Essay about Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman

Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman Recurring Images and Motifs in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry In the poem Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman, there are many recurring images and motifs that can be seen. Whitman develops these images throughout the course of the poem. The most dominant of these are the linear notion of time, playing roles, and nature. By examining these motifs and tracing their development, ones understanding of the poem becomes highly deepened. Whitman challenges the linear notion of time by connecting past with future. This can be seen in the first stanza, as the poem opens: And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence are more to me, and more in my†¦show more content†¦This same motif follows through to the next stanza, as he continues to emphasize how things are the same to him as they are to those of us interpreting the poem. By tracing this motif we see that no matter where we are or how far away from Brooklyn and Manhattan, the images that Whitman saw will live on long after his passing. This deepens the understanding of the poem and assists the reader to comprehend Whitman’s state of reasoning when composing this poem. He, in fact, was writing this poem to be read long after he was gone. He quot;consider’d long and seriously of you before you were bornquot; (88). He realized that certain constants would stay the same, including people and the roles they take in their lives. In stanza six, the idea of playing roles develops: Lived the same life with the rest, the same old laughing, gnawing, sleeping, Plays the part that still looks back on the actor or actress, The same old role, the role that is what we make it, as great as we like, Or as small as we like, or both great and small.(82-85) This demonstrates how we all play a part in our life, but yet we all experience the same feelings. We are trying to play a role we are not. We hide behind our roles and hurry, not taking the time to notice what Whitman noticed. He stood and watched , writing about what he saw,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Walt Whitman s Crossing Brooklyn Ferry 1271 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream establishes a journey to achieve a goal in order to start a new life. In â€Å"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry† by Walt Whitman, Walt Whitman illustrates the arrival to endorse a connection with the American future. Therefore, Walt Whitman conveys the experience of arrival using images to highlight the steps to reach the American Dream. As a result, the experience of arrival introduces a similar goal people are trying to achieve, which connects one another. Nevertheless, the people arrivingRead MoreCrossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman Essay875 Words   |  4 Pages Through the use of simple diction, Whitman is able to traverse both time and distance and connect with his readers as so few other poets can. 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