McConnell 1

Maggie McConnell
Ms. Dockus
1st Hour American Literature
6 November 2015
Response to Pioneers! O Pioneers! by Walt Whitman
Pioneer is used to describes not only someone who has made a discovery, but also how he
applies these discoveries. In Walt Whitmans poem, Pioneers! O Pioneers!, Whitman
commemorates the pursuits of American explorers, young and old, and from every reach of the
nation. He recognizes their hardships and their triumphs throughout their quest for discovery.
The ebullience of this work is present in his words, O resistless, restless race! O beloved race in
all! O my breast aches with tender love for all! (25-27). Whitman almost appears to be issuing a
call to arms of the brave hearted, a call to exploration of the pioneer. In his poem, Whitman
appreciates the art of discovery and in this, appreciates those who discover.
The value put into the exploration of places and ideas by the speaker is evident in the
fifth stanza where he says: We debouch upon a newer, mightier world, varied world, Fresh and
strong the world we seize, world of labor and the march,... (14-15). Whitmans diction, in
particular, is helpful in communicating his purpose. His use of debouch and seize add an
emotional, almost passionate urgency to his work. It seems as if the pioneers described are
nearing desperation to uncover the next truths of a new world. Whitman seems to admire the
pioneers in his poem, as well as become them. His gradual transition from describing the
pioneers as their own to describing their discoveries as, ... of us, they are with us,
demonstrates his view of himself as a pioneer (56).

McConnell 2
Whitmans discovery and application of free-verse poetry lead many to describe him as a
pioneer. In Pioneers! O Pioneers!, perhaps he is reflecting his own struggles with critics of his
art to the hardships of strapping explorers of America. Perhaps, Whitman sees both his writing
and the American dream as outlets for the discovery and exploration coveted by the human spirit.
His call to arms is a familiar one, one he wishes to spread to others. Pioneers! O Pioneers! is
an open letter to anyone who shares the drive to discover.