Daily Log

Thursday, March 24:

We began with section 31 of "Song of Myself," which we regarded as a central credo of Whitman's, and discussed what Whitman's creed seems to be, based on that section, the following section, and the final sections of the poem (48-52). Did he reject Christianity or merely Christian practice? If he rejected religion, can we accept his claim that he nonetheless that he "behold[s] God in every object? What sort of "eternal life" does he believe in? Does he believe in reincarnation? We reviewed certain basics of Transcendentalist thought.

HW due Monday:
Read poems (and a letter) by Emily Dickinson. Read them closely, thoughtfully, and repeatedly. Think how they compare with Whitman, especially on the subject of death.
Pages 374, 376, 378, 381-383, 385, 386, 388, 391-394. Possible quizlet.