“Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” by Walt Whitman is a poem that not only exposes the differences within people and the geography of the nation, but also shows the theme of the equality that unites these differences. By integrating his experience of the Civil War as well as the Industrial Revolution in the United States, Whitman connects the past and the future, promoting equality not only in time and distance, but also in his attitude and thought. By examining the use of parallel structure and repetition, Whitman plays with the relationship between difference and equality. By focusing on the figurative language of rhetorical questioning, imagery, and the rhythm of action and movement, Whitman shows how equality can be established against the passage of time and the advancement of the nation. Ultimately, by examining the structure and tenses of the verbs used in the poem, Whitman shows how each part of the difference, whether people or landmarks, contributes to the perfect unity of the 'together. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay By focusing specifically on the first two sections of Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," you can see how the poet uses the repetition of specific phrases in order to create a sense of overwhelming inequality, but also establish a sense of unity and equality. By repeating “how curious you are of me” in two following lines, the poet reveals the two different scenes and subjects; not only are there “crowds of men and women,” but also ferry boats “crossing from one bank to the other” (lines 3 to 5). However, although the poet is fascinated by the differences in subjects he sees on "the rising tide beneath [him]", he asserts that people and ferries both create the same effect of curiosity. Similarly, when the poet reflects on his role in relation to the world, he expresses that even in "the simple, compact, well-integrated scheme" he finds himself "[himself] disintegrated, each disintegrated and yet part of the diagram” (line 7). Although the repeated word “disintegrated” means separation from the whole, the word creates unity as it follows the subject of the poet himself as well as that of all other members of the universe. Therefore, although it is a separate entity, it is also part of all the others, participating in “part of the project”. The repetition of specific word choices and phrases establishes a connection between the poet and everyone else in the world, thus blurring the relationship between differences and equality and intertwining the differences into something unifying. Not only that, the parallel structure of the form also plays with the relationship of difference and equality. In lines 13 to 16, the poet begins each line with the phrase "others will do it" and follows it with an action verb: "go through the gates", "watch the race", "see the navigation”. Even after the passage of time represented by "in fifty years" and "in a hundred years", the repeated phrase "others will" shows that despite different groups of people and generations passing, in the end, they will all experience the same spectacle when they see the ferry crossing. The poet transcends time and place by showing how “others” are united by the same vision even over time and the rise of many generations. By examining the symbols, images, metaphors, and rhetorical questions Whitman places throughout "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," one can see that Whitman's loyalty to the democratic ideal of equality seems to run counter to of this specific era. Because the poem isWritten during the period of the Second Industrial Revolution, the technological and economic progress of the United States can be seen through the development and advancement of steam-powered ships and railroads. One of the most transparent images used is the ferry, which symbolizes not only the continuous action of "crossing from one bank to the other", but also the invisible movement of time passing. The vivid imagery of the river's "swift flow" and "luminous flow" is then paralleled with the movement of the ferry, unifying nature's response to the industrial revolution (lines 23-24). Most importantly, Whitman shows that equality can be established in the face of the passage of time and the advancement of the nation by deliberately making no difference between natural elements and artificially created progress. In describing the landscape of New York, Whitman writes in detail of "the river and the sunset and the scalloped-edged waves of the rising tide, the seagulls swaying their bodies, the hay boat at dusk and the late lighter," thus putting ferries and buildings on the same level as crashing waves and seagulls (line 94). On the other hand, in Lydia Maria Child's Letters from New York, the revealing delineations of New York City as the nation's principal urban center do not exude the same glory and majesty as those revealed by Whitman. In fact, Child's letters address the poverty of women and children "which is the misery of a city like New York, where a benevolent spirit not only suffers continual pain, but is obliged to do perpetual harm to itself" ( page 1093). While Whitman claims that there is a unifying effect of nature and industrial progression, Child claims that there is a divisive effect that the lower class suffers due to the repression of sympathies. Similarly, the technique of rhetorical questioning is used by both Whitman and Child, but again it produces a different effect. Speaking of “acts of gentleness and mercy,” Child asks, “Why are such scenes so rare?” Why do we thus repress our sympathies and cool the genial current of nature, by formal observances and restrictions” (1093-94)? Feelings of loss, despair, and despair seem to result from these rhetorical questions, with the city being portrayed as selfish and self-centered. However, for Whitman, the use of rhetorical questions such as "What then is between us?" » "What are the tens or hundreds of years that separate us", becomes more frequent, there is a feeling of comfort which produces a calming effect for readers. The poet reassures his readers that years, distance and place will not separate him from generations to come, through the repetition of the phrase "Me too", because equality has been established through shared experiences . Ultimately, Whitman specifically uses symbols, images, and rhetorical questions to show how equality is established in the face of the passage of time and the advancement of the nation during the era of the Second Industrial Revolution. Finally, by analyzing the structure and verb tenses employed in "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," one can see how Whitman intentionally generates a paradoxical instance of movement and stasis to ultimately reflect the transcendent ideal of equality throughout the poem. The beginning of the poem begins in the present tense when the poet states, “I see you face to face” (line 1), but quickly shifts to the future tense of “the others will” (line 13). Likewise, there is a subtle transition from the present tenses of "I am with you" to the past tense of "I have crossed the river of old too often" in a single section (lines.