Purpose in Life
“What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of his most recognized poems. Longfellow as he was called was a famous American Poet that had many ideas that are still in prevalent in today’s society, such as this poem, What the Heart of the Young man Said to the Psalmist. This poem was written because of his wife’s death and he wanted to fight back his depression. The poem hypothesizes that the purpose of life is to improve the condition of mankind. The idea that life is not meaningless has presented itself through the use of language. For example, the diction of “Life is earnest!” tells the reader that life helps fulfill the duty that is known as life which is presented by the word “earnest” (5). “Life is earnest!” coincides with the topic because it is showing the depressed poet what there is a deep purpose in life. It is showing how having the life be earnest will present meaning to life. The author that agrees took the poem in a way that the boy who is talking to the poet rejects the idea of life is meaningless .His idea proves the same point in the topic that life is meaningful because there are things in life that make it to that point. This topic supports the thesis because the topic says that life is not meaningless and the thesis states that there is a purpose to life.
Another topic is how the young man tells the poet how to live a good life. For example the diction in these lines helps explain this topic, “Be not like dumb driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife !” This choice between the words “dumb and hero” show that you must have your own chosen path from the two paths. In life choosing the hero path will enable a person to have a good life. But, if a person chooses the path most taken than the person is dumb and have not lived a good life. The author that agrees with me says that it is better to march by yourself, than to go into a slaughterhouse together. The author saying relates to the topic
Another topic is how the young man tells the poet how to live a good life. For example the diction in these lines helps explain this topic, “Be not like dumb driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife !” This choice between the words “dumb and hero” show that you must have your own chosen path from the two paths. In life choosing the hero path will enable a person to have a good life. But, if a person chooses the path most taken than the person is dumb and have not lived a good life. The author that agrees with me says that it is better to march by yourself, than to go into a slaughterhouse together. The author saying relates to the topic