Your assignment for this long weekend is to engage with Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric," which is much shorter than "Song of Myself" but even more dense. I encourage you to read the whole thing, but you can skip section 2 if you want, and most people will lack the attention span for the huge catalog of body parts that is section 9, but at least read the last three lines which conclude the massive list like a P.S.
I'd like you to post a reaction to some aspect of the poem. Choose one: DICTION and CONNOTATION: what kind of words, and what kind of tone do they establish? IMAGERY: what are some of the most striking body-based images Whitman offers here? what's their impact? SOCIAL COMMENTARY: how does Whitman continue to fight the "Other-ing" of oppressed groups here? Here is the poem: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174740 If you're totally lost, it may help to read this brief commentary and then give the poem another shot: http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/whitman/section9.rhtml You can comment on classmates' posts for extra credit, but only if you add something substantive, helping them develop a point or pointing out a possible connection.
47 Comments
Bobby Villaluz
2/14/2015 11:40:20 pm
The imagery Whitman uses in this poem stuns me. Section three, in which Whitman describes a common farmer, creates a vivid image for me. It seems that for the majority of the section, Whitman describes this farmer through the eyes of his family. They view him as a robust, healthy, yet old family man. All his sons and daughters love him not for what he provides, but for his phenomenal personality. Furthermore, Whitman describes his physical appearance using rich color and subtle qualities that allow the reader to visualize the farmer standing before him or her. Interestingly, by describing both the farmer’s physical appearance and his personality, Whitman addresses his bigger point by showing the body’s connection with the soul. With regards to this, I realize something about the last verse of the section. As Whitman talks about his attraction to the farmer, since the body and soul are connected, he talks about both physical contact and contact with the farmer’s soul. In addition, Whitman paints another awesome image in section seven. Strangely, while he denounces slavery in this section, he helps the auctioneer. By starting the stanza off with the verse, “A man’s body at auction…”, Whitman shows how slavery ignores the soul’s connection with the body. Also, Whitman allows the reader to visualize a crowd of bidders treating this man more like a tool than a human. Instead, Whitman feels that the slave is priceless as the universe has been preparing for this point where he is a living human being. This utilizes an idea that Whitman uses in section 44 of “Song of Myself” in which Whitman addresses the concept of eternity. Moreover, Whitman feels even more strongly against slavery since each male and female slave have the capacity to bear generations upon generations of people who can make contributions to society. Whitman creates images of “…populous states and rich republics…” stemming from these individuals. However, he uses this to make the point that since these people are enslaved and their children will become enslaved, their bodies’ and souls’ potentials are suppressed. For those who have seen Avatar: Legend of Korra, I found that this scene is quite similar to what Whitman tries to illustrate (http://youtu.be/Q5Ld8f7h3Dc).
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Biggs
2/16/2015 04:40:29 am
Great post, and I love that scene! Stupid Unalaq, yet another jerk who thinks they have all the answers and therefore the right to rule over others. I especially like how you see the evil of slavery in terms of the suppression of human potential. There is a capacity to create a better world that is being actively prevented from expression, a whole new world waiting and failing to be born...
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Charlie Weisman
2/23/2015 12:09:59 pm
I love the tie-in with Korra. If I were to relate Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" to any one part of Korra, I would compare it to book 1. In the first season, we see benders and non-benders butting heads, 1 group feeling oppressed by the other. I think that if Whitman lived in Avatar's fictional world, he would support the equalist movement, but not the equalist radicals. Their ideals may have been a little off, but their message was strong. Even today, we see many groups struggling to gain equality.
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Kelsey Ballard
2/15/2015 12:29:50 am
Perhaps my favorite part of this piece is not how it was adapted into song in the movie Fame, but this line: " swim with the swimmers, wrestle with the wrestlers, march in line with the firemen, and pause listen, count." Although this line is simple to understand and is lacking the normally large amount of commas Whitman feels he must use, I feel that it can sum up most of his ideas on "the Other": we are all one universal being, and in that, I am you and you are me. I especially like the very last part, in which he says " Pause, listen, and count". He is reminding us to slow down, relax, and appreciate the other people on this planet. As is sung in the song from Fame, " we will all be stars." No matter how rich or poor, we all are one family in the broadest sense of the word- not related by blood, but from our origin among the stars.
