Web Quest Answers

Walt Whitman Webquest Worksheet

1. What types of professions would be celebrated in a modern poetic tribute to Americans? The working class people of America who work diligently everyday and are good at what they do. Just not the employed people either. People like mothers and daughter who stay at home and take care of the house.

2. What words and phrases indicate Whitman’s empathy with heroic people? Words and phrases that Whitman uses are like, "Each singing a song what belongs to him or her and none else," and the last phrase of the poem, "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs." This shows the happiness of the people and the strong voices they carry. Also how their songs make them unique.

3. If you could choose a modern American hero to add to Whitman’s poem, "I Hear America Singing," Who would you choose and why? I would chose the fireman or police because with what’s going today with violence and wide ranges of fires they are real heroic.

4. What do you believe is Whitman’s concept of heroism? Some one that works hard everyday and are happy and content with what they do.

5. Throughout "Song of Myself," Whitman uses the pronoun "I" in order to empathize with people. What effect does this use of the first person have on the reader? He shows that he is nothing but a person too. That he knows just about as much as any person who loves and appreciates life just as much as the next person.

6. How would Whitman celebrate the cultural diversity found in America today? He would probably show that how people being exposed to diversity of others can help make people grow. That the more we appreciate others differences the less problems we will have.

7. What landscapes do you feel Whitman would praise today? Any working area with people who are diverse and are working hard. OR maybe a place where there is hardly human contact and is perfectly preserve.

8. What sound devices would be reminiscent of Whitman’s style to describe these landscapes? He uses both consance and assonance. He also uses alliteration.

9. Do you think Whitman would sing the praises of technology? Explain. The technology of that times yes because it is what help give working class people work. But the way that some cars and factories are ruining the planet no. I feel as if Whitman appreciate the planet as much as the people on it and we should all respect its worth and wonder.