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Walt Whitman's I Saw in Louisiana a Live Oak Growing - Online Essays

Walt Whitman's I Saw in Louisiana a Live Oak Growing

Lauren Stevens
Derek McKown
Intro to Poetry
22 February, 2013

Essay #1

The desire for companionship is the reoccurring theme in Walt Whitman's, "I Saw in Louisiana a Live Oak Growing." Whitman uses images to strengthen his ideas about the necessity of friendship and predominantly relies on the reader visualizing a lone live oak tree in Louisiana. The tone of this poem is thoughtful and reflective when the reader compares his flaws to the attributes this lone live oak tree possesses. In this poem, the speaker reflects on his own self when remembering a lone tree in Louisiana. The speaker uses imagery to ultimately compare a tree that needs no companion or friendship to grow, to ...

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leaves" bring the actual leaves of this live oak tree that have fully grown and developed a dark green color. The speaker mentions that this tree has grown big and beautiful without a friend but he himself could not do the same. This suggests the idea of envy and that the speaker is jealous of this object that cannot obtain emotional attributes because in his life companionship is a necessity for growth and joy in himself. Although this tree reminds him of himself, they are not the same in that humans need friends and companionship to grow and nature does not. Starting in line seven the speaker reminisces of a twig that represents to him "manly love," being the companionship he speaks of throughout the poem,

"And I broke off a twig with a certain number of leaves upon it, and
twined around it a little moss,
And brought it away, and I have placed it in sight in my room,
It is not needed to remind me as of my own dear friends,
(For I believe lately I think of little ...

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/18/2013 09:55:07 AM
Submitted By: lstevens
Category: Poetry & Poets
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1085
Pages: 4

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