Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Do you agree with people who say that this poem has very little structure? How would you describe its structure?
- Why does Whitman repeat himself so much? Is he just trying to fill space?
- Would you be embarrassed to know that the ghost of Walt Whitman was watching you all day, or would it be kind of cool?
- What specific connections can you see between this poem and American history of the 1850s?
- What the heck is a "necessary film"?
- The speaker makes reference to the walls or separations that exist between individuals of the same culture. Do you think those walls are stronger or weaker today than they were when Whitman wrote the poem?