Song of Myself Explications

Explication of Two Sections in Song of Myself

• Write explications of the two sections in Song of Myself to which you have been assigned. (Two separate explications will likely work best.)
• An explication is a commentary that reveals the meaning of a passage or complete work of art. It is not a paraphrase. It is not a summary. It is a close reading of all the elements of a text in order to explicate (literally: to unfold, to unravel) its meaning.

• The explications should begin with commentary on the section's overall composition (a SOAPStone + theme approach--speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject, tone--will help with this), the section’s context (the surrounding sections: what is "subjects" are discussed before and after the section?), and the section's overall significance and meaning (the "P" in SOAPStone--purpose-- and theme are relevant here), especially (but not exclusively) with regard to the theme of identity.
• The explication should also include (specific not vague or general) commentary on the significance of the speaker, the speaker's attitude (tone), the subject(s), what the speaker does (if anything), what the speaker sees (images), etc.
• The explication should unfold or unravel the significance of motifs and symbols in the section.
• Finally, deal explicitly and insightfully with the language in the sections. Recall our discussions of rhythmic listing and repetition. (The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a series of lines (as in "Have you reckon'd a thousand acres much? have you reckon'd the earth much? Have you ...") is called anaphora. Whitman also uses parallel structure, alliteration, assonance, and an exceptionally long lines.) Recall our prior discussions of the sentence structures and word choices. Here you should deal with how language and form contribute to the meaning and effect (on the reader) of the sections.
• Conclude by returning to each section's overall significance and meaning (purpose and theme, especially (but not exclusively) with regard to the theme of identity. Also, in conclusion deal with each section's significance with regard to the poem as a whole. (How does it fit in with the novel’s overall design, themes, and purpose?)