In my review of Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman, I believe he wrote from a narrative point of view using
a very descriptive and figurative style of writing while sometimes seeming
inconsistent on which character he was presenting himself as throughout the
poem. His writing tone seems to be Optimistic of what the future held due to a
shift in cultural diversity taking place during the 1850’s.
From his narrative point of view he
shows his descriptive and figurative style of writing by metaphorically writing
in first person as a ferryboat. This is shown when he writes “Was called by my
nighest name by clear loud voices of young men as they saw me approaching or
passing” I took this as him describing a boat sailing to or from the docks as
on lookers pointed, stared and called out to the boat. This was also present in the reading when he wrote,
“Look’d at the fine centrifugal spokes of light round the shape of my head in
the sunlit water,” here he spoke about the lights that line the bow of the boat
which provides light after sunset.
By using a metaphorical approach this allowed
him to take on two different characters in the piece yet remain in first
person. An example of this is “ In the day among crowds of people sometimes
they came upon me" referring to being docked and people coming aboard, yet
in the following line he writes “In my walks home late at night or as I lay in
my bed they came upon me,” here he is referring to the physical body when he speaks
of his “walks” and to them mentally when they “came upon him” in his thoughts.
In the 1850’s during the time this piece was
written and right before the Civil War a cultural shift was taking place and
without addressing it directly, optimism is seen in his tone. Walt Whitman
seems to be optimistic about what is taking place.
This is evident when he says “Thrive, cities-bring your freight, bring
your shows, ample and sufficient rivers,” encouraging the people to use the
waterways to bring business to the city with imports and exports, to bring
movies plays and other ideas to enlighten people of cultural differences. “ We
use you, and do not cast you-aside- we plant you permanently within us, We
fathom you not -we love you- there is perfection in you also, You
furnish your parts towards eternity, Great or small, you furnish your parts
towards the soul.” Whitman knows that
the changes taking place is inevitable and warns the people that instead of
stopping the movement they should embrace it. Also encourages the new culture
to leave there mark in society by bringing their ideas which will eventually
build the “soul” /core of not only New York but the American Culture.
3 comments:
I like how you have a brief history about the civil war in 1850. You seem to be really engage in the reading. The quotes you you had were good and you were very persuasive with describing the quotes from the text.
I agree with you he wrote in a narrative point of view. He made you feel as if you were with him on the ferry. He gave you a walk in his life discussing his surroundings and observations.
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