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Identify the tone of each poem. Are the tones similar or different? Cite at least three examples of diction that reveal tone in each poem.
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VerifiedThe tones of the two poems are not alike. Where Chicago has the tone of energetic working and urgency, as seen through the lines such as "Wrecking,/ Planning,/ Building, breaking, rebuilding,","Bragging and laughing that under / Laughing!" or "Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of/ Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog/ Butcher," (p.891) whereas in Grass (p.892) the tone is more calmer and strong through its repetition of the words "I am the grass", its showing of time's lapse "Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor" and the methodical aspect of the grass's continual assault with "I am the grass; I cover all."
The tones of Chicago and Grass are somewhat similar in their message of strength and continuity, though Chicago has more depth of characterization with less subtlety. In Chicago, the speaker talks about the attributes of strength, work ethic, intelligence, and pride in the people of the city despite their hardships.
He cites they’re, “ proud to be alive,” despite the aspects of the city that are “wicked,” and “brutal.” The people are “cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,” they’re “proud to be the hog butcher, tool maker, stacker of wheat, player with railroads, and freight handler to the nation.” The overall tone created by the diction is one of resilience.
In Grass, the tone is one of resilience and continuity. A timelessness of all but the people who have fallen to the tragedy of war. “I am the grass, I cover all,” is a repeated constant throughout. “Shovel them under and let me work,” then lastly “I am the grass,” “let me work.” The poem’s tone is somber. Sandburg makes the lives of men seem subordinate to the elemental Earth or time, which is represented by grass.
The tone of "Chicago" is strong, but menacing. The tone of "Grass" is devastated. Chicago - "Hog Butcher" "Stormy, husky, brawling" "wicked" Grass - "Pile the bodies high" "shovel them under"
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