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Tierney Baldwin
2/15/2015 05:13:44 am
Based on what we have been taught about this time period, I can easily imagine the great controversy Whitman created when he wrote his poem “I Sing the Body Electric.” Through both English and History class, we know that during the period Whitman was writing, people were extremely sexist and racist; the rich, white man sat on top of the social pyramid, and women, the lower class, and African Americans, fell below. However, in his poem, “I Sing the Body Electric,” Whitman thoroughly emphasizes his transcendental belief that everyone is equally as beautiful and shares the same potential. To explicate, throughout Section Three, Whitman describes different roles in society and places them on an equal level of admiration and importance. Even mentioning how a working farmer, or a strong, brave fireman could be equal to a mother could instantly enrage many people, yet Whitman believed so, and thought they were all perfect in their own fashions. In addition, Whitman praised women and honored their jobs numerous times, stating how “child is born of woman, man is born of woman, … [and women] are the gates of the body, and … gates of the soul” (Section 5). He talks about how “the male is not less the soul nor more … [and writes about how] the man’s body is sacred and the woman’s body is sacred, no matter who it is, it is sacred.” (Section 5). To the average citizen from this time, these beliefs were illogical and scandalous: men were supposed to be given highest honor, and women were meant to be lesser forms of men. Whitman boldly defies the curve and expresses his opinions in a methodical, eloquent poem
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Emily Fitzgerald
2/16/2015 11:18:07 am
I think that Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" is a fantastic poem that exhibits his personal views on humans and their purpose. When Whitman wrote this, there was much more seclusion between groups of people such as the rich and the poor, and the men and the women than there is currently. Here in his poem, when describing the human body he makes it sound like no one is better than another because we are all merely made of the same bones, joints, muscles, etc. that all serve a unique purpose. He goes on about how the both the males and females are so special: which was very controversial at his time. "That of the male is perfect, and that of the female is perfect." In the 1850s, a ton of people would be appalled by a statement like this because there were so many levels of "the other"- one major one being women. Whitman dared to go beyond what society thought and put his own thoughts onto paper, which is part of the reason why he is so well known for his work. Instead of segregating men and women, he embraces anatomy and science to help communicate that our ultimate purpose which is to live together in unity.
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Mikayla Byron
2/17/2015 09:06:52 am
In section 7, Whitman describes helping at an auction of slaves. Instead of viewing this as a negative, he views it as a positive. He describes their bodies as strong and having keen senses, further describing their bodies as "...wonders within there yet...". Ultimately, he makes you realize that they're just as important and that they can create offspring that could be possible great leaders or help cure a disease. He asks, "How do you know who shall come from the offspring of his offspring through the centuries?". He is trying to close the gap between different social groups by saying how social groups, although unique, are equal. Whitman also tries closing the gap by describing the bodies of males and females in the 5th and 6th sections. He praises them and describes their different functions, the woman being a reproduction system and the man being a strong and powerful system. However in the 6th section he states, "The man’s body is sacred and the woman’s body is sacred...", proving his point that although they are different, both are important and one is not higher than the other.
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Paige Whittle
2/17/2015 09:33:14 pm
In the time period that Walt Whitman was writing, we know that women were often thought to be inferior to men. Women had minimal rights, and their “proper” place was in the home tending to the house and family. However, in Whitman’s poem, “I Sing the Body Electric”, he puts out many ideas that may conflict with the beliefs during this time. In section 5 of his poem, Whitman praises the scientific anatomy of the woman's body, saying that she is responsible for the great births of both sons and daughters. He goes on in the following section to say that man is great as well, but no more great than a woman. Whitman brings in the idea of equality by saying “The man’s body is sacred and the woman’s body is sacred, No matter who it is, it is sacred” (Whitman Section 6). This may cause controversy during his time period because women could be categorized as “the other” because they were different and inferior to men, and, in his poem, Whitman tries to disassociate women with “the other”. Throughout his poem, Whitman consistently says “man and woman” in attempt to break the normality of referring to humans as just “man”. Whitman goes against this idea of inequality and praises all forms of life, whether it be man or woman.
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Debra Tuberion
2/24/2015 09:12:12 am
Well said, Paige. I think one of my most favorite things about Whitman is how his ideas completely contrast with what others thought during his time period. Throughout his writing you see how easily he shows the equality between men and women, although those thoughts were clearly ignored by others during that time. Whitman goes against all oppression and reveals how equal all forms of life are.
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Kelly Gagliano
2/18/2015 04:28:08 am
This piece is absolutely beautiful. The stunning descriptions and imagery give the piece life and in my opinion it gives it an artistic feel that a reader can hook on to. For example, section five envelopes Whitman's entire viewpoint of women. One specific line stuck out to me, and it reads "as I see my soul reflected in nature, as I see through a mist, one with inexpressible completeness, sanity, beauty, see the bent head and arms folded over the breast, the Female I see" (Whitman 5). This not only gives the reader a visual of the beauty and grace he views women as, but a peak into Whitman's view of the oversoul and how we are all connected and one in the same. Whitman also reveals this exquisite imagery in section six when he describes a man. He explains that "he is action and power, the flush of the known universe is in him" (Whitman 6). Whitman shows the strength that men have, and the caring nature that women have by his imagery alone. In addition, I could not get one specific line out of my head from section eight. It is extremely powerful in my opinion. It reads "have you ever loved the body of a woman? Have you ever loved the body of a man? Do you not see that these are exactly the same to all in all nations and times all over the earth?" (Whitman 8). To me, this line is showing that we are all the same and we are all one. To separate people by race or gender is wrong, and we all must come together to be a part of our common world.
