I Hear America Singing
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should 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 5
singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter'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 10
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. 15
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should 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 5
singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter'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 10
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. 15
TPCASTT
Title
This title is a figurative title and my prediction is that the poet hears America crying out and rejoicing their independence, because this poem was written in 1867.
Paraphrase
Whitman hears many different versions of song from the people of the United States,
He hears songs from all types of workforce, and everyone has their own story,
He hears wives and young boys and girls singing what is their own personal song connecting to their lives,
And these people go through life singing their own sweet songs.
Connotations and Literary Devices
"America singing" is used as a personification device to emphasize the importance of everyone's story.
Using workforce as people singing represents the fact that people of a variety of lifestyles all have a story, and they get a chance to tell it.
Using the mother and the young boys and girls implies that all people are equal (women did not have the same rights that men had at the time).
"Songs" has a figurative meaning that refers to people's stories.
Attitude
Speaker and poet are the same person.
Tone of the poem is positively joyful because he is expressing his celebration towards America because all he sees is what is good about it and that people are singing strongly.
Shift
There is a shift in content and place on line 10 where the subject is switched from the men in the workforce to the women and children, who have less rights.
Title Again
My prediction was not correct because they are telling their story instead of rejoicing their independence.
The figurative purpose of the title is to show readers that the people in the United States were very happy with their lives, no matter what lifestyle.
The title previews the revealing of the figurative meaning of singing in the poem.
Theme
The theme of this poem by Walt Whitman is that all people are created equal, men and women, rich and poor, no matter what others say.
This title is a figurative title and my prediction is that the poet hears America crying out and rejoicing their independence, because this poem was written in 1867.
Paraphrase
Whitman hears many different versions of song from the people of the United States,
He hears songs from all types of workforce, and everyone has their own story,
He hears wives and young boys and girls singing what is their own personal song connecting to their lives,
And these people go through life singing their own sweet songs.
Connotations and Literary Devices
"America singing" is used as a personification device to emphasize the importance of everyone's story.
Using workforce as people singing represents the fact that people of a variety of lifestyles all have a story, and they get a chance to tell it.
Using the mother and the young boys and girls implies that all people are equal (women did not have the same rights that men had at the time).
"Songs" has a figurative meaning that refers to people's stories.
Attitude
Speaker and poet are the same person.
Tone of the poem is positively joyful because he is expressing his celebration towards America because all he sees is what is good about it and that people are singing strongly.
Shift
There is a shift in content and place on line 10 where the subject is switched from the men in the workforce to the women and children, who have less rights.
Title Again
My prediction was not correct because they are telling their story instead of rejoicing their independence.
The figurative purpose of the title is to show readers that the people in the United States were very happy with their lives, no matter what lifestyle.
The title previews the revealing of the figurative meaning of singing in the poem.
Theme
The theme of this poem by Walt Whitman is that all people are created equal, men and women, rich and poor, no matter what others say.