Section+42

Section 42

Whitman tries to convince others to change in this section. Through the use of a performer as a metaphor of the people, Whitman conveys the idea that the anticipation in the world can lead people to change. He describes some aspects of society that will never change through the use of the word "ever", and ends that stanza with the word "death" (1069) to reference the life cycle. Whitman points out the greediness of society and uses contradictions to illustrate the faults of society. Whitman ends this section by asking a series of questions about material items and then following them up with questions about people to depict the idea that humans are more important than items. Finally, Whitman ends with the word "life" (1095) to challenge the reader to concentrate on living life to the fullest.

42

A call in the midst of the crowd; My own voice, orotund, sweeping, and final.
 * **Whitman is calling to those surrounded by society**
 * **Develops the speaker as a leader to which people will follow with a voice of reason**
 * **People follow a call or respond to it as people would follow the ideas that society influences them with**
 * **Whitman demonstrates his self-confidence through his word choice when describing his voice. He has the courage to stand out from a large crowd and voice his opinions because he is confident that what he has to say is valuable.**

Come my children; Come my boys and girls, my women, household, and intimates; Now the performer launches his nerve—he has pass’d his prelude on the reeds within. 1055
 * **Children = fatherly figure**
 * **Establishes a personal relationship with the reader**
 * **Makes distinction between women and intimates**
 * **The performer is now courageous –– he has been anticipating and waiting for this moment**
 * **When he calls the people, he is recognizing the relationship that connects him to others. This sense of brotherhood shows his optimistic faith in the goodness of all people.**
 * **Passing "his prelude" refers to getting courage to stand as an individual against the conformity of society.**

Easily written, loose-finger’d chords! I feel the thrum of your climax and close.
 * **loose-finger'd = Relaxed. Performing in a way that comes naturally does not make the performer tense.**

My head slues round on my neck; Music rolls, but not from the organ; Folks are around me, but they are no household of mine.
 * **This is a contradiction because in line 1054, he calls his people to come to him, and they are his household. Now, his opinions about the people have clearly changed because he sees how unkind they can be.**

Ever the hard, unsunk ground; 1060 Ever the eaters and drinkers—ever the upward and downward sun—ever the air and the ceaseless tides; Ever myself and my neighbors, refreshing, wicked, real; Ever the old inexplicable query—ever that thorn’d thumb—that breath of itches and thirsts; Ever the vexer’s hoot! hoot! till we find where the sly one hides, and bring him forth; Ever love—ever the sobbing liquid of life; 1065 Ever the bandage under the chin—ever the tressels of death. Shown by "thorn'd thumb" (1063)
 * **Some aspects of society will always remain but this should not discourage others from displaying their own thoughts and changing**
 * **Starts with ground, ends with death -- we start and end with nature**
 * **Repeats "Ever" to parallel the way people follow what they are shown (as each line follows a similar format)**

Here and there, with dimes on the eyes, walking; To feed the greed of the belly, the brains liberally spooning; Tickets buying, taking, selling, but in to the feast never once going; Many sweating, ploughing, thrashing, and then the chaff for payment receiving; 1070 A few idly owning, and they the wheat continually claiming.
 * **Background note - dimes were placed on the eyes of the deceased to keep them from opening**
 * **The only thing that people in society see is the possibility of attaining more wealth**
 * **Death is a greedy “belly” that is “liberally spooning” brains, so one must enjoy life while it lasts**
 * **Ln 1069 - if too much time is spent working, then one cannot enjoy life**
 * **Ln 1069 - Also, people in society are becoming spoiled because they are buying things which they will never use. Also, Whitman is criticizing those who take many more resources than they need.**
 * **Ln 1070-1 - A select few make the profits for another's hard work in these lines. Whitman is criticizing the greed and corruption present in society.**

This is the city, and I am one of the citizens; Whatever interests the rest interests me—politics, wars, markets, newspapers, schools, Benevolent societies, improvements, banks, tariffs, steamships, factories, stocks, stores, real estate, and personal estate.

