Question

Consider the first line in “I Hear America Singing”: I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear. In the context of the entire poem, how does this line illuminate the speaker’s view of the American identity? Cite specific textual evidence to support your analysis.

Answer 1

Answer: The speaker envisions the American identity as unifed yet diverse. The phrase “varied carols” describes an America that shares a common vision but also has different modes for achieving that goal. Americans are singing together, but each person is singing his or her own “varied carol” of the American song.

Explanation:

Answer 2

Considering the first line of the poem "I Hear America Singing": I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, and also taking in consideration the entire poem's context, it can be understood that the speaker's view of the American identity is one of an identity composed by many voices singing many different songs. That, of course, as a metaphor for different people living different realities that contribute to forming a nation's identity. The speaker lists, in the poem, various professions and activities being held by these people:

"The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work (...)

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat (...)"

And so he continues. "Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else", he says, conveying that this identity would be composed by many different realities, points of view, and stories, because every single one of these people can only "sing" or express from their points of view. Thus, the American nation's identity is a mixture of various realities, being each one of them important to be heard. Together, they create a whole based on variety.