Essay about American Influences of Walt Whitman

    From looking at the titles of Walt Whitman's vast collection of poetry in Leaves of Grass one would be able to surmise that the great American poet wrote about many subjects -- expressing his ideas and thoughts about everything from religion to Abraham Lincoln. Quite the opposite is true, Walt Whitman wrote only about a single subject which was so powerful in the mind of the poet that it consumed him to the point that whatever he wrote echoed of that subject. The beliefs and tenets of transcendentalism were the subjects that caused Whitman to write and carried through not only in the wording and imagery of his poems, but also in the revolutionary way that he chose to write his poetry.

The game of baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday, in 1839- 177 years ago from today. Baseball has been, and is still today, known as America’s favorite pastime; additionally, due to its extensive history and partaking it monumental events, it can as well serve as a great topic to use in a story or poem. Poet Dale Ritterbusch, uses the game of baseball along with metaphors in his poem as a vehicle to write about a more substantial subject in poetry, the Vietnam War. His poem, “Behind the Plate”, can be simply over-looked to one as just a poem about an overweight catcher; nonetheless, when closely examined, it has a deeper meaning. Authors Michael Cocchiarale and Scott Emmert, both agree with the statement that baseball is a great outlet for further analysis of a more important subject: “Writers have seen sports, particularly baseball, as a useful vehicle for cultural and epistemological analysis” (Cocchiarale).

In 1839 Americas soon to be favorite past time was invented right here in New York, Baseball. Baseball whether you like the game or not, has weaved itself deeply into our culture and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. There are countless movies, articles, songs, playing cards, bobble heads, merchandise and books all made about baseball. The players are often idolized by children and adults alike. Baseball in our country was and still is a huge topic of discussion, whose batting average is higher, which team is better, is someone cheating. Troy Maxson like many American’s knows a lot about baseball like how striking out is bad and homeruns are how you win but there are things about baseball that Troy doesn’t know. The article, Walking Around the Fences: Troy Maxson and the Ideology of “Going Down Swinging”, written by David Letzler. Letzler Delves into the ideology of batting and walks in baseball in explanation of the main character Troy Maxson of August Willison’s play Fences, and his thought process of going down swinging and Troy’s thoughts on some of the major league players of that time.

It a quote often attributed to Walt Whitman he said, “I see great things in baseball. It’s our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us.” The quote is likely not from Walt Whitman, but regardless it sums up the symbiotic relationship between the national pastime and the nation itself (LA TIMES). Throughout, many of America’s most difficult moments the sport of baseball has been a vehicle of cultural healing. During World War Two, Franklin Delano Roosevelt wrote a famous letter to then Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis during the outbreak of the Second World War saying, “I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going.” Many had previously questioned included Judge

Baseball has for a long time been a staple in the American sporting culture as baseball and America have grown up together. Exploring the different ages and stages of American society, reveals how baseball has served as both a public reflection of, and vehicle for, the evolution of American culture and society. Many American ways including our landscapes, traditional songs, and pastimes all bear the mark of a game that continues to be identified with America's morals and aspirations. In this paper I will be addressing the long residuals of baseball as it specifically relates to the emergence of the

For over one hundred years, Americans young and old have enjoyed the sport of baseball. Some are actively and some leisurely. No matter which role the person has, he or she enjoys America’s favorite pastime, baseball, but is it originally an American sport? Over the many years that the sport has existed, there has been a variety of theories. The origin of baseball is unclear because some believe it began in England, others claim Abner Doubleday originated the sport, and a third faction claims it evolved in New York.

Whitman wrote broad stanzas and focused on the whole of America as his inspiration. His lines covered a wide range of topics and generated multiple points of view for the reader. He called his life’s work “Leaves of Grass”; stressing the

In the article they talk about how the book was crated in such a way that it relates to American culture. The article explained on how baseball was such an individual sport in where you did everything usually individually. You had the pitcher and batter who controlled the whole game. Every position has their own responsibility and no one really counts on anyone else. Like they said on page 47 of the article “Individual achievements become the stuff to record books and legends.” The article also goes in a much deeper meaning to baseball as they talk about how Malamud is one of few authors to show baseball to be close to nature on page 49 of the article they say “baseball we may say takes its shape, its character, from the process of nature.” The article helps us understand how Malamud went on to creating this book. By incorporating how nature plays a big role in the way baseball is played. The seasons fit right in with baseball and the way it is played. In the article they mention how nature does not have a time to it and it controls what happens in life. This a great way to show how the game of baseball is played since the pitcher and batter control how the game will end and how there is no time in the game. Another important idea I believe the article brings up is that baseball is a sports in where age is not a big factor. Most sports the older you are the less active

