In “I Understand the Large Hearts of Heroes,” Walt Whitman develops the theme of empathy for the heroes that he describes. He uses vivid imagery to describe the situations that each one faces, while describing himself as a participant in these situations. His participation in the events along with the emotional imagery help the readers understand the theme of empathy. When he describes the hounded slave he says “I am the hounded slave, I wince at the bite of the dogs.” By putting himself in the place of the slave he is able to communicate the slaves pain and suffering. Another example that Whitman uses to develop this theme is when he describes the story of the old artillerist, with the sights and sounds of the battlefield. Whitman is saying