Liberty For All Americans By Walt Whitman - 1481 Words

Liberty For All Americans The mid 19th century was an exciting time in United States History. America was expanding, and some settlers were headed to the western shores of the continent in hopes of a better life, and for some to follow their dream of striking gold. On the other hand, African Americans were held captive, dreaming of their emancipation, and the women suffrage movement had just begun. Meanwhile, the American poet, Walt Whitman wrote, â€Å"Facing West from California Shores†, a short lyrical poem, in the year 1860. He included the poem in a collection called Leaves of Grass, which he self-published in the year 1855. Whitman demonstrated his highly artistic expression of sentiment with the irregular style of free verse; moreover, the poems tonality guides the reader to the sensibility of the speaker’s doubtfulness of ever receiving justification. In the poem â€Å"Facing West from California’s Shores†, Walt Whitman, uses the speaker to adopt t he new world’s persona, he then uses the speaker to associate the imagery of the coastlands, along with word choice and order to incite an extension of civil liberties to American minorities, during the 19th century. The speaker takes on the personification of the United States, to emphasize the necessity of the progressive change the inhabitants of her land have yet to yield. The reader begins to realize Whitman has chosen the expansive geographic area that has been named the United States, as the speaker of his poem, and herShow MoreRelatedWalt Whitman, Langston Hughes, And Tupac Shakur1088 Words   |  5 PagesWalt Whitman, Langston Hughes, and Tupac Shakur have a major role in English Literature, Even though they live during the different time periods from different backgrounds, and they all have written many poems about the American dream. 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