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Zoe Kralyevich
2/18/2015 04:53:04 am
In Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric", a tone of equality and beauty is established through his exquisite writing techniques. Throughout the section, I have noticed as a reader a few stanzas that included asking the reader questions. Commonly, poems don't usually use questions, and Whitman uses them to ask rhetorical questions that there really is no answer to. He also repeats words such as "They" and "To" to begin lines with and often replaces the "e" from words that end in "-ed" to an apostrophe. Also, he uses parenthesis for lines as he gets further into the poem. The overall tone of the passage is beauty of the mind and soul and how everyone's body and soul are just as beautiful as eachother, no matter their appearances.
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Cecilia McCormick
2/18/2015 07:35:29 am
In Whitmans, "I Sing the Body Electric" he uses many details to create certain images in the reader's mind. The images created are very surprising for the things he describes. For example, in section 9 Whitman describes many different body parts, some which would not typically be fun to read about, but with the words he uses these things are exhibited as beautiful parts of nature. Writing about human bowels and making it sound pleasant is a task well accomplished. Whitman looks at things differently than we do. He looks at the body and sees a sacred place to always be taken care of and recognized for it's beauty. But in our society today, many people basically don't care for the sacredness of our bodies, and in my opinion (I'm sure Whitman would agree) it is taken for granted. Whitman also uses great imagery to show the similarities between men and women and that they aren't as different as they may seem. He also uses imagery to show that "the other" is no different from us. The words Whitman uses in this poem are just beautiful and the images created in my mind while reading this could only come from such a skilled writer.
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Sean Murphy
2/18/2015 07:37:03 am
Connotation: Whitman has such a sexual tone in almost all of his poems, including "I Sing the Body Electric". Whitman's bisexuality is also very visible in his writings, as he describes the "sexiness" of both genders. He talks about lusty, youthful wresters, some totally nude swimmers, women's breasts, and so much more. He is just a really sexual person, who's opinion can't be contained.
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Grace Cody
2/18/2015 07:59:31 am
In Walt Whitman's poem, "I sing the body electric," he compares and contrasts men and women's bodies. In the fifth stanza the woman's body is discussed. Whitman uses words like "fierce, undeniable attraction" and "perfect balance" to explain a woman. He also talks a great deal about how a woman can birth a child; he refers to her as "the gates of the soul". In the sixth stanza, Whitman illustrates his idea of a man. Some of the imagery used by Whitman includes, "action and power" and "calming and excellent to the soul". Although he begins by explaining all of the differences of a man and woman, Whitman ends stanza six by explaining how we are all the same. He says that the woman's body is sacred, but so is the man's. He says that we may both be different, but we all have our spot on the word where we find importance. I think that Whitman has a beautiful way of comparing and contrasting women and men without making one better than the other.
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Kent Hottmann
2/18/2015 08:01:22 am
In "I Sing The Body Electric", Whitman uses very detailed imagery to get his point across to the reader. In section 3 of the poem, Whitman describes a man that he knew. He describes his physical appearance; "shape of his head, the pale yellow and white of his hair and beard", and then goes into detail about his character for several more lines. I think that Whitman uses so much detail in his description of the man to show how unique everyone is. The man sounds pretty normal; he was a nice guy with a loving family and hobbies, but everything about him is unique because there is no one else like him. Whitman uses imagery to show that everyone is an individual.
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Sierra Lopez
2/18/2015 08:07:26 am
While reading "I Sing the Body Electric", by Walt Whitman, in my mind, I was oddly thinking of earthbending from Avatar: The Last Airbender. (Because, of course, that show always has a way to connect to anything if you try hard enough.) But most particularly, it made me think of something like this: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6k32eYVMi1rnqfaho4_250.gif in which Toph (who would be Whitman, in this case) raises individual people up to the same height by raising the earth beneath them. And although she is doing it for combat purposes, it is quite close to the image I had in mind, in which Whitman is an earthbender, with groups of people before him, all on different sized platforms. He moves through the groups one by one and talks about each at length, before elevating them to a predetermined height, ending with them all being on the same level, even him. Now, of course, this is just my own mental image, as Walt Whitman could not actually earthbend, but it has the same effect on me as his words, seeing as how he metaphorically raised each group of people (men, women, slave auctioneers, slaves) up to the same level, saying they were all the same. To Whitman, every part of a person was beautiful, even those parts that are not in our standard beauty ideals, which is what makes them all equal. Also, it fits with my earthbending thoughts once more, because Toph is blind, and Whitman was blind to difference and the "ugly", everyone was beautiful and the same in soul, and so they should be treated on the same level as one another.
