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

2. Where does Whitman stop in order to satisfy his curiosity about what is inside?

3. Whitman says that years of ____________ are transient and strange, though he says he too is one.

4. The child and her father are looking in the _____ at the autumn skin in "On the Beach at Night."

5. The metaphor of __________ is used in relation to the plowman, tilling to life, while the harvester harvests in the end.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the song have to include in itself in order to be considered universal?

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

3. What is the procession of the people into the theater, one of many on Broadway, used as a metaphor for in "A Broadway Pageant"?

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

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

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

7. What is an endless source of inspiration for poetry, according to the poems which the poet has created?

8. To whom does Whitman appear to give his spirit to, though this person is never mentioned by name in a poem?

9. Why is it sad when one of the birds in a couple dies and the other one does not know it?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Whitman discusses the idea that he has no legacy to leave behind for his family and the next generation.

Part 1: Why do you think a legacy is something of importance?

Part 2: Do you agree that Whitman has left nothing as a legacy?

Part 3: Is it important to you that you leave a legacy to the next generation? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Whitman points out that the inhabitants of America want nothing more than to be unique and to have their own identity.

Part 1: How would you describe the idea of being unique?

Part 2: Do you feel it is important for you to have your own identity?

Part 3: Why is it so important for people to create their own identity in the world? Or isn't it?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 689 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample