Prompt: Blog post #3
In “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” Walt Whitman portrays the daily commute, which we might experience as mundane, to be full of significance. In particular, he sees the ways the individual–the person narrating the poem–can be connected to the mass of strangers who are also engaged with commuting. Does Whitman make a good case for a connection between individual and the masses of commuters? If so, where do you see this in the poem? Or, is he unconvincing? If so, why?
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15 Comments
Tenzin (Tsering)
In “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” Walt Whiteman argues that even a simple, daily commute connects individuals to the larger crowd of commuters in meaningful ways. He transforms the routine of traveling across the river into a shared experience that links people across time and space. Initially, Whitman highlights the continuity of commuting. He reflects on how future generations will take the same journey, as seen in the line, “Others will enter the gates of the ferry and across from shore to shore.” This shows that commuting is not just a personal routine but an experience repeated by many, creating a bond between individuals who travel the same paths over time.
Then, Whitman emphasizes the shared observations during the commute. In the line “Just as you feel when you look to the river and sky, so I felt,” he points out how everyone, no matter when they commute, experiences the same sights. These common experiences—watching the river and sky—unite people, even if they are strangers, by making them part of the same moment.
Lastly, Whitman touches on the connection between the individual and the crowd. When he says, “Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowd,” he shows that even though we may feel like individuals, we are always part of a larger whole. Commuting brings us together, reminding us that we share the same spaces and routines with others.
In conclusion, Whitman convincingly portrays the daily commute as more than just a mundane task. He shows that it connects us to others—both
Chen Gong
I agree with you and I like your comment.
Tenzin (Tsering)
Thank you đ
Chen Gong
Walt Whitman makes a compelling case for a connection between individuals and the masses of commuters in his poem âCrossing Brooklyn Ferry.â He explores the shared experiences and emotions that transcend time and space, which serve as a common human experience that unites all people. Whitman reveals this commonality in human experiences through his assertion that the same physical world, the same sights, and sounds, are experienced by different people across generations. This expression is evident in the lines, âJust as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so I felt, Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowdâŚâ Through this statement, he points to the shared emotional response to the natural world, which confirms that the physical act of commuting and the beauty of the journey link individuals regardless of their location and time. In addition to the shared experiences, Whitmanâs direct engagement of the reader using the term âYouâ shows a shared space, hence connectivity. Therefore, while people may be different in the way they perceive the world, they remain connected in terms of the experiences that they have out of sharing the same space.
Adam J Gamboa
In the poem âCrossing Brooklyn Ferry,â Walt Whitman talks on how people are connected, even if each of them are strangers to one another. He shows how everyday actions like traveling together may bond people. He says, “Others the sameâothers who look back on me because I look’d forward to them,” for example I believe that he’s implying people who are traveling through different stages of life are connected by that path and that routine activities have the ability to bring people together. Overall, Whitman makes a strong case for how individuals and large groups of commuters are connected.
Ping Wang (she/her)
Whiteman spoke directly to the reader “I am with you, the men and women of your generation, or many generations from now”, how people in the past and the future can still be united through the shared experience of daily life, despite the separation of time and space. He paints the mundane and beautiful details of a ferry ride, a sight of all past and present passengers observe and appreciate. Lines like “Just like you feel when you look at the river and the sky, I feel it too” show that the individual connected to the masses.
Manuel Carreon (He/him)
After reading the poem and reallly understanding whitemans connection about his everyday commute to other peoples commute i can begin to support whitemans case about how what might seem like a boring day is actually intresting due to the fact that while we have our indivual life were all somehow connected through what we see and experince. We see this throughout many parts of the poem but what best supports this idea is when hes talking about how just as how we feel when we look into the sky and sea thats how he feels too. He goes on to make more connections like thisn in the following lines such as “just as you were refreshed by the gladness of the river and the bright flow , i was refreshed”. These lines he wrote were to give us examples of how were all connceted through certain things in our everyday life and how even though we have our own individuality we still have something that connects us. – Manuel
Raymond Segers-Sargeant
Whitman’s “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” focuses on the shared experience of commuting but might overlook individual differences. The poem’s focus on the collective could overshadow individual perspectives. Additionally, Whitman’s idealized portrayal of the city might obscure underlying challenges and inequalities. A deeper exploration of urban life, including power dynamics, social structures, and personal struggles, would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the human condition in New York City.