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James Latimer
2/18/2015 08:26:08 am
Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" exhibits certain diction and connotation, affecting the reader's tone and imagery while reading. For instance, at the end of the 6'th passage, I noticed that he questioned the reader with the same phrase, "do". He uses it in such a way to establish thought provoking self-questions. "Do you know so much yourself that you call the meanest ignorant?" I interpreted this as Whitman challenging the reader to truly know themselves before making accusations about someone's nature. An example of connotation i found is in the 5th passage: "This the nucleus--after the child is born of woman, man is born of women,". Whitman uses the term "nucleus", a scientific term not typically included in poems and works of his nature in his time period. I believe that he does this to show that the ideas of science and the oversoul can coexist and be understood and applied to the same topic, an idea not typically relevant or believed at the time.
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Ellie Farrington
2/18/2015 09:16:58 am
Walt Whitman's poem, "I Sing the Body Electric," combines different aspects of writing to create a truly beautiful work of art. He uses amazing details to illustrate the world around him, specifically the human body. But his poem does more than paint a pretty picture; it captures his view of equality. It is clear that Whitman does not put one race, age, gender, or anything above another. Instead of pointing out our differences, which most people during his time did, he chose to instead find all the ways that connect us as one. For example he says in section 6, "The man’s body is sacred and the woman’s body is sacred, No matter who it is, it is sacred..." (Whitman). This shows that he does not see women as inferior or an "other" as many often did. Whitman, throughout the whole poem, attempts to break down social barriers that were put up to separate different groups. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what class you’re in, what matters is that we are all human bound together in so many ways. I think that is the real point Whitman is trying to make: that we are all a part of one circle of life, body and soul, and each of us is beautiful.
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Jake Lane
2/18/2015 09:25:26 am
Whitman is able to depict the image of a man that he knew with not only his physical appearance but also with the appearance of his personality and his impact on others. He is able to paint the picture of a simple farmer who had aged over time with a white beard and knowledge developed from experiences and self learned lessons. Wise and old he had an impact on his family that loved him very much, they loved him for him and not what he was able to supply for them. He radiated good thoughts and a positive energy that he passed along through anyone around him. Through Whitman’s imagery you are able to create your own version of the man he is describing and are able to connect his physical appearance to his personality and soul.
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Emilie Weiner
2/18/2015 09:56:07 am
In Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" Whitman essentially blurs all lines between people except for perhaps gender – but this too, he seems to only see as a minor difference, and separates them for highlighting their individual beauties. He fights the human nature of making certain groups of people "the other" by emphasizing both the unified and beautiful quality of each type of person. He speaks of how all people have the same blood, the blood which keeps us alive and allows us to have our functions and differences and desires. He, too, tries to diminish sexism by saying, "Do you not see that these [bodies of men and women] are exactly the same to all in all nations and times all over the earth?" In doing this, he is arguing against those who see people as "the other", including the slaves and the immigrants and those cast aside. In his very description of men he is making himself an object of discrimination, by showing homosexual tendencies, thus proving his genuine acceptance of all people as individual and beautiful souls.
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Connor McLoone
2/18/2015 10:02:26 am
In Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" we see a lot of imagery used about the bodies of people. He says the bodies of men and women are perfect and that it can not be hidden by clothes. He says "The strong sweet quality he has strikes through the cotton and broadcloth" and this is showing how even when a man wears clothes the beauty of his or her body can not be covered. Whitman also says that no matter your occupation or if you are a sister, brother or mother your body is still beautiful. The imagery used about the bodies of humans is nothing like I have read before and it really makes a point to the reader about how much he admired what is the human body. From what you have told us about Walt Whitman, this poem really seems to be one of his most passionate pieces of work that he has done for he has an obsession with both the male and female bodies.
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Adrian Hernandez
2/18/2015 10:16:59 am
Whitman's "I Sing the body Electric" is all about appreciating the human body and soul. He fights the "other-ing" by saying we are all the same, each with our unique characteristics. In section 7, Whitman looks at a slave auction, and says "The same old blood! the same red-running blood!", describing the body of a slave. Our outside is the same. It is our minds and heart that truly matter. The same comparison can be said in section 9 when he lists the body's parts. These aren't just pieces of flesh. They are all connected to our soul, and can show the embodiment of it. This is very transcendentalist of Whitman. In all poems, he treats all bodies the same, trying to erase the lines between us. Man or woman, black or white, we all are equal.
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kristen wimmer
2/18/2015 11:00:46 am
In "I Sing the Body Electric" Whitman beautiful tears down the bulwark between the common and the "other" by using the connections between the body and soul. He repeatedly advises the reader to view the soul and body as one, for it is viewing them as separates when we as humans become separated by physical characteristics such as race and gender. In section seven of the poem, Whitman describes a slave auction. He is disgusted by how humans have managed to regard each other as higher than one another, and makes the point that it is because we treat the bodies of who we believe is inferior like "tools". We must view the soul and body as one to eliminate the "other" by realizing that all of our souls are connected, and we are one. We must do this in order to have peace within the human race. While Whitman uses the bond of body and soul as a way to eliminate social rankings and inequality, Lana Del Rey uses it to narrate a story of rebellion and sensuality in her song "Body Electric." Del Rey alludes to Whitman in one of the lyrics, but also similar to the poet uses sex as not only a physical experience, but also one within the soul.
