Hear America Singing, Walt Whitman Is Able

¶ … Hear America Singing, Walt Whitman is able to capture the industrial spirit of the times. In the poem, Whitman is able to demonstrate how each profession and industry described contributes to a grander purpose without diminishing the importance of each individual. Furthermore, Whitman uses the motif of songs to unify work life and nightlife. In "I Hear America Sing," Whitman demonstrates how a common goal drives people to help make society and their individual lives better.

James E. Miller, Jr. contends, "I Hear America Singing" presents an image of America that America would like to believe true -- an image of proud and healthy individualists engaged in productive and happy labor" ("On "I Hear America Singing"). Whitman's vision of a unified and productive society is evident from the start of the poem as Whitman establishes that although he hears individuals singing different songs, they are all the voice of America. Whitman writes, "I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear" (line 1). Additionally, each song that is sung is unique to the individual that is singing it. It appears as though Whitman has taken notice of the different songs and people that he encounters during a walk as he transitions between vocations and industries. The first people that Whitman encounters are mechanics, "each one singing his [song], as it should be, blithe and strong" (line 2). Whitman then proceeds to move on to observe "[t]he mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work" (line 3). Whitman's uncertainty about whether the mason is just starting or finishing emphasizes the concept that America is always singing and that songs not only encourage people to work, but also serves to mark the passage of time. This concept is also illustrated through Whitman's observation of "[t]he wood-cutter's song -- the plougboy's, on his way in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown" (line 7). Whitman also brings attention to the fact that one does not have to do labor intensive work in order to sing of America, but that singing can be done regardless of what one does. Whitman proceeds to state that he hears "[t]he shoemaker singing as he sits on his bend -- the hatter singing as he stands" (line 6). Singing can also be considered to be functional as Whitman notices "[t]he boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat -- the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck" and "[t]he carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam" (line 5 & 3).

Whitman also pays attention to the songs that women sing although it can be argued that due to the little attention that he pays to them within the poem, their mention appears to be more of an afterthought. By not focusing attention on each individual woman instead writing, "The delicious singing of the mother -- or of the young wife at work -- or of the girl sewing or washing -- Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else," Whitman also highlights the vocational limitations that women were confronted with during that time (line 8). Whitman acknowledges that women had very few opportunities and were often limited to being mothers, wives, or seamstresses and clothes washers.