When reading my post-antebellum packet I struggled to get through both pieces by Walt Whitman. For some reason I just didn't care. I tried to, but I didn't. I'm searching deep in my soul to relate and value these poems because I feel like in order to be an intellectual "cool" person I need to like Walt Whitman. This leads to my first question, is it bad that I don't get it? I get the general ideas of what he saying, yet something in his wording really turns me off. I like the idea behind the line about how every sprout reminds there is no such thing as death but at the same time resent him for saying it. I feel like if I met Walt Whitman at a party I would think, "that guy is annoying and pretentious." When I expressed these thoughts to my boyfriend he was confused explaining that Whitman is one of his favorites. Am I ignorant? Incapable of understanding great writing? Or is it okay that Walk Whitman is just not up my alley?
What draws us to the writing that we enjoy? Is it wrong to embrace what we like and accept what we don't? How do we train or brain to think differently? Except new styles of writing? I could talk someone's ear off about themes that run through Jacqueline Susann books. I think she's brilliant. I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't say so. Should I embrace my taste in writing and accept the fact that I may never like many of the great authors of our time? I feel conflicted because as much as my brain wants to grow and learn and appreciate new things a big part of it is stubborn and rooted in the fact that I like what I like.
In general though I am super excited about the time period we are going to be covering in this class. My History class left off last semester right after the Civil War. I am so interested in the Reconstruction Era. The Civil War surely did not end on the battle fields and perhaps continues in many parts of the country today. By no means I am a Southern sympathizer but I was watching a documentary once where a man said something along the lines of that during the Civil War if you lived in the North you didn't necessarily feel the effects of the War. If you lived in the South, however, everyone felt it. I think it is not surprising that the South acted the way it did after the War. Their whole economy had been destroyed. This doesn't excuse their cruel viscous actions, but it somewhat explains it. Perhaps Lincoln would have been up for the challenge of bringing the country back together but it seems to me like Andrew Johnson didn't really care.
Sorry for the Reconstruction rant. I just watched a couple Netflix documentaries this winter break and apparently get passionate about it...
"Am I ignorant? Incapable of understanding great writing? Or is it okay that Walk Whitman is just not up my alley?"
ReplyDeleteThis sounds a whole lot like my first encounter with Whitman. The guy can be, at times, insufferable. So to address your question, is it okay to not like Walt Whitman, here's one person's opinion: definitely. I certainly didn't ... at first.
I will say, though, I could never shake the guy. He just keep popping up again and again, and after awhile I came to appreciate what he was doing as an artist. The more I read, the more I found lines stanzas and entire poems that spoke to me.
Walt's kind of a lot. He might grow on you, however, if you're not careful.
By the way, any recs you have for Reconstruction documentaries would be much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI sort of had that experience with the band U2.
ReplyDeleteI think if I heard someone reading Whitman's work aloud I would have a different reaction. In my brain he just sounded so snotty.
As far as documentaries go I just searched for Reconstruction on Netflix and watched the History Channel one. I also saw one on the start of the Klu Klux Klan which had some pretty horrifying stories from that period of time.
I agree that Whitman is not up my alley either. I think that Whitman really is hard to take at first. Honestly after the class discussion on Friday, I had a sort of ingenious thought about Whitman. I now think that he is a genius!!!! I have never thought about poetry until I went through and read Whitman's writings. This packet (along with our discussion) made my interest in Whitman grow enough to where I have went though and read one poem of his each night since. I agree with you that there are certain things about poems that draw us to them. For me I believe that it was Whitman's charm as a writer!!!! Ha yeah right! I think that his ability to say what he thought and felt was what wins me over with his writings.
ReplyDeleteThis class was one that after the first day that I did not look forward to. After the second class period, I did not want to leave and go to my second class. This is definitely an odd thing for me to be thinking about an English class considering that English is my worst subject. Overall I feel that I am going to enjoy this class and will look forward to it every week!
I am bummed that I missed last week's class. I think it would have really opened me up to thinking about Whitman in a different way. After hearing the testimonials that I can be changed to a believer, I might as well try.
DeleteI have a bad habit of not liking things almost for the sake of not liking them. Maybe giving Whitman another chance will be a good life lesson!