After reading various poems about our nation, many can conclude that different people have different opinions and views on America. When people hear the word “America” some feel upset or gloomy. Some may feel warm or cheery inside. Some may feel indifferent or confused. There are a million and one ways that people express their emotions towards the land of the free and the brave. The two poems, “America” by Claude McKay and “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman are perfect demonstrations of how people can address the same topic, but go about it very differently. In the piece, “America” by Claude McKay, the author feels angered yet contented about America. McKay discusses that although America is bitter and cold, he still loves it. According …show more content…
He portrays this message by giving descriptions of different kinds of people and their occupations. An example of this is the line, “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, / Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong” (Whitman 1-2). The “carols” mentioned in the quote represent the occupations and the mechanic described is an example of one of the many types of workers in America. This poem is different than “America” by Claude McKay because rather than presenting both the positives and negatives of America, Whitman only discusses the positives. Whitman’s writing differs from McKay’s because Whitman only shows one side of the topic. Feelings towards a certain object, subject, or topic differ from person to person. The authors of “America” and “I Hear America Singing” express their feelings about the United States very differently in their writing. In “America,” the author constantly refers to the fact that America could be both a utopia and a dystopia at the same time. In “I Hear America Singing,” the author highlights the vast amount of jobs and chances at happiness that is in the land. Though both poems discuss the same topic, it is described dissimilarly and the authors present two different messages to the