely Whitman’s first person view of living and experiencing life in Brooklyn (America). Moreover, Whitman tried to experience this because he wants to talk about other people, which you said in the first place that his poems have meaning and messages about his life experience and the people around him.
ReplyDeleteThis section was one of my favorite in whitmans book. His imagery was very well done. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" gave a real sense that we all are apart of the world and most of us do similar things throughout our daily life. His life experiences are similar to millions of other people in America and it ties everyone together.
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