Anylization Of Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Essay Research — страница 2

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identification (?Lived the same life with the rest, the same old gnawing laughing, sleeping?) the poet portrays the basic human values with which he and all others are afflicted and permanently bound. His commute is the metaphor of the immortality of human nature. The extent to which Crossing Brooklyn Ferry is autobiographical is open to debate. There is little evidence of homosexual symbolism. The protagonist’s tone varies from descriptive to lyrical, from confessional to analytical?but always spiritual with both optimistic and pessimistic undertones. He is suspended in animation for centuries amid the constant motion of river, boat, flags and the birds around him. His joy or frustration (not clear which) that defines his state of mind is epitomized by gulls floating with

?motionless wings and oscillating bodies”. The poet makes two somewhat contradictory points which somewhat endorse each other under close examination. The individual is seen only as an insignificant point of matter in the clamor of the harbor in the continuum of time. The commuter, like the gulls, ?transcends the float? in circular motion making roundtrips daily but proceeding to no further point. This inherently frustrating situation parallels mans mortality. Whitman, in non-religious tones however provides a way out. Through the clever manipulation of space and time, person and tense, he creates a figurative path of escape. Immortality of thought is achieved by recognition of these articles of faith which surround our existence. “The fine spokes of light? are avenues from

our universe to our souls and thus are enablers of immortality or freedom from the trappings of mortality.