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song of the open road

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song of the open road
“ If on advances confidently in the direction if his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined he will meet with success unexpected, ” by Thoreau. I think this quote means, you should always go for your dreams, don’t doubt yourself because the life you dream of maybe easier is than what you think. In Song of the Open Road, by Walt Whitman and Into the Wild, by John Krakauer, both show that you should go for what makes you happy even if that means leaving everything behind.

The poem, Song of the Open Road connects with the quote that I have chosen by Throe. “A foot and light –hearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me, The Long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.” Whitman is expressing happiness as he hits the road to go for a walk. He starts of by saying that he starts his walk on foot (afoot), with a light heart, which means, a happy heart that is free from the burdens of cares, stresses, and sorrows. He takes off on his walk, happy of heart, and rejoicing in the fact that he is healthy. Not everyone can just take off walking when they have the desire; he can, and rejoices in it. Whitman is also optimistic; he feels like he can accomplish anything. He expresses this sentiment through, “The world is before me.” He feels like the world is his, therefore him to enjoy. In the last stanza Whitman states, “Leading me wherever I choose” Indicating once again his optimism; he can go where he wants in full health and happiness. The literary element that Whitman uses in this quote is mood. Whitman is expressing his feelings about heading out into the open road. He feels happy and rejoiced. Another quote from Song of the Open Road that connects with throe’s quote is, “Henceforth I ask not good- fortune, I myself am goo-fortune, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms, Strong and content I travel the open road.” Whitman
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