The photo displayed above provides some of the people who introduced baseball in America. These are individuals in the American history that have a substantial significance to lives of Americans today; they introduced baseball that some American depend on as a career to earn money to cater for their daily necessities (Panacy, 2017). Development of baseball by G. Wright, Alison, C, Leonard L.F, among others promoted entertainment in every part of the continent. Baseball development identified America has a continent with innovative change through various aspects of social life such as entertainment. In this manner, America shows advancement in some areas of life than other countries. America is identified by its nurturing value represented by the invention of the baseball, which has gone through

“I celebrate myself.” Walt Whitman’s introduction into Song of Myself sets a distinctive tone for his writing. Whitman influenced America in many ways and the driving forces of his influence are disguised within the complexities of his writing. Whitman’s’ desire was for humans, and specifically Americans, to be in harmony with the universe, with themselves as individuals, and with each other as a nation; Whitman used his poetry to encourage this belief amongst his fellow man. Encompassed in the themes in Song of Myself, Whitman impel his influence into the hearts and minds of the American people and the world. At times latent and at other times obvious, Whitman uses individualism and democracy,

After studying American author, Walt Whitman, it is clear that he has had a long lasting impact on society and the lives of authors and artists who came after him. Through works like Democratic Vistas and Song of Myself, Whitman gave American society tools to promote creative expression and the essence of democracy. However, Whitman’s methods had to be adopted over time to touch/bring attention to different social issues. Two authors who were able to branch off of Whitman’s works and ideas were Isadora Duncan and James Baldwin. By analyzing these two important characters of history, we will be able explore two different social issues in two different eras and how Duncan and Baldwin refined Whitman’s approach in order to make a statement in society. It’s significant to identify the importance of these artists because this process is still relevant in today’s society, adapting from Whitman in order to get points across and make a difference.

Walt Whitman was a man who created a new style of writing, a style that has been repeated ever since he crafted it. Many contemporary authors have attempted to look upon the world in the way Whitman did, to see it with fascination and love and to share these passionate feelings with their readers just like Whitman. One modern author that has had success in recreating Whitman’s style with his own twist is Tyler Knott Gregson. Gregson looks at the world with the same reverence that Whitman did. It is through their poetic styles that Whitman and Gregson collide and it is by analyzing these styles, specifically in “Song of Myself” and “Typewriter Series #317,” respectively, that we are able to see a young Whitman within

“Whitman claimed that after years of competing for the usual rewards he was determined to become a poet,” (Cambridge University Press, 1996). At first he experimented with a variety of literary genres that would appeal to people’s tastes of the period, although, he intended to write an American epic and used free verse based on the Bible. In 1850, he began writing poetry that would

After the Civil War, Walt Whitman realized that the American people were in need of their own identity. Therefore, he wrote the book “Leaves of Grass” with the goal of creating a literature piece that was authentic and organic to the United States in every sense. Whitman introduced to literature the idea of the “American Dream” and highlighted how important it was for the American people to develop their own identity. Consequently, he rejected the European writing styles and adapted the use of free-verses to his writing, making it a popular writing style in American poetry. Whitman valued of humanity, nature and spirituality. Therefore, he joined the Transcendental literary movement and

If one listens closely, they can hear America’s song. The words, like thunder, comprise the groans of the slave, the cheers of the free, and the unmistakable sounds of the brave. The music rings out as clear as day; it is composed by the growing children and the dying men. Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes captured the essence of these songs in their respective works, “I Hear America Singing” and “I, Too, Sing America.” The first describes the melodies of a working nation, the “the wood-cutter’s song” and the “delicious singing of the mother” (Whitman 7-8). The quiet musings of a young African American make up the latter; it is a hymn of hushed hope for tomorrow. Although the two poems stand alone, both Whitman’s and Hughes's works powerfully capture the song of America through the sense of pride found in each piece, the uses of different literary elements, and their individual views of the nation.