Question

In the space below, write an essay of at least five hundred words that answers the question: “What American ideal(s) does Abraham Lincoln embody?” Use Lincoln’s “A House Divided” speech, Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” poem, and Jane Addams’s “Influence of Lincoln” memoir chapter.

Answer 1

What American ideal(s) does Abraham Lincoln embody?
Abraham Lincoln believed in the law and that you should respect it and find its reason. In his speech, he cited that the country must follow the country's direction to be unified. In Walt Whitman's poem, Lincoln picks up the idea that you should be loyal to your ruler which extends to your country.

Answer 2

It is difficult to describe everything that Lincoln represents and stands for in the collective imagination of the country. However, there are some elements that could be highlighted. For example, Lincoln is often seen as the person responsible of uniting the country. After the war, Lincoln was able to strenghten the nation and reduce the differences between different regions. Moreover, Lincoln is also seen as a just leader, as he pursued the idea of equality for all, particularly when it came to African Americans. Lincoln was also considered a great orator. This means that he is often seen as representing ideas of equality, justice, fairness, freedom and unity.

For example, in his speech "A House Divided," Lincoln represents both the ideals of unity as well as those of equality. He says that "a house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free."

Whitman's poem is a good representation of the admiration that Americans have for this leader. He tells us how Americans react to his presence:

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Similarly, Addams comments on the importance and popularity of the president. She says that Lincoln was "an epitome of all that was great and good . . . the conscience of his countrymen."