Mason

And he does it in this way that's both, I don't know, unsettling, but also somehow comforting.

And he does it in this way that's both, I don't know, unsettling, but also somehow comforting.

Right. Exactly. Remember that line. And as to you, death, and you bitter hug of mortality, it is idle to try to alarm me. He's not afraid of it. It's almost like he welcomes it. He sees death as this transformation, this merging back into the source of everything.

Right. Exactly. Remember that line. And as to you, death, and you bitter hug of mortality, it is idle to try to alarm me. He's not afraid of it. It's almost like he welcomes it. He sees death as this transformation, this merging back into the source of everything.

No, he's not. He's acknowledging it, even embracing it. He sees it as a way of creating new life. You know, it's a pretty powerful expression of his belief in the interconnectedness of everything.

No, he's not. He's acknowledging it, even embracing it. He sees it as a way of creating new life. You know, it's a pretty powerful expression of his belief in the interconnectedness of everything.

It's definitely a lot to take in. You know, we've covered so much in this deep dive, but I feel like we've only just scratched the surface of Song of Myself.

It's definitely a lot to take in. You know, we've covered so much in this deep dive, but I feel like we've only just scratched the surface of Song of Myself.

It's the kind of poem that keeps on giving. And that's what makes it so special. It's not just some static thing. It's this living, breathing text that changes with each reader.

It's the kind of poem that keeps on giving. And that's what makes it so special. It's not just some static thing. It's this living, breathing text that changes with each reader.

Okay. Before we wrap up, I want to touch on one more important part of Whitman's philosophy, the importance of individual experience and interpretation. He's not trying to tell us exactly what to think. He wants us to find our own truth in his words.

Okay. Before we wrap up, I want to touch on one more important part of Whitman's philosophy, the importance of individual experience and interpretation. He's not trying to tell us exactly what to think. He wants us to find our own truth in his words.

So it's not just about passively reading. It's about grappling with ideas, questioning things, and coming to your own understanding.

So it's not just about passively reading. It's about grappling with ideas, questioning things, and coming to your own understanding.

Making the poem your own, too. Finding your own personal connection to it.

Making the poem your own, too. Finding your own personal connection to it.

OK, I have to ask, you know, Whitman is clearly a genius, a visionary poet who really changed the course of American literature. But like, why should the average person, someone who maybe doesn't read a lot of poetry, care about Song of Myself? What can it offer them?

OK, I have to ask, you know, Whitman is clearly a genius, a visionary poet who really changed the course of American literature. But like, why should the average person, someone who maybe doesn't read a lot of poetry, care about Song of Myself? What can it offer them?

It's a poem that can help us understand our own lives, to find meaning and purpose. And it can be a source of, I don't know, comfort, inspiration, and also a challenge, all at the same time.

It's a poem that can help us understand our own lives, to find meaning and purpose. And it can be a source of, I don't know, comfort, inspiration, and also a challenge, all at the same time.