View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. To what state does Whitman promise to know very well after traveling to it?

2. What is the city of orgies, according to Whitman's poem of the same name?

3. What did Whitman used to pull up from the water when he lived in his hometown during the summer months?

4. Who does Whitman consider to be dear and dreadful to the earth, as he writes in one of his poems?

5. Who does Whitman not want to shut their proud doors to him, as stated in a poem of that same idea?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Whitman describe his understanding of Adam's first experience when walking in the Garden of Eden?

2. What can be determined about Whitman's life experiences by the reading of the many poems which Whitman has crafted about the water?

3. What does Whitman say when someone else is present with his body? What changes?

4. What parts of the United States structure does Whitman have a lot of respect for?

5. What does Whitman proclaim about nature when he is talking about nature in this first section ?

6. What are some of the features of the Paumanok area of Long Island which makes the area special to Whitman?

7. What is Whitman's stance on how he views individual people and who they are, an opinion which is repeated frequently?

8. What is so strange about the idea that Whitman is so fervently patriotic in the poems he has written? When was Whitman born in relation to the 'birth' of the United States?

9. What is one of the main criticisms of Whitman's poetry, as these graphic images come up in the poems quite frequently?

10. What are some of the similar points of religions which Whitman points out for the reader?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While Whitman also addresses a number of metaphysical issues, he also talks about God and Jesus.

Part 1: Do you think that metaphysical and Christian ideas can coexist?

Part 2: How do you think Whitman feels about the idea of religion in general?

Part 3: How do you you feel about faith, spirituality, and religion? Are they all connected in some way? Do they have to be?

Essay Topic 2

The overt sexual language of Whitman can surprise some people as this does not seem to be something which is expected.

Part 1: Did you expect to find so much sexual language and description in this collection of poems?

Part 2: Did the sexual themes detract from your enjoyment of Whitman's work?

Part 3: Why do you think Whitman felt he needed to include so much sexual poetry in this collection?

Essay Topic 3

Whitman could be described as being appreciative of people, in all of their forms.

Part 1: Why do you think writers are so appreciative of people and their many forms?

Part 2: How do you think people are done a service by being described by poets and writers?

Part 3: Do you think people are the most important sources of inspiration for writers?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 739 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample