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Walt Whitman Research Paper

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What happens when an author’s writing does not encompass the same themes and ideas throughout their written portfolio? Instead of being a predictable author who a reader chooses to read to enjoy a type of story that they have come to expect from that particular author, a writer who chooses include a variety of topics and ideas keeps the reader from knowing what to expect. In Walt Whitman’s collection of poems, in the book, Leaves of Grass, Whitman portrays himself as an author, or in his case poet, who is not afraid to remain outside of the typical literary bounds, in order to write a variety of poems on numerous topics, like politics, individualism, identity, and growth. By choosing to not limit his writing to a particular theme, Whitman is …show more content…

However, even though Whitman’s work may not always exude a particular feeling, his descriptive poetry does cover a variety of topics while still maintaining a sense of individualism. For example, in Whitman’s poem, “Vocalism”, Whitman writes, “After a loosen’d throat, after absorbing eras, temperaments, races, after knowledge, freedom, crimes… after these and more, it is just possible there comes to a man, woman, the divine power to speak words” (283). This particular verse of Whitman’s poetry, is discussing how people, after having to handle and learn to deal with challenges, eventually find a voice to speak up against injustice. Whitman’s poem, “Vocalism” discusses people finding their individual voices and standing up for what is right, much like democracy is supposed to allow people’s voices to be heard. Even though Whitman’s poem “Vocalism” discusses people’s individual voices and, in a way, democracy, some of Whitman’s other poems portray a variety of topics, like nature, hope, and so on. The key to Whitman’s poetry being the individualism and details throughout each poem, which could be about a variety of different

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