“I Hear America Singing”/ 1860
Walt Whitman
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 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 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.
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What thematic commonalities do you find in this pairing? What critical lens can be applied to the works?
1. Create a five (+) sentence academic paragraph with a brief discussion of the relationship between the supplied material.
2. Topic sentence will declare the lens you will use as commentary about the relationship.
(When examing the Walt Whitman poem "I Hear America Singing" with the British Newsreel of American Strikers
a _____ lens can be used.)
3. What defense can you use to explain the common theme?
How does this connect back to the lens?
(Both works utilize a common theme of _____ by the manner they —)
4. Conclude with a statement of your most important observation about the pairing.
Do not conduct outside research. This exercise is based on your personal observations.
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