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Jack McNally
2/18/2015 01:19:36 pm
“I Sing the Body Electric”, by Walt Whitman focuses primarily on the human body, equality, and “Otherness”. Most of his poem is filled with a list of human body parts, and descriptions of human beings. He touches on the female form, the male body, and the anatomy that all humans share. Whitman says that all bodies are beautiful, and therefore equal. The body, according the Whitman, is different from our soul, but the two belong together. The body acts as an equalizer. Since all bodies are equally beautiful, then the soul in each person’s body is equal. This simple idea can remove the concept of “Otherness” from our world and replace it with equality. Whitman believes that if everyone were to see that all bodies are made of the same parts, than they could realize that no body is superior to another. The idea of “Otherness”, where one group is superior to another based on the color of one’s skin or any other physical attribute, really doesn’t make any sense when you think of all bodies and souls as being equal. Towards the end of the poem, Whitman mentions two slaves up for auction. First a man, then a woman. Whitman says that the auctioneer “doesn’t know half his business.” What he is saying here is that the auctioneer is only seeing these slaves as tools that he can sell to make money. What he doesn’t realize is that the other “half of his business” is strengthening the concept of “Otherness” between the slave owners and the slaves. He isn’t realizing that with that slave’s body, there is a soul that should not be treated differently than any other soul that has ever existed or ever will exist. This is what Whitman meant when he talked about corrupting an individual’s body, and therefore, the individual’s soul. Whitman believed that if the auctioneer really gave some thought to the idea that all people are born equal, he would realize that taking away a humans freedom because that person is an “other” is a terrible thing to do, even if an entire society is in support of it.
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Makoto Brown
2/18/2015 07:59:48 pm
Whitman's use of social commentary is very interesting, particularly because he isn't subtle about it whatsoever, and it carried very Transcendentalist themes. The primary section of interest to me is in section 6, with the lines "Each belongs here or anywhere just as much as the well-off, just as much as you, / Each has his or her place in the procession." This sends a very clear message that everyone has the right to be here in any position they choose, whether they are a man or a woman, rich or poor, regardless of race or color. Here there is no othering. Furthermore, the next stanza, in parentheses, is "(All is a procession, / The universe is a procession with measured and perfect motion.)", supporting a Transcendentalist notion, as this extends the idea that all people have just as much right to be here as you and are here for a reason, into the same idea applied to all things in the universe, whether it be grass, a rock, or cosmic dust. In this way, Whitman has even managed to write against othering inanimate objects, as they are also part of the Over-Soul.
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Will Grant
2/18/2015 08:23:11 pm
In "I Sing the Body Electric" by Walt Wittman, he uses social commentray in a fascinating way. It's certaintly connects to the transcendelists views started by Emerson and contuined by Throeau. In the poem, Wittman discusses the human body and the uses of the human bones. That fascinates me because I have never read a poem in my life that talked so much about the human body. The section that really resonates with me was section 7 of the poem. There he says that"Within there runs blood,
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Edith Torres
2/18/2015 08:36:12 pm
I find whitmans description of the love he has for the body and soul is spectacular! In section 4 he tells a short few verses on how he takes delight in imagination of the body and soul. In this he also states that men and women are but similar to that of the body and soul. In sections 5 and 6 he tells how male represents "the action and power" of the soul. Women are known to be more caring but with a tough side to them as well. It all shows just how equal we are even in gender roles.
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Kevin Laughlin
2/19/2015 12:37:54 am
Walt Whitman's "I Sing My Song Electric" is an outstanding collection of poems. Whitman uses excellent diction, connotation and social protest. However, the imagery he uses is that much more outstanding. Whitman is very descriptive and paints an excellent image. However, the one thing about his imagery that catches my attention is how he uses metaphors and analogies to paint a picture that is related to what he wants to say. Whitman uses unique objects and things to describe and explain a concept. Not only is this very unique but it often times makes it easier for the reader to understand. For example, Whitman writes, "Within there runs blood,
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Debra Tuberion
2/19/2015 04:35:52 am
In the poem "I Sing the Body Electric", Whitman creates vivid description of how absurd social diversity is and describes how we are all equal and connected to each other throughout the body and the soul. I can create an image of everything he's saying throughout this poem which is very astonishing to me. In the time period that this was written, there was a clear division between many people such as different social classes, men and women, etc. Whitman's poem goes against all of these beliefs about social division. For example, In section six, Whitman states, "The man's body is sacred and the woman's body is sacred, No matter who it is... it is scared". This quote from Whitman shows that he believes all people are equal. You can also see in section six that Whitman strongly believes this when he states "The male is not less the soul nor more, he too is in his place". Whitman is comparing a man to a woman again and showing the equality between them. Lastly, I believe this poem sums up his beliefs on "Otherness"; we are all one universal being and in that, I am you and you are me, which he strongly emphasizes through all of his work. I feel as though Whitman's main outcome of this poem is for man kind to live in unity.
