I Hear America Singing

1. America itself is personified in Whitman’s poem as a human who sings and celebrates. America sings its song reverently and nobly and celebrates success and growth with pride and vigor. Chicago itself is personified as a human as well, but in Chicago’s case, the man who is Chicago is “brawling,” “wicked,” “brutal,” and “cunning” (Lines 6-10). He too celebrates success and growth, but progress and construction come at the cost of “Wrecking” and “breaking” (Lines 15-17). Furthermore, his youthful, bold celebration is depicted as crasser and more irreverent than America’s, as the man “laughs […] half-naked, sweating, proud […]” (Line 23).

2. “I Hear America Singing” evokes a joyous, proud, dignified tone while “Chicago” offers a tone that is admiring and prideful, but grittier and blunter; importantly, with regard to Chicago’s vices or negative traits, the tone is also unremorseful. In reading Whitman’s poem aloud, you might draw out the long vowel sounds (e.g., “blithe” in Line 2, “leaves” in Line 4, “open” and “melodious” in Line 11). You might emphasize assonance (“varied carols” in Line 1, “hatter—stands” in Line 6) and alliterative effects (“wife at work” in Line 8). Overall, there is a quality of euphony (lines/sounds that are musically pleasant) to Whitman’s poem with a consistent rhythm that results from the list of singers in Lines 3-9. In reading “Chicago” aloud, you might instead utilize the poem’s consonance (Chicago’s different roles that end in -er and actions that end in -ing) to quicken the reading in the middle, then slow the pace for the last line; this implies both a fitting lack of hesitation and an attitude of deliberateness in keeping with the bold arrogance of “Chicago.”

3. Both poems are written in free verse. Without rhyme or a consistent meter to give form or structure to lines, both poems flow freely without constraint, which might symbolize the liberty and independence conveyed by the mood of each. Whitman’s free verse, though, offers lines filled with one or more complete phrases and images; the poet begins almost every line with the subject of the sentence or clause performing a steady action. Sandburg’s lines, in contrast, show greater variety in length and structure; lines also begin with unexpected changes in parts of speech and verb forms.

4. “I Hear America Singing” demonstrates parallelism with the repeated structure of “The (worker) singing” where the “worker” is a variety of jobs and positions; this pattern helps to maintain focus on the message of positive industry (both as a virtue and a means toward progress). “Chicago” offers an example of anaphora with the repetition of “And” beginning Lines 7-9 and “Under” beginning Lines 18-19; here, the effect is one of insistent momentum, suggesting a forward progress that is not curtailed by dark or hurtful forces.