Homework: “Song of Myself” Notes
1. Read the excerpts from Whitman’s “Song of Myself” (pages 1-5 in the packet).
2. After you have read the poem through once, re-read it. This time, keep a pencil/pen in hand and annotate it as you read. Underline unfamiliar words; look them up in the dictionary and jot down their definitions. Bracket passages you find intriguing; put question marks next to things you don’t understand. Write brief summaries to help yourself do your own comprehension check. Ask questions. Jot down notes about literary devices such as alliteration, sibilance, parallel structure, etc. Write down observations about sensory imagery. In other words, read actively and record the thoughts, questions, and observations that arise from your active reading.
3. Ponder these questions:
- What kind of idea of America does this poem project? What types of imagery are associated with America? How does it portray American people?
- The poem is entitled “Song of Myself.” Who is the “self”—the “I” who is speaking in this poem? Is it consistent throughout, or does it change?