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Jordan Swartz
2/19/2015 06:41:35 am
In Walt Whitman's “I Sing the Body Electric”, his fight against the”other” is evident. In the second part of the poem, Whitman goes on and on about the many different roles people have in our society. All of them vary and have different impacts on how we live. And they all have many different demographics that contribute in their own way. To me, these jobs have no connection and are entirely out of context. But to Whitman they are all the same. And if what he says is true then, there is inherently no “other”. Thus, I deduce that it is a mere human instinct to create an “other”. However, Whitman proves me otherwise by saying that all forms of people because of how we are inside and not outside. Later, he relates the human body and all of it’s body parts to the soul of people everywhere. He, in one short poem, revealed the root of the “other” and stated how we can change our ways by looking past physical appearance and peering into the soul.
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Alma Sanchez
2/19/2015 08:22:10 am
There is some powerful imagery in "I Sing the Body Electric", by Whitman. He describes the magnificence and the intricacy of the human body. He states that the human body, whether you are a man or woman, is absolutely perfect. Whitman describes a humans' body as something sacred. You can almost picture person being put up on a pedestal. At one point he begins to describe an auction selling two people, a man and a woman. While selling other humans is extremely wrong, Whitman explains in a way, that no amount of currency can ever be enough to match how valuable a human body is. It has taken millions of years to carve the human body to what it is. When Whitman begins to describe a woman' body he marvels at the fact that woman can give birth to new life. Whitman gives a feeling of wonder and awe at the beauty of a human body. You picture a pair of humans up high, for other spectators to view. Not to buy, not viewing them as a material object, but as a marvelous masterpiece. Whitman describes humans as works of art, with arms and legs themselves as intricate artworks. Whitman paints a picture that views the human body as masterpieces that are utterly perfect.
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Victoria Sullivan
2/19/2015 10:09:02 am
Walt Whitman uses social comentary in his piece "I Sing the Body Electric." He goes against "other-ing" people many times just in this one writing. Whitman demonstrates that putting people down because they are different is very wrong. By saying that males and females are very similarly perfect, that is saying that everyone can be themselves and still shy from being different. Walt also argues to say that every soul is perfect. "The male is not less than the soul nor more..." This means that Whitman will fight against "other-ing" people just to make one person or group of people feel better about themselves. All people are made to be equal, and anyone who goes against this does not deserve to be in perfect form. Walt Whitman writes his poems with imagery, diction, and connotation, but his fight against "other-ing" is what sticks with the reader the most.
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Emma Westgate
2/19/2015 10:59:27 am
In the poem, “I Sing the Body Electric,” Walt Whitman uses certain body-based imagery to convey his messages to the reader. In section 9, Whitman starts listing parts of the body and then includes this line in his list: “tears, laughter, weeping, love-looks, love-perturbations and risings, the voice, articulation, language, whispering, shouting aloud” (9). These images display how the body can create things that add to a person’s individualism. For example, the mouth creates words, which help express someone’s thoughts. Whitman is trying to say that the body and soul complement each other. The soul is someone’s spirit, and the body exemplifies a persons’ spirit to others. One isn’t more important than the other. To continue, Whitman uses imagery again in section 9 when he writes, “The thin red jellies within you or within me, the bones and the marrow in the bones”(9). The red jellies are blood, and Whitman is saying that everyone’s body is made up of the same blood and bones. This shows the reader that everyone isn’t that different because they are made up of the same thing. This relates to Whitman’s idea of the spirit because although people are different they are still connected.
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Emily Bynoe
2/19/2015 11:08:16 am
Walt Whitman’s poem “I Sing the Body Electric” is a poem that draws a picture in your mind as you read. I believe that imagery is used to its full extent here. In part one when he talks about engirthing and corruption of the soul, you can literally imagine everything that is happening. For example, when I read this I imagined masses of people together, loving each other and having a very difficult time stopping. In the section where he talks about his body it is very easy to imagine a naked man observing himself. It shows how passionate and in love he is with himself. It shows me to have more of an appreciation for my body. He teaches me to care for it more diligently because our body is our soul and it is the only one we are ever going to have. I love how passionate he is about his words and poems because it really helps to paint a picture in my mind about what he is thinking. Whitman’s bodily ideas are very valuable ones that everyone should be influenced by.
