Thanks to Perrine, I realized that this poem is a very literal poem as he stated.
I also realized these army men are walking to a war, not actually in it. If they are walking to a war they should hear a bunch of guns going off yet as stated in line 2, they heared only one.
Conclusion: Going against Perrine I wondered and wondered why only one shot, not many. I figured maybe Whitman making you focus on that single shot to get it engraved into your brain, instead of many shots making it harder to imagine.
Q1: Why do you think Whitman wrote one single shot, not many?
The Night March
Again, thanks to Perrine, who explained what the Night March actually was, it really made sense to be stars. There is nothing to contradict what Perrine said. When I think about stars, though I get the connotation of something pretty in the skies at night, not a marching army.
Conclusion: I began to imagine all the things you can compare stars to: like a sea of fish, or something of that sort. But definitely not an Army marching.
Q2: Why do you think Melville chose to use an army as a metaphor for stars?
I think that whitman wrote only a single shot because it may not have been in the heat of battle. The single shot could have represented the beginning, and once they heard the shot, they knew it was time to fight because then then it says that the "swarming ranks press on" showing that they could be running coming close to a real encounter with the enemy.
ReplyDeleteAs for the secong question, i think that maybe Melville chose to use an army to represent stars to hint at how stars come in huge numbers just like an army. there are so many stars, it could be as if they were an army. Also like an army they have weapons for battle and the "beaming spears" could be the stars' weapons
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQuestion1:
ReplyDeleteThe single shot signified the beginning of a battle that involved many lives. The single shot represented a disturbance because it "[snapped] like a whip" causing an "irregular volley". The single shot emphasizes the shift from being a calm environment to the start of a hectic battlefield. Many shots would lessen the intensity of the battle. By using many, it can be portrayed as an exaggeration which can lessen the impact the author wants to put into the readers' hearts and mind.
Question2:
I offer two different perspectives on the meaning of stars and armies.
a) Stars represent a sense of guidance which leads to the feeling of security and safety. An example would be "the Northern Star" which helped many African slaves reach their destination. The slaves also believed in its guidance and was very fond of their "protector". Religiously, it is viewed that the stars are angels in disguise, giving stars a more protective image. Armies are often viewed as protectors of the country. It hints signs of protection. God plays a role to as it states "His mandate" meanly God chose and sent the army to protect the people. Similarly, angels are sent by God to His people.
b) Another way I viewed the similarities of stars and armies is that both stars and armies are organized in some particular way. Stars have constellations which gives them order and they represent something. All stars look the similar to one another if not the same. Armies are always in uniform and are told to be in order/formation. Both the stars and armies are "With open ranks, in order true;
Over boundless plains they stream and gleam" making them sound uniform and organized.
Question I:
ReplyDeleteThis is really a hard question to answer, but to me the most "correct" answer would be that the single shot is emphasized by the speaker because that is the only thing that he (the persona) is able to concously acknowledge. This is supported by the fact that after that,"the swarming ranks press on... the wheels rumble and horses sweat." Speaking simply, all hell breaks loose, and the persona as well as the entire Army Corps becomes swept away by the motion of the Corps, the work etc. To reiterate, the single shot is there because it is the peak of the speaker's awareness, and the rest is just...bustle.
Question II:
This question is somewhat easier to answer. To me, it is evident an army is chosen as a metaphor for stars because Melville was a ROMANTIC writer, who theorized about God and religion, and celestial matters. That however, is purely circumstansial. The point here is that if one were to recall the names of some constellations in the night sky, one would come up with a list that includes Perseus, Hercules, and Orion, all of which just happen to be none other than Ancient Greek heroes and warriors. Thus, it can be seen that Melville could well have chosen to compare stars to an army because there are so many "warriors" in the sky already. Furthermore, the fact that the [the legions stream] "in ranks and order true" means that the warriors of Melville's army are organized in some way, just as stars are organized in constellations.
Question 1: I believe that Whitman only used one shot to perhaps illustrate "The Shot Heard Around the World" from the Revolutionary War. The fact that it only takes one shot to start a commotion is what Whitman was trying to reference to.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: Melville chose an army to represent stars because stars can almost seem like an army conquering the night sky. Melville also chose army to illustrate the point that armies are mindless and just listen to their commanders and conquer everything and anything that is in their way.
Question 1: I think that Whitman chose to say "single shot" as opposed to many shots because he was simply identifying that there was one shot to begin the battle. When I think of war movies, I always remember that in the beginning of a battle, you tend to hear one main shot, which is then followed by many random shots. This also agrees with my point because after the "single shot" Whitman states that the shots following it were like an "irregular volley."
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: When I thought about why Melville chose to describe the stars as an army, the first thing that popped into my head was religion. The "army" of stars is there to fight off any evil that tries to make its way to either heaven or the ground on which humans reside. The stars are acting as God's army and this is confirmed by the line which states "No chief in view!" Though the army is not able to see their "chief" (God), they know their duty is to defend him and the human world.
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteThere is only one shot, as opposed to many, because the war did not yet begin. The one shot signifies the start of the war. As soon as the "single shot" made "sound," the "volley"/flight of missles were fired, therefore begining the war.
Question 2:
Melville might have chosen armies to symbolize the stars in the sky, due to their number, bravery, and stories.
A) Number
Just as the stars are many, so are there people within an army. The night sky cannot glow with just one star, they all glow together to create an array of hope. Similarly, an army cannot function with just one person, rather everyone works together.
B) Bravery
Similar to the bright stars at night, the people fighting in the army portray hope and light when things get dark. Stars are the only guidance at night, the only matter that sees in the dark. This is the same for armies. An army is a guidance for a country; the bravest in times of dispair.
C) Stories
Every star contains a story and a myth, this same way every person within an army has a story to tell.
Question 1: The one shot probably signifies the beginning of the battle. There is always one shot that starts the whole chain. Everyone can fire at the exact same second. It is possible that the one shot overexaggerates the signal of the beginning of the battle that the men are marching to. The one shot makes it stand out and appear more significant than several random shots. One shot defines a clear signal of the beginning of the battle.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: I think that the marching army was chosen as a metaphor for stars because when one mentions army, especially an army from back when they used "clarions", one thinks of chain-mail, silver helments, shining spears, and other glittering weapons and accessories that can look like stars from a distance. It is possible that the author chose an older style of an army because of the imagery. Also, stars are organized in different formations, and from ground level, they look like they are evenly spaced, similar to how a marching army is. I feel that the author chose an army because of the similarities between how an organized army looks and how the stars look.
-Annette Fernandez
Question 1) I also think that he chose to only state that first shot because the first shot in a battle is the most important one. The first shot is the one that's starts everything, after this one shot is heard everything starts " the swarming ranks pres on and on " everyone knows that the war has started after they hear it. I also think that he chose to only state the first because the first shot and the last shot are the only ones that can actually be counted everything in the middle is just chaos and disorder.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2)I think that Melville chose the army as a metaphor for the stars because an army is almost the opposite as stars. The stars are up in the sky always staying in their position, they are peaceful and quiet never bothering anybody and are sometimes seen as a sign of hope. While on the other hand no matter how quite an army can try to be you will always hear them marching, the army will always be on the move and is most of the time seen as something bad because their job is to fight or kill. So i think he chose this to show that two things so different like stars and an army can be used in a comparison and seen the same way.
Marcos Beltran
1. Whitman used "shot" to signify the initiation of battle. Without that first shot "snapping like a whip," there would be no "irregular volley" following shortly after. This first shot also marks the beginning of pandemonium, because after the first shot fired, Whitman supplies the audience with images of "swarming ranks," "dense brigades," "dust-cover'd men," and "horses sweat[ing]."
ReplyDelete2. Melville used an army as a metaphor for stars because like stars, an army sets out to overrun something. In this instance, the stars hold the sky. An army's quantity also parallels the vastness of the stars. Moreover, an army is disciplined to stay in certain formations. Likewise, stars always remain a certain distance from each other. Additionally, armies help certain people under the command of their leader. Stars do this by guiding people at night under the "mandate" of their "shining host."
Q1. I think Whitman chose to write a "single shot shot" and not many is to create a reaction from the audience. They "single shot" causes readers to stop and recollect the imagery of what is occurring in the poem. As opposed to several shots that are the norm if it were actually an army battle as many thought. I also ave to agree with Carlyleann. The one shot symbolizes a take off, whether it be commotion or a shuttle taking off into the sky.
ReplyDeleteQ2. I feel that an army and stars are very far apart from each other. So possibly, Melville used an army as a metaphor to signify how although things happen at a distance, they are still ever present and affect us somehow.
Ashley
Question 1
ReplyDeleteThe single shot draws the focus of the poem. It illustrates to the reader that they are not yet in the throes of battle, they are on their way. It helps to paint a picture of the beginning of a war, the preparation and marching to the place of battle. Whitman describes the army in all its grandeur and then uses the description of the single shot to place the scene.
Question 2
I think Melville wanted to focus on the sky since the poem is a commentary on God and religion. The descriptions in the first two stanzas portray a vast night sky, wide and silent. All one can see are the stars (the soldiers), but we cannot see a god (the chief). Melville is commenting on whether there is a presence of a god, and using the imagery of the stars and the night sky, he sets up a strong image of being lost or alone and looking for direction from above.
Question 1
ReplyDeleteWhitman included the single shot to signify the beginning of the battle, it is observed that the army is marching towards the battle thus there is no noise. Also, the single shot is said to "snap like a whip" exemplifying the surprise in the army because before the shot there was silence.
Question 2
Melville possibly chose an army as a metaphor for stars because like the night sky war always wages on. While we sleep the army is out there fighting; like the stars an army always wages on is separate from us but still affects us.
