Question

select the correct answer.
what important theme of realism is reflected in these lines from \song of myself\ by walt whitman?
and as to you corpse i think you are good manure, but that does not offend me, i smell the white roses sweet-scented and growing,
i reach to the leafy lips, i reach to the polish’d breasts of melons.
a. the beauty of nature and human life
b. the beautiful and harsh realities of life
c. the harsh realities of a cruel world
d. the mystery of the food chain in nature

Explanation:

In the lines from "Song of Myself", the speaker accepts both the pleasant (sweet - scented white roses, growing, reaching for melons' breasts) and the seemingly harsh or unappealing (thinking of the Corpse as good manure) aspects. Option A focuses on nature and human life but the lines also include natural and life - like harsh aspects (the Corpse as manure) along with beauty. Option C only focuses on harsh realities, ignoring the beautiful elements. Option D is about the food chain which is not the main theme here. Option B captures both the beautiful (roses, melons) and harsh (Corpse as manure, which is a real - life, somewhat harsh aspect of nature and life) realities presented in the lines.

Answer:

B. the beautiful and harsh realities of life