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How does the "I Hear America Singing" use setting to drive the action of the story and
create a specific impression within the reader?
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How does the "I Hear America Singing" use setting to drive the action of the story and
create a specific impression within the reader?
The poem "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman uses the setting to create a
specific impression of America and its people. The poem describes the different people singing
their songs as they do their everyday work. "I Hear America Singing" is a poem about patriotism.
Walt Whitman talks about how, though there are many voices of patriotism across history, the
themes are all the same: "The land was ours before we were/and it will be ours long after we
shall have passed away." The land can't be sung or seen, but it gives us life. It's always been here
and always will be. The poem's setting drives the story's action and overall impression by
shaping the reader's perception of the characters and their actions, creating a sense of unity and
pride among the American people.
The setting creates a sense of unity among Americans - they share in the imagery of this
chorus that Whitman sings. Looking at the setting of this poem, America can sometimes seem
like a place where people have to work hard to find peace and quiet. Whitman clarifies that the
land is not a place that needs to be protected but should be celebrated: "Ah, but the Lone and
Level Land! /America! America! in whose vastness/all my Whitman Songs fit/as drops fit into a
cup" (Whitman, 1991). Whitman clarifies that this loyalty is not due to the work-hard people but
those who do not have to work: "And those other camps where men die free! /That's where the
new birth is all alive." Whitman believes that in America, no one has to do any work; instead,
they live as though they are already living.
Walt Whitman's poem "I Hear America Singing" wonderfully uses the setting to create a
sense of pride among the American people. For example, the second stanza's reference to "the
varied carols of the prairie boy" has a bright and cheerful feeling. Similarly, when Whitman uses
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"the deep songs of the slave," he does so with extreme importance, making it seem like the slaves
are singing from their hearts and can express their thoughts much better than any other person
(Whitman, 1991). For example, in the third stanza of "I Hear America Singing," the poem
becomes filled with hope and excitement as Whitman writes "the varied carols of the prairie-
boy." This is because, in line two, Whitman says that he hears "the varied carols of the prairie-
boy," which suggests that Whitman is quite optimistic that things will be good (Whitman, 1991).
The fact that "I Hear America Singing" takes place in a place of solitude only adds to the idea of
this country being a nation of peace. "I hear America singing through my sleep, from my
slumbers in the night" (Whitman, 1991). This tells us that the only time that an American can
genuinely appreciate their country is when they are asleep. Whitman makes this a point in his
poem by saying, "The Lone and Level Land." This tells us that there isn't a nation of noise but
rather a country where everyone is awake, with no need to worry.
Whitman's poem "I Hear America Singing" uses the setting to create a strong sense of
unity and pride among the American people. The poem's use of different settings allows readers
to see how various aspects of America come together to create one proud nation. The setting also
drives the story's action and overall impression by shaping how the reader perceives the
characters and their actions. This creates a sense that Americans are all working together towards
a common goal.
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Reference
WHITMAN, W. (1991). I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman. Poetry Foundation.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46480/i-hear-america-singing
