Question

select the correct answer.

read the following excerpt from walt whitmans \i hear america singing\:

i hear america singing, the varied carols i hear,
those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blitheglad; cheerful disposition and strong.
the carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
the mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
the boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand
singing on the steamboat deck...

why does whitman highlight the \singing\ of different types of workers as making up the voice of america?

a. whitman wants to unite the working class by using workers from various occupations
b. whitman wants to highlight how diverse americans are by using workers from different backgrounds
c. whitman wants to highlight the industriousness of americans and to allow readers to see themselves reflected in the poem
d. whitman wants to let the rich empathize with the working class of america

Explanation:

• Option A: The poem focuses on the voice of America through workers' singing, not mainly on uniting the working class. The emphasis is on the workers' contributions and representation, not just unity among them.
• Option B: While the workers are from different occupations, the "diversity of Americans" in terms of background isn't the main point. The poem highlights their work and the idea of America's voice being made up of their labor - related singing.
• Option C: Each worker is singing while doing their job (mechanic, carpenter, mason, boatman, deckhand), showing industriousness. By including various workers, readers from different walks of life can see themselves (or their work - related experiences) reflected in the poem, as these are common working - class occupations.
• Option D: There's no indication in the excerpt that the poem is aimed at making the rich empathize with the working class. The focus is on the workers and the voice of America, not on the rich's perspective.

Answer:

C. Whitman wants to highlight the industriousness of Americans and to allow readers to see themselves reflected in the poem