The little plentiful mannikins, skipping around in collars and tail’d coats, 1075 I am aware who they are—(they are positively not worms or fleas.) I acknowledge the duplicates of myself—the weakest and shallowest is deathless with me; What I do and say, the same waits for them; Every thought that flounders in me, the same flounders in them. I know perfectly well my own egotism; 1080 I know my omnivorous lines, and will not write any less > This printed and bound book—but the printer, and the printing-office boy? 1085 > The well-taken photographs—but your wife or friend close and solid in your arms? > The black ship, mail’d with iron, her mighty guns in her turrets—but the pluck of the captain and engineers? > In the houses, the dishes and fare and furniture—but the host and hostess, and the look out of their eyes? > The sky up there—yet here, or next door, or across the way? > The saints and sages in history—but you yourself? 1090 > Sermons, creeds, theology—but the fathomless human brain, > And what is reason? and what is love? and what is life? >> Block B >> In the end words of certain lines, the speaker exhibits contrasts that support his voice of reason as an influence to not necessarily absorb society’s teachings. The speaker makes a clear distinction between life and death with the words “...liquid of life;/...the tressels of death.” (1065-66). This contrast between the refreshing aspect of life and struggles of death tells the individual that he himself must discover that this distinction is inevitable since it is the natural way of life. Later on, the speaker makes a clear difference when he states “...payment receiving;/...the wheat continually claiming” (1070-71). The speaker makes it evident that receiving a payment is to be an act of gratitude, with the word “receiving”, but he also makes it clear that claiming is an aggressive act in which society tries to fulfill the minds of its citizens with “brains liberally spooning” (1068). In order to discover the difference, the speaker argues that the individual must discover within himself how to receive one’s own intellect, which acts as a source of payment, instead of relying on society to provide knowledge. With a self-reliance, the speaker believes that the individual does not need society to provide for his needs of intellect. > With repetitive questions and rhythm, Whitman urges people to look beyond the surface of worldly items and traditional authorities in order to discover their true self. He questions “the well-taken photographs – but your wife or friend close and solid in your arms?” (1086) to expose people’s tendency to focus on material items instead of the beauty of having meaningful people in their lives. He does not want them to waste their time on temporary, empty material items instead of appreciating the goodness of their loved ones. By pointing out that people concentrate on “the saints and sages in history – but you yourself?” (1090), Whitman criticizes those whose devotion to the wisdom of others hinders their development of their own intellect. He urges people to look to themselves to find wisdom and trust in their own capabilities, not the achievements of others. The section ends with Whitman asking, “And what is reason? and what is love? and what is life?” (1092). These inquiries signify his continual search for meaning and truth. By asking his audience, he stimulates them to reflect on their own understanding, motivating them to find answers for their own self-discovery. > Use of I > The speaker uses the personal pronoun “I”, which establishes a first hand account allowing the theme to be fully developed emphasizing the vale of the individual and the strive to reject societies influence. The speaker starts by acknowledging that “this is the city, and I am one of the citizens”(1072) admitting that the speaker part-takes in civilization, and even though the speaker has been addressing how negative civilization is, even he, who knows how negative society is, cant escape. The speaker admits that “whatever interests the rest interests me” (1073) developing the idea that society washes individuality from whoever is involved. The speaker acknowledges that all society is “plentiful manikins” (1075) epitomizing society as fake and unoriginal, yet he notices “the duplicates of myself” (1077) making it clear that he is not unique. When the speaker confirms that only he has the power to choose, he concludes that he values individualism and intends to stray away from society. Because the speaker includes himself in this section, he fully develops that society is a source of corruption and that seclusion is idealistic. > > Musical References > The “prelude on the reeds within” suggests a similarity between nature and music using the word “reeds” to create the imagery of tall grass (1058). The allusion illustrates the Transcendentalist idea that everybody originates and returns to nature. The speaker declares that “music rolls, but not from the organ” to demonstrate that the music is a symbol for society because just as music can be heard by most, civilization effects all of its inhabitants. As he surrounds himself with nature, the harmonies come to him through the outdoor environment. > > Final Stanza > In the final stanza of this section, each line begins with possessions, but then asks about the people behind the objects to make the audience reflect on what is more important in their lives. He brings religion into the poem when he refers to “the sky up there,” but then asks, “yet here, or next door, or across the way?” (1092). People concentrate too much on their life after death and material objects, resulting in their failure to benefit from the present moment. In the next line, he mentions “the saints and sages in history” and continues with the question of “but you yourself?” because he believes that everybody has the power to be as great as the historical figures that made an impact on the world (1093).
 * **The use of the metaphor of the mannequins depicts Whitman’s disapproving but accepting opinions of false, idle people. The mannequins represent people who appear to be righteous and flawless, but in actuality do nothing to make their lives purposeful. They have no deeper substance inside of them; they merely exist, and nothing else. Still, Whitman keeps a positive attitude and in parentheses states, “they are positively not worms or fleas” (1076). He acknowledges that idle people still have value to the world and is hopeful that they will rise above and make use of their talents.**
 * **The speaker is not being arrogant or speaking highly of himself. He is simply saying what he is capable of doing and expressing his own, unique ideas.**
 * **There is a common brotherhood of goodness in all people (Oversoul).**
 * **The speaker challenges the reader to see some aspects of life in a different perspective. He wants the reader the think outside of the box.**
 * **In this stanza Whitman continuously contrasts people and the material objects associated with them. Whitman joins the two phrases in each line with "but", a word that is used in normal conversation to contrast one part of a sentence with another. Whitman phrases each line as a question in order to encourages people to actively think about a response to what he is saying, that they should look beyond the surface and notice the things that really matter, the people behind the material items**.
 * **Repetition of "and" stands out because it is the opposite of "but" which has been used in a pattern - endless questioning and searching**
 * **Ends with rhetorical question to leave the reader in a reflective state.**