Comparing and Contrasting "I Hear America Singing" and "I, Too, Sing America" Poems
What are the similarities and differences between "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman and "I, Too" by Langston Hughes?
Plz help me, A similarity between "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman and "I, Too" by Langston Hughes is that both address American identity, and a difference between them is that Hughes's poem includes the experiences and perspectives of people of color while Whitman's appears to not include them.
Final Answer:
Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" presents singing as a representation of American unity through labor, whereas Langston Hughes' "I, Too, Sing America" depicts singing as a marginalized individual's assertion of his right to participate in the American dream.
The poems "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman and "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes hold different perspectives on the same theme of America. Whitman's poem emphasizes on the singing of America as a chorus of individual workers, united in their dedication to and love for their work. In contrast, Hughes' poem refers to the singing as the voice of a marginalized individual insisting on his right to participate in the American dream.
"I Hear America Singing" paints a lively picture of everyday American workers, each one happily engaged in his or her occupation, each contributing a voice to the greater choir of America. It focuses on unity and inclusiveness, with the poet clearly painting a picture of the American spirit through the lens of a happy, productive workforce.
On the other hand, "I, Too, Sing America", written by Langston Hughes, adds a counterpoint to Whitman's jubilant view of America. Here, the singing is not of joyous unity but a demand for equality and recognition. The speaker, an African American, declares his right to 'sing', that is, to have a voice in the nation he calls home, even in the face of racial discrimination.