In “Song of Myself,†Whitman describes the transformativeprocess of coming to know himself and his country and the spiritwithin both. In “I Sing the Body Electric,†Whitman discusses evena more personal journey of understanding. Dead Poet’s Society hassome of the characteristics of a Bildungsroman, a narrative dealingwith one’s formative years or spiritual education. More familiarlyin English, we call them coming of age stories.
Compare the transformation(s) described by Whitman with thetransformation advocated by Mr. Keating, and most fully realized byCharlie and Neil. Do you think they have the same spirit? Why orwhy not? Cite examples from the poems .
