A Look Inside the Mind of Whitman

When I briefly looked through the pages of Whitman’s notebook without trying to really read anything, I noticed that everything seems unorganized, like spur of the moment thoughts. There are many question marks to show that he had many ideas but questioned everything. Also, many things are crossed out and new words are rewritten in place of the crossed out ideas. I would describe his writing as scribble that was not intended for anyone else besides himself. Even without reading the words, it is easy to tell that this journal displays Whitman’s raw thoughts and the development of his ideas.

When I actually tried to read the words on the pages, I was able to make out some of them. In the very beginning he labels a page “brochure” and says, “two characters as of a dialogue between A. Lincoln” and someone else that I cannot read. He then says “lessons for a President elect.” He also starts writing a lot about “The Ship of Libertad” (Libertad=Liberty in Spanish) and with it, he says, “welcome the storm, welcome the trial…I shall see what the old ship is made of…anybody can sail with a fair wind, a smooth sea.” I think this metaphor reveals the probably personal struggles of Whitman in his life and shows that he has the strength to fight through whatever problems he faces. To me, he seems very insightful, and through his writing I think he hopes to explore all aspects of life.

There are also many drawings in the back of the notebook which I find to be interesting because I wonder what he needed drawings for. There are two that grabbed my attention the most. One of them is of a person whose face is drawn very darkly. The second drawing that stands out to me is the last one where a skull is drawn for a head and the person in the drawing has a sword stuck through his chest. Again, I am not sure why these drawings are included.

When I read the translation of scribble into readable type of what Whitman had actually written in his notebook, I understood it much better. I had not been able to read the part about religion, but it is actually very interesting. He believed there was a political and philosophical divide in his nation. He also wanted to include everyone in his new “third religion.” This shows that he really cared about his country and wanted everyone to set aside their differences and come together.

Apparently Whitman’s use of the word “Libertad” is actually a mystery. The theory that I really like is that Whitman believed freedom was not only confined to his own nation and that everyone deserved freedom. The ship metaphor is actually supposed to represent Lincoln’s presidency and the rough waters he would have to face. It parallels with Whitman’s midlife crisis as well.

The pictures in the back of the notebook are actually not by Whitman, which makes much more sense to me. I did not understand why he would have made any drawings because he was a poet, an artist with words, not images. The last image (with the skull and sword) may actually be an allegory of America. It shows the strange state of the country, poised between life and death.