Humanities Homework Help

I’m working on a literature discussion question and need an explanation to help me understand better.

Writing Prompt: Walt Whitman is considered by many critics to be one of the first truly original American poets. He certainly started something new that set him apart from all the poets that came before him. Choose an element that you find interesting in one of the poems assigned in this module from Leaves of Grass or Drum-Taps. For your mini-essay post, point out the element and explain why you find it interesting.

from Leaves of Grass:

• • “Song of Myself”: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174745
  • “I Sing the Body Electric”: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174740

From Drum Taps:

Whitman served as a nurse during the American Civil War and wrote very moving poetry to document his experiences.

• “Beat! Beat! Drums!”: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174737
• “Calvary Crossing a Ford”: http://www.bartleby.com/142/118.html
• “Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field One Night”: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174746
• “The Wound-Dresser “: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/237970
• Mini-Essay and the discussion portion of the assignment. “New Threads” should be at least 300 words in length. As you write. MLA format
  In-text Citations: If you use a quotation from the literature in your mini-essay, please place an in-text citation (also called a parenthetical citation) immediately after you close the quotation marks and before you place a period for your sentence. That way, anyone in the class (including me!) can easily find the quotation in the literature if necessary. If you’re not sure what to place inside the parentheses, there is some instruction in the handouts for Essays #1 and #2. And, you can always message me for help.