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Claire McEvoy
2/19/2015 11:11:57 am
At the time that Walt Whitman wrote "I Sing the Body Electric", there was an immense amount of "Other-ing" occurring in society. Whitman focuses on the inequality of men vs. women and uses intense imagery to ultimately show that people are all made up of the "the same red-running blood" that he describes. He also presents the similarities between people with different roles and occupations in life. In the second section, he mentions all different types of people, and brings them together as one. He throws away the idea of "Otherness" by showing that our world is composed of many different unique parts that come together to make one whole and complete being. Whitman points out through this poem that this togetherness of our world cannot be completed if society is constantly trying to differentiate groups of people. When Whitman lists all the different body parts in the last section, he is comparing our bodies to the world we live in; both are made of many parts that, in the end, make up a larger being. Throughout the entirety of "I Sing the Body Electric", Whitman is condemning "Other-ing" and praising bringing together of everyone without erasing differences.
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Lauren Kirk
2/22/2015 04:01:19 am
Nice post! I like how you pointed out the section where Whitman describes all of the body parts because it plays an important role in the conveying his idea that everyone is completely equal and it is inhumane to treat somebody as if they are inferior to another group. When he describes his body parts, he is also describing the body of any other man on Earth. We are all composed of the same bodily makeup, so how is any man going to view himself as better than anyone else? We use material objects to judge who should be considered the superior group (the rich) and the inferior group (the poor). In reality, we should be focused on the idea that everyone human body is equal to one another, and that is the way that we should treat each other.
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Shannon O'Donnell
2/19/2015 11:42:41 am
In Walt Whitman’s poem “I Sing the Body Electric,” imagery is used to a great extent. In part one, he talks about engirthing and corruption of the soul. He creates such a vivid image of love, and having a difficult time trying to stop this kind of love. He also does it without showing shame, which during his time period was fairly uncommon. In the section where he talks about his body, he depicts his body as almost a soul itself. Because it is the only body an individual will have, he shows that people should care for their bodies as much as they should care for their souls. The passion in his words is undeniable. Whitman’s ideas on the human body are beautiful. Overall, I have really taken to Whitmans messages in his poems. I find a lot of hope in them. This poem is no different.
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Tyler Lewis
2/19/2015 12:45:38 pm
So I believe this poem contained a large amount of commentary on how the other isn't a group created when a person is born but only when the people ignorant don't realize the potential of the person shown before them. This is evident when he is speaking about the males and females particularly when he mentions that the Man and Women are long for knowledge and other humanly desires. I believe his commentary on class system in section 3 about how a man he knew who had lived a life of being a regular farmer and not completely surrounded in riches made the farmer the happiest man in the world was truly quite clever; I myself am a firm believer that money can't make someone happy but can prolong a state of that person believing they are happy so Walt Whitman creating commentary on that topic is incredible to hear from another person of his pedigree. Another thing that was awesome about this poem was when Whitman began to state body parts, and things that have happened to almost anybody like feeling the heat of the sun on their skin, this made me truly feel as though he was truly showing his opinion of equal creation because everyone has skin, and has intestines. I felt as though it was Whitman just stating; if we all have the same insides and outsides why can't we treat people like such?
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Kathleen Murray
2/22/2015 01:50:42 am
The poem by Whitman “I Sing the Body Electric” really exemplifies how both women and men were seen as equals through images of the body etc. This was rare for a man to state that during those times. As seen in section 4, he uses many adjectives to describe the body in general. He says it’s enough “to be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh” (section 4). I thought it described in general what the human boy does no matter who they are (black, white, male or female). He never specifies who he’s directing it towards it’s just… flesh. To Whitman, it didn’t matter who the flesh belonged to, it was all the same. Additionally, Whitman’s view of the soul is everything. He explains in Section 9 that “these are not the parts and poems of the body only, but the soul”. He is trying to say that everything in life is part of the soul. Every being has one and that’s what connects us all. Whitman’s ideal philosophy was that everyone and every being is equal however we have unique souls that connect us all together.
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Lauren Kirk
2/22/2015 03:54:16 am
In Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric”, he closely examines the body and its relation to the soul. Whitman strongly believed that the body is equal to the soul because it is the tangible being that allows the soul to interact with other people. He contradicted the ideas of many, such as the Puritans, who believed that the body promoted corruption of the soul, by describing the beauty of the human form. In section 2 of “I Sing the Body Electric”, he describes the way various peoples’ bodies appear as they complete everyday tasks, such as women and children walking down the street or two young boys wrestling. He starts off the poem by stating that the body of both the male and the female is perfect, giving a very positive tone to the poem. In section 4, the poem reads “to be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough…I do not ask any more delight, I swim in it as in a sea” (Whitman). His use of the word beautiful to describe human flesh has a very positive connotation, and shows his love for the human body. He stresses the importance of closeness between people and the happiness that comes from interacting with others. Whitman emphasizes, “if anything is sacred the human body is sacred” (Whitman). Without a physical form, the soul would not be able to express itself here on Earth. Our souls and the soul that resides in everything around us could not truly connect unless we experienced physical contact. I agree with Whitman; I think it is extremely important to appreciate the complexity of the human body rather than viewing it as a cage that the soul resides in.
