We will go where winds blow..."
I think definition of "travel" by Whitman is "a life-time journey without any set plan or limits."
I thought that the lines I quoted help illustrate the definition because if you say ship is your life, the sailing pathless shows that there is no plan and going where wind blows shows there is no limit to the journey.
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. I think your idea is very interesting when you talk about the wind blowing, and how it shows there is no limit to the journey. After thinking about it more, seeing as the wind is not a tangible or visible thing, it brings up the point that you never really know where the wind will go. In other words, if you follow the wind, you are "traveling" blindly.
I also noticed this line inside the poem:
"The earth expanding right hand and left hand,
The picture alive, every part in its best light..."
I thought this also illustrated Whitman's definition of travel because usually when people travel, it is to see the world and what it's all about. When he says, "The earth expanding right hand and left hand," to me that means the world is a bigger place than we all really imagine, and therefore there is so much more to see in this world than we really expect when we travel.
I think that the quote you used defines Whitman's idea of the "open road" well. To me, Whitman describes the "open road" as an eternal amount of open space that anyone can experience. It also leads to the opportunity to experience freedom. You have the freedom to go anywhere you want and to gain new experiences along the way. There are no restraints or limitations.
ReplyDeleteI also looked at this quote:
"You road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here,
I believe that much unseen is also here."
He says that "much unseen is also here" because one's travels can bring opportunity to explore and discover new places and new things. The outside world is endless and much more than what we believe there to be. Without the freedom to explore, we don't gain knowledge and experience.
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you that the quote you defined describes Whitman's idea of the "open road" as an adventure with no plan and no agenda. When you travel you must have an open mind and get ready for any exciting adventure coming your way. There is not much control over what your travels may be like and no directions or path you must follow. I also looked at the quote that Jessica did:
"You road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here, I believe that much unseen is also here."
To me, this means that on any road travel of course you see the surrounding areas, maybe mountains or deserts, small towns or big cities but the possibility of adventure and excitement is not limited to what you see with your naked eye. There is much beyond your view that could bring life changing moments or just a fun exploration. There is always something for us to learn and experience when traveling if we just examine further and not be satisfied with what is easy to see with our eyes alone.