American Quarterly 18 (1966): 655-666. “There Was a Child Went Forth” by Walt Whitman illustrates his position as part of the new American Tradition and his desire to fulfill the call for a poet who “sings the materials of America” by Emerson. What aspects of "There was a Child went Forth" reflect transcendental influences? There was a Child Went Forth Presented by: Elijah Acquah Yamilet Sagastizado Angela Tu Bianca Uzoma Fernando Vazquez Esther Ventura DICTION There was a child went forth every day. “These became part of that child who went forth every day, and who now goes, and will always go forth every day.” This poem expresses the poet’s identification of his consciousness with all objects and forms, and the list of things which he himself identifies with is large and comprehensive and is a good example of Whitman’s catalogs. There was a child went forth every day, And the first objects she looked upon, that object she became, And that object became part of her for the days or a certain part of day, Or for many years or stretching cycles of years. Aspiz, Harold. ____. Although the poem's child-persona is apparently an isolated observer, Whitman's musical and sensuous rendering of its observations has kept the poem perennially fresh. There Was a Child Went Forth. The one that best portrays the theme of "there was a child went forth" is the process of becoming. THERE was a child went forth every day;: And the first object he look’d upon, that object he became;: And that object became part of him for the day, or a certain part … THERE was a child went forth every day; And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became; And that object became part of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years. The roaring and screaming became part of this child's life, The poem is earthy and real: the emotion, events and perceptions are that of the average person. And the first object he look'd upon, that object he became, And that object became part of him for he references to nature, animals, and environment the discussion of what goes into the "becoming" of a child. “the early lilacs became part of this child,” “and the song of the phoebe-bird,” “or by the mire of the pond-side,” “and the beautiful curious liquid,” Start studying there was a child went forth. we progress toward becoming something or develop into something and this is the way toward getting to be, of progress and improvement. "Educating the Kosmos: 'There Was a Child Went Forth.'" Answers: 1 on a question: Which line from this excerpt of “there was a child went forth” is an example of figurative language? the ceaseless procedure of getting to be is at the core of the lyric. The roaring and screaming became part of this child’s life, ("There Was a Child Went Forth," Leaves of Grass) The running style often appears in the Bible: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. There was a child went forth every day, And the first objects she looked upon, that object she became, And that object became part of her for the days or a certain part of day, Or for many years or stretching cycles of years. revised and redone by: me. Bibliography. Walt Whitman and the Body Beautiful. ... Why is Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance" a great example of transcendentalism? There Was a Child Went Forth poem Essay Sample. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.