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Skylar Simone
2/22/2015 07:16:54 am
In Walt Whitman's "I Sing The Body Electric", he started asking questions that made you think about people and yourself. My favorite questions was "and if those who defile the living are as bad as they who defile the dead". It makes you think of everyone the same. No other. To treat everyone with the same respect dead or live, it doesn't matter if they can defend them selves or not. Whitman also talks about people he enjoys the company of being enough. It doesn't matter who they are, they are just being themselves, naturally. "It pleases the soul well" he says. He says that women are the gates of the body, women are the reason we can reproduce as a species. We should be treated equally to men. but he also says men are equal also.Everyone is equal. we all need each other. He thinks everyone is the soul, there is no other and there can't be ever. The soul is all.
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2/22/2015 11:01:32 am
This poem simply shows the human experience. The lines that stick out in the poem to me is the way Whitman portrays himself. He shows himself as an observer, someone who notices the small things in life, yet he says he surrounds himself with people. Without people he is lonely. He also goes on to show the differences between men and women. He implies the arrogance of man and the deal with it attitude of women. He was definitley ahead of his time with this poem. Whitman noticed small things and pursued them in his poems and I think "I sing the body electric" clearly shows that.
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Alex Sosa
2/23/2015 07:15:44 am
Whitman really has a way with words. He uses imagery to connect the physical body, to the mind and soul. I for one, was interested in the particular topic of gender. We all are different physically, but in the end, does all of this matter? Stanza 8 made me think. Whitman talks about loving the body of a woman vs. loving the body of a man. It doesn't matter which one you are, for we are all equal. Either way love is beautiful and our bodies/soul take part in the making of it. Walt tends to make us question, "What is he trying to say? What does he mean?" I believe he his attempting to develop and answer the statement, "What really is" or "what it means" to be human, despite the gender. In stanza 4, Whitman says that he will like whoever. All that matters is if they are good company. He is trying to make us think, don't worry too much about how we look, or who we are. We are all complex and different, yet still beautiful. Walt also compared men and women to the sea. The sea is peaceful, beautiful, calming, and occasionally, very wild. There are so many parts that connect to our soul. There are so many different things we can be. You don't have to pick just one.
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Griffin Perry
2/23/2015 07:54:58 am
Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric" is a perfect example of how Whitman fights the "other-ing" of oppressed groups at the time. During 1855, when the poem was written, many unique events were occurring. Whitman elaborates on both men and women slaves, both at work and being traded. At the time, slaves were looked down on greatly, as worthless material objects. When Whitman wrote about this, he did something that most writers wouldn't dare to do at that time; he lifted up and praised the slaves, who were used to being pressed down by all around them. Another group who Whitman wrote about was the women. Women's rights are a highly controversial topic, even today, yet Whitman still publicly treats them as equal to anyone else. Whereas most wouldn't even mention women in their writings, Whitman describes them as functioning, working people who contribute to society. At the time, most women either worked in the mills, making a very small income, or staying at home watching children or knitting. Whitman also takes an average farmer and praises him for not his money or job, but how he is measured in confidence and strength. Although risky and different, this most likely influenced many people's thoughts at the time. While reading, I noticed that Whitman never even mentions an individual working in a government job or a wealthy person. He primarily focuses on the "other" or the common man, thus revolutionizing how authors and literature can influence readers and those around him.
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Abigail Joyce
2/23/2015 08:14:44 am
The most striking body images Whitman used in the poem was in his description of the female body. He described women as a nucleus. I found this particularly interesting because the nucleus is the basic control center of life. It showed how much women contributed to this world. Men, in most cases, disregard the fact that with out women, they would not exist. I personally appreciated Whitman's praise on behalf of females, as sort of a wake up call to men that not only are women of the same blood and importance, but with out them none of us would be here.
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Charlie Weisman
2/23/2015 12:04:34 pm
In Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric", he discusses the human body and where we draw the line concerning what we are and what is the "other." He also explores the physical boundaries of the human body. Whitman often combats the "other" and tries to blur the line between what is considered the "other" and what is considered the "norm." It is very evident in this poem that Whitman does not support the systematic categorization of people into groups. He understood that when we divide people up into groups we often try oppress groups that we feel threatened by. It is interesting that Whitman took such a strong stance on such a controversial topic at the time.
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Madison Ciccone
2/23/2015 12:51:17 pm
In the poem "I Sing the Body Electric" by Walt Whitman, he illustrates his views of man and woman. At the time,men and women were seen as different being that men were superior to women. However, Whitman does not support "other-ing' but does the opposite by connecting the woman and man. He encaptures details of the body, not necessarily comparing the two, but showing we are all one in the same. This beautifully written poem makes use of "other-ing" in a creative and daring way.
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