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Whitman

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Whitman

To Whitman, democracy was not simply a political system that empowered the government and people; instead, it was a brand new way of living and experiencing the world. Although Whitman’s Song of Myself may seem extremely self centered and egoistic to many, he is in fact trying to use himself as a portrayal of individuality. Whitman’s vision for America was a new democratic and autonomous world that has been broken from Europe. He sees America as a country that has its own fresh and innovative culture, history, democracy and background. Whitman centered the poem around himself because he thought of himself as a representation of individuality. In the first line of the poem, he presents his stance very clearly by saying, “I celebrate myself, and sing myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” In here, he is already telling the readers that he is a part of the whole, and he is only a broad empty container full of other people and other things. In this case, the “self” is a broad conception in which there is this cosmic sense of the self that everyone takes part in. Therefore, he is speaking for everyone, and considers himself the representation of individuality for everyone. Also for Whitman, there is a sense of equality in the expression of democracy and equality. He believed that democracy must go beyond just politics; it should be able to affect the way we think, act, and interact with one another. Additionally, a democratic country should be able to hold together all the unique yet equal individuals and become a whole. Another important point that Whitman was trying to convey is the idea of the materialism of the self. He talks about atom, air, and nature… He is trying to say that the self is an organic part of the world. The organic and essential self stands aside, and has a certain

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