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

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Whitman decide to merge with the crowd when they descend to the pavements?

2. Who does Whitman say that he does not forget, not in the summer or in the winter?

3. What color is the halo in the sky, drooping upon the sea in the description of the water?

4. Who is sultry with perfumes, with ample and flowing garments, florid with blood, hot with passion?

5. What do mediums convey when they arrive and they are successful in the United States, according to Whitman?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is an old man in the poem "Prayers of Columbus" too full of woe, according to Whitman's poem?

2. To what are the tides of the ocean compared to in life, according to the poems of Whitman?

3. What does the poem "Passage to India" have to share about this country and about its progress in the world?

4. What does a muse beckon Whitman to do in the beginning of these poems in this section?

5. Why does Whitman pay homage to the young pioneers who forged ahead to find homes for themselves?

6. What does Whitman point out happens no matter how many advancements science has made?

7. How is the meteor used as a metaphor in the poem called, "Year of Meteors," which Whitman has written?

8. Whose philosophies does Whitman respect without any exceptions, according to the writing?

9. What does Whitman ask the soul to do in the poems about addressing the idea of mortality?

10. What does Whitman question about the world when he sees the felons being shackled and held in the court?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The body is something which Whitman seems to worship as a part of his experience as being human.

Part 1: Why do you think Whitman is so fascinated with the human body?

Part 2: What are your feelings about the human body and whether it should be celebrated?

Part 3: Do you think that the human body is something which could be described as divine?

Essay Topic 2

Poetry is something which can resonate with readers and it can also create problems for other readers.

Part 1: Do you enjoy reading poetry? What are your immediate reactions to the idea of poetry?

Part 2: How might poetry not be enjoyable for you? What obstacles are in the way of your enjoyment?

Part 3: Why do you think poetry continues to be created as opposed to writing fiction instead?

Essay Topic 3

Whitman believes that no matter what science can uncover, the soul will supersede it.

Part 1: Why do you think Whitman believes the soul is the most important part of the world experience?

Part 2: Why can't science be bigger than the experience of the soul?

Part 3: How do you feel about the importance of the soul versus the importance of science?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 681 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample