Question

excerpt from \song of myself\
walt whitman

section 20
in all people i see myself, none more and not one a barley-corn less,
and the good or bad i say of myself i say of them.

i know i am solid and sound,
to me the converging objects of the universe perpetually flow,
all are written to me, and i must get what the writing means.

i know i am deathless,
i know this orbit of mine cannot be swept by a carpenters compass,
i know i shall not pass like a childs carlacue cut with a burnt stick at night.

what is the purpose of whitmans claim to see himself in all people in the highlighted lines?

• the detail of seeing himself emphasizes universal human connection.
• the detail of seeing himself underscores his personal arrogance.
• the detail of seeing himself stresses his judgment of others flaws.

Explanation:

Analyze the highlighted lines

The highlighted lines in Section 20 of "Song of Myself" read:
"In all people I see myself, none more and not one a barley-corn less,
And the good or bad I say of myself I say of them."

Interpret Whitman's poetic purpose

Whitman's claim to see himself equally in all people ("none more and not one a barley-corn less") is a central expression of his democratic and transcendentalist philosophy. By equating himself with everyone else, he emphasizes a shared, universal human identity and connection rather than personal arrogance or judgment of others.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1: "The detail of seeing himself emphasizes universal human connection." This aligns perfectly with Whitman's theme of democratic unity and shared human experience.
• Option 2: "The detail of seeing himself underscores his personal arrogance." This misinterprets his democratic equality as egotism.
• Option 3: "The detail of seeing himself stresses his judgment of others' flaws." The text explicitly states "the good or bad I say of myself I say of them," which is about shared traits rather than passing judgment on others.

Answer:

• The detail of seeing himself emphasizes universal human connection. (Correct answer)
• The detail of seeing himself underscores his personal arrogance.
• The detail of seeing himself stresses his judgment of others' flaws.