In the poem Song of Myself Walt Whitman compares himself to the reader. He talks about himself in the poem but it also communicates the possible unity between people. On the second line of the poem he prepares the reader with the line “what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” In this statement, he is right away suggesting to the reader to be prepared that the poem will compare Walt Whitman to everybody else in the world.
I believe that Walt Whitman values the creation of life and he suggests that we should all appreciate it. He says in the “7th” section on page 983 that “has any one supposed it lucky to be born? I Hasten to inform him or her it is just as lucky to die, and I know it.” He wants the reader to appreciate the creation of life just as he does. He believes that if we were lucky to be born and to die than it means we were lucky to have lived. I feel that in this whole section, he tries to make the reader believe that life is worth appreciating.
He then goes off to compare himself to every human being alive. In section 16 he says “I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise.” He states here that he is just like everyone. In this section he compares every different kind of person from different states and countries. He basically says that no matter where a person is from, they are still a person and just as equal as he is.
Later on in the poem in section 32 he says how man is evil and how he rather be part of an animal. He mentions of the flaws in humans and admires the actions of animals. I think what the author is trying to say here is that humans have many flaws (even himself) and it’s a trait that he does not want to have. He doesn’t want to have flaws and he doesn’t want other people to have them either.
I think this poem is all about evaluating himself. The poet evaluates himself throughout the whole poem and he ends of by saying that we should all too. To me it feels like he is trying to signify that life is precious and that we should all cherish it just as he does.