Walt whitman
Walt whitmanWalt Whitman's diverse and self-conscious writing style contains many poetic devices which distinguish him among the great American writers. One such device common to Whitman's poetry is the use of cataloguing. Through cataloguing, Whitman is able to enter into the text multiple ideas and situations, alluding to topics which are central to his work. Though these seemingly unrelated events all contain diverse themes, evoking various thoughts, it is through cataloguing that they successfully reveal the wisdom of the man and his impressions. In 'Song of Myself', Whitman's frequent use of the catalogue promotes strong meaning to the poem, effectively displaying to the reader Whitman's great insight into the consciousness of human thought, and ultimate realism which characterized his writings.
'Song of Myself' contains many passages which are easily relatable to the reader, creating a sense of familiarity which makes Whitman a truly realistic writer. This realism is what allowed the poem to acquire universal acceptance, as well as great praise. Whitman takes the reader through his world, encountering life's events through the eyes of the poet, these encounters ultimately embodying as well as comprising his personal identity. However, the true excellence of Whitman's writings lies in the realization that through Whitman's effective use of the catalogue, the reader is able to explore and recognize his own identity as well. In section 15 of the poem, Whitman catalogues together many random thoughts, which evoke great imagery for the reader,
The duck-shooter walks by silent and cautious stretches,
The deacons are ordain'd with cross'd hands at the altar,
The spinning-girl retreats and advances to the hum of the big wheel,
The farmer stops by the bars as he walks on a first-day loafe and looks at
the oats and rye, (269-272).
Upon first reading, taken literally, this passage seems sporadic and confusing, but upon introspection, one will realize that Whitman is using cataloguing effectively to appeal to a mass audience. The duck-shooter, the deacons, the spinning-girl and the farmer are all completely unique, creating a diverse cast, comparable to the audience, as well as society in general. This allows everyone to seek meaning and relevance for themselves through the aid of a single work. The poem assumes that the emotions suggested by cataloguing such events and characters will partially reflect those of past and future feelings in the reader's imagination. Thus, 'Song of Myself' is not actually a poem about a duck-shooter, or farmer, but rather a poem about life and its ultimate search for meaning.
Through cataloguing, Whitman is able to touch on a broad range of topics that he feels will capture realistically capture one's own life experiences. Catalogues of seemingly unrelated events makes for a diverse poem, touching on many aspects of everyday life and ultimately invoking various emotions and relationships in the reader....
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