I Hear America Singing

What is the overall tone of Whitman's poem?

• Anger

• Optimism

• Surprise

• Melancholy

What is Whitman trying to convey when he says "varied carols" in line 1?

• The diversity of Americans

• How people like different kinds of music

• How many people are named Carol

• The difference in song rhythm sung by the workers

Which line of Whitman's poem represents the tone of the poem?

• "I hear America singing" (Whitman 1)

• "As he measures his plank or beam" (Whitman 4)

• "At noon intermission or at sundown" (Whitman 12)

• "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs" (Whitman 18)

Does the context of the time period reflect Whitman's ideas in his poem?

• Yes, Americans really liked to sing in the 1800s

• Yes, America was a free country and nationalism was strong

• No, he actually wrote this poem in 1980

• No, Americans were free but didn't enjoy living in America

How does this poem contribute to the diversity of Americans in this time period?

• Each worker is of a different nationality, and therefore contribute to the ethnic diversity.

• Each worker represents Whitman's seven ideas about America.

• Each worker represents the past jobs Whitman's wife had, showing how diverse she was.

• Each worker makes up a part of the working class, and they come together to complete America.

What are two words to describe the overall theme?

• Diversity and optimism

• Character and darkness

• Light and emptiness

• Empowerment and war

Which literally device is heavily used in this poem?

• Consonance

• Rhythm

• Assonance

• Allusion

What does "each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else" mean (Whitman 15)?

• The mother will only ever be a mother, and will have no other occupation

• If someone begins in one career, they must stick with that job

• Every American is unique in their own way

• If someone has a car, they are the only one who can have a car