Question 1: I agree with what most people said. I think Whitman chose "a single shot" to signify the start of war. The first line "WITH its could of skirmishers in advance" it is saying that the cloud are having a minor battle. The clouds can be a symbol of the two sides fighting each other. With the "sound of a single shot" is the start of war because after that it was like an "irregular volley". After the first shot people started to shoot at each other. The single shot alerted all the soldiers because it snapped "like a whip". If Whitman had many shots instead of one it would make readers imagine that the soldiers were already in the war. He wanted to make an illusion to the American Revolutionary War by using one shot like caryleann said.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: Melville chose to use stars instead of another thing because stars are in certain formations. When armies march they have a certain formations and will change their formations too.
Q1: I mostly agree with the people who said that the focus on one shot could indicate the beginning or even the end of a battle which is about to take place or has been raging on for a long period of time. The theory saying that the "one shot" is the beggning of the battle can be backed up with evidence; the next line states that it is now an irregular volley" which could be referring to the sound of the first shot which has been multiplied because the battle has just started.
ReplyDeleteQ2: I think that soldiers are a very appropriate metaphor for stars in the distance. They are similar visually from a distance, especially if their "beaming spears" are reflecting light making the legions appear shining. Also, stars and soldiers are both words which have connotations of importance, respect, and greatness. Just like we watch soldiers constantly moving in the distance making history, the stars we see in the night sky are only reverberations of their former selves which have had great affects on the universe. Another good point brought up by Lisa is that a collection of soldiers and a collection of stars both have different formations(or constellations) for different situations and seasons. Although the physical elements of stars and soldiers are completely different, it is the fact that we are viewing them both from a distance which makes all the difference in understanding Melville's metaphorical imagery.
Question 1
ReplyDeleteI believe Whitman wrote one "a single shot" because he wanted us, the audience, to know the shot was a starting signal. In battles, typically, the first single shot is to inform the soldiers and at times the enemy that the battle is beginning. "an irregular volley" supports that the soldiers were aware of the signal and immediately began to fight.
Question 2
I feel Melville chose to use an army as a metaphor for stars because when an army is preparing to fight or is battling there is a great deal of commotion. Similar to this, Stars are constantly moving and causing their own movement in space. Secondly, stars appearance, viewed from Earth, and the soldiers attire relate. When observed from the Earth, stars are small shining dots. If a spectator were to witness a battle from the distance they would see the soldiers weapons and gear glistening.
q1: In my opinion Whitman chose to say "a single shot" in order to emphasize the beginning of the battle. Because this "single shot" is then followed by "an irregular volly". Whitman further emphasizes this shot by stating that it was "single." This illustrates its importance to the army because not only did it signal the beginning of the fighting but it also must have sounded extremely amonous and intimidating all by itelsf.
ReplyDeleteq2: i think Melville chose to use an army as a metaphor for stars because both stars and armies are very alike in the impressions they give off. The stars are trueley a sight to behold, when one looks up at the night sky with its millions of stars and all its wonders they are in awe. The night sky can be very mezmorizing. Similarly Armies leave lasting impressions. A huge army with hundreds and hundreds of soldires all marching and in uniform leave a lasting impression. Both stars and armies are sights to behold that often leave one in awe
Every battle begins with a single shot and I believe that Whitman wanted to place significance on this single shot to emphasize the remainder of the poem. By describing a second of simplicity the chaos of "swarming ranks" and "irregular volleys" seems even more chaotic. Whitman also wanted to include a clear beginning, "with now the sound of a single shot" and a clear ending, "As the army of corps advances". This also places emphasis on the chaotic section of this poem.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Melville used an army as a metaphor for stars because they both represent power. Melville describes this army as beautiful, indicated by diction such as "stream" or "gleam". Armies and stars are similar that they have a specific beauty. The beauty of vastness. Like an army, stars stretch over "boundless plains".
Q1) it seems that there is one shot released due to it signifying that a battle has just begun. The only important shots in any battle would be the first and last. To hear the first one just signifies a scary start and hopefully live in the outcome.
ReplyDeleteq2) army and stars are used to be compared since stars are bold and everywhere. an army is bold in its uniform it wears off to battle. An army is a huge cluster of people just like a sky full of stars. These two things can be compared to a formation. An army has certain people in certain places doing their job, protecting and backing up others. Stars have their positions to show certain formations. There is the big dipper, the formation to find the north star. These two things just can relate and be compared as the same.
Q1: The first shot is arguably the most important one of a war. One single shot leads to a humongous battle. One single shot leads to so much more. The "snap of the whip" emphasizes how out from quiet comes a shot that can be heard loud and clear. What follows is an uneven battle, but it is still being fought.
ReplyDeleteQ2: Stars appear to be in giant clusters, just as an army is. Stars, like armies, are always moving, whether that be in battle, strategical offensive/defensive surges, or in the retreat/return. Stars appear to be endless, and in a heated battle, the number of soldiers can appear to be endless as well. Stars do not have a "cheif;" they are not led (although they are maintained by gravity). The army in the poem is without a chief, but is still bound together as a unit.