Jaqueline Martinez (she/her)
In “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” Walt Whitman shows how weâre all connected, even during something as simple as commuting. He reflects on how we share common feelings and experiences, no matter who we are or when we live. Whitman speaks to both the people around him and future generations, reminding us that our experiences are timeless. Whitman also talks about how we share not just the good things in life, but our struggles too. Through vivid descriptions, he makes a strong case for the bond between individuals and the larger world around them.
ismaeliglesias (he/him)
In “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” Walt Whitman shows how even a simple ferry ride can connect us. He expresses curiosity about the crowds around him, saying they are âmore curious to me than you suppose.â
Whitman also reaches out to future commuters, emphasizing that this experience links us all over time. By sharing his own struggles, he invites empathy and reminds us that we all face similar challenges.
Through beautiful images of sunsets and waves, he turns the ordinary into something meaningful, highlighting the deep connections we share as human beings.
Myosotis Oxios-Laureano
I think Whitman makes a good case for a connection between individual and the masses commuters because I believe that in the poem he’s describing what he sees and how he feels while on the commute. The connection between him and the commuters have to do with the fact that they see the same things and sights everyday. This doesnt take away from being curious about who these commuters are and where they are going or where do they work or where do they live and other curious thoughts that a person may have of people they do not know. What lead me to this conclusion was when he said “Crowds of men and women attired in the usual costumes, how curious you are tome! On the ferry-boats the hundreds and hundreds that cross, returning home, are more curious to me than you suppose, And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence are more to me, and more in my meditations, than you mightsuppose.”
Gianni Coombs (he/him)
Walt Whitman makes a arguementative case for connections between the individual and the masses of his commuters. In this poem he mainly focused on the emphasis on shared experiences and the idea of the democratic self.
Tsering Choedon (Tse/Ring)
Whitman makes a strong case for a connection between individuals and the larger crowd of commuters in “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.” He shows how shared routines, like taking the ferry, create a bond, even among strangers in New York City. For example, he reflects that future commuters will experience the same sights and emotions he did.
Whitman suggests that people are connected not only by daily activities but also by universal emotions that remain the same across time. However, some might find this view idealistic, as not everyone feels connected to strangers during their routines. Still, the poemâs power lies in its message that we are all linked through common human experiences, whether we realize it or not.
Zarin Tasneem Nishat (She/her)
In “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” Walt Whitman makes a strong case for the connection between individuals and the crowd of commuters by turning an everyday ferry ride into something meaningful. He kicks things off by saying, “I see you face to face!” this gives a very comfortable insight into other peopleâs interaction, as it highlights their commonality. And he emphasizes that even decades from now, people, while standing on this deck, will feel in the same way, so the moment and its significance can be transcendental. We must remember that Whitman gets candid about his struggles and flaws â thatâs what people do, they have their ups and downs, which furthers the idea of how these commuters are a family. Also, the river and the sky, the author reminds us, they all painted much more than splendorous exposures. All in all, he feels that all of us should embrace the fact that even within the take the train or push flight, we still have deeper relationships within the rush.
Rakesh Ramsaywack
âOthers will enter the gates of the ferry and cross from shore to shore,
Others will watch the run of the flood-tide,
Others will see the shipping of Manhattan north and west, and the heights of Brooklyn to the south and east,
Others will see the islands large and small;
Fifty years hence, others will see them as they cross, the sun half an hour high,â
âCrossing Brooklyn Ferryâ in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry
Whitman tries to introduce the concept of future passengers where the speaker shifts from the use of the word âIâ to a more universal âothers.â This is an indication that the ferry will continue to operate transporting passengers in the years to come. The speaker goes ahead and emphasizes the coming generations. Thus, watching the tide is a recurring encounter such as ferrying passengers which are action that will progress for years to come. A vivid description of the amazing beauty of the Manhattan skyline as well as the Brooklyn hills. The inclusion of the islands enhances an extra element of stability to the scene. The use of the phrase âfifty years henceâ is not only a definite timeframe but also tends to highlight the immensity of time such that the ferryâs view will remain the same.