Walt Whitman’s poem, “Song of Myself,” encompasses the individual voice, community voice and the spiritual voice. He intertwines all three to show how essential it is for all of them to work together. Along with those voices, Whitman’s poem displays many different themes within itself. His use of those themes, along with, imagery, figurative language, setting, and symbols demonstrates how Whitman was a true example of a transcendentalist. He also shares the same ideas of the romantics. The romantics said that the answers to life were found in nature instead of the community. Whitman, like other transcendentalists, believed that nature was key in element to life. First, Whitman’s themes within his poem. He revealed themes of the American identity, friendship, spirituality, and Whitman’s own identity (Shmoop). His own identity is divided three ways: “the idea of the self” (Whitman’s identity), “the identification of the self with other selves” (Whitman identifying with others in the community), and “the poet’s relationship with the elements of nature and the universe” (Whitman’s soul, or the universe viewed as a whole) (Cliffs Notes). Whitman states, “I celebrate myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belongs to me as good belongs to you” (sec. 1). At first, the “myself” seems like it is …show more content…
Starting with “Me Myself,” “Myself,” and “My Soul.” These symbols revolve around Whitman’s self (or his personality). They are all under this umbrella of identity. Each form of identity interacts with another throughout his poem. The first example of these interactive forms is within the first section. Whitman invites his soul to observe “a spear of summer grass” (sec 1). Aside from the personification if “My Soul” and “Me Myself,” Shmoop said that Whitman gave them “emotions, gestures, and facial expressions, as if it were another person living inside