Whitman and Ginsberg

Every person has a different background that influences how he or she thinks and acts. This idea presents itself when comparing Walter Whitman and Allen Ginsberg’s works. Whitman, who wrote just after the Civil War, showed a positive outlook on America and its people, despite the problems he describes in his writing. Ginsberg, on the other hand, wrote during the cold war era and showed a much more negative view of the United States and the actions it committed. Both authors wrote of similar topics, but didn’t share in their outlook of the U.S., which could be explained by the fact that, during Whitman’s time, the United States had just been victorious in a seemingly moral war, while during Ginsberg’s time, the U.S. had recently dropped atomic weapons on civilians in Japan and inadvertently started a cold war with the Soviet Union that could have global ramifications. Truly, despite similarities in people’s thoughts, much of what one thinks depends on their background.

Author: Patrick Pacheco