Analysis of "The Runner" by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman's poem titled "The Runner" is very short in length, but it holds much meaning through its simple structure and vocabulary. It depicts a "well train'd runner" "on a flat road" who is very strong and appears to know exactly what he is doing (Whitman). This man is probably a professional runner, but if we take a look back at the bulk of Whitman's poetry, it is easily seen that he focuses mainly on the middle or lower class of people made up of common laborers. Because of this fact, the man is probably a normal person who is out for a run, but he is a very strong and skilled runner according to the abundant use of imagery such as in line two when Whitman says, "He is lean and sinewy with muscular legs" (Whitman). Whitman does a nice job of describing this scene, but it seems as though it is an unfinished poem because one could find this scene just about anywhere (Huff). However, this is an important aspect of the poem overall. Since this is an everyday occurrence, it depicts the everyday man, as does the runner. The act of running is commonly linked to the trait of perseverance, and this poem exhibits perseverance and determination well. In turn, this everyday man is persevering through this flat land on his run. The "flat land" that he is running across is most likely meant to depict the United States as a whole. It is supposed to be one broad picture of society, a blank slate. So far, we have this everyday man, who seems to be a great runner, running across a great flat land wearing thin clothes. This detail of his clothes is almost hidden in the text, but it is important nonetheless. It points out to the reader that this man is ahead of his time because of the "specialized" athletic clothing he is wearing (Huff). This is a metaphor for the overall advancement of America whether it be in ideals, technology, business, or government. It represents an advancement because at the time in which it was written, thin, breathable running clothes were not really invented yet. This idea of advancement is coupled with that of skill as well. this is apparent in the final line when Whitman says, "With lightly closed fists and arms partially rais'd" (Whitman). As any distance runner knows, the arm drive is a very important piece in a good stride not only to make it more efficient, but to propel the body along with greater ease. The fact that the runner is using this advanced technique shows that he is not only a strong runner, but he is knowledgeable about his craft. When relating this to the understated meaning of the poem, it is easy to see that the runner's skill and knowledge goes along with advancement. For example, as the Industrial Revolution hit, workers had to become more skilled at their jobs, or they may be replaced with machines. This is a great advancement in the skill of workers that happened in America because of the simultaneous advancement in technology just as the runner depicts.

Works Cited

Huff, Randall. "'The Runner'." The Facts On File Companion to American Poetry, vol. 1. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CPAP0358&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 2, 2011).

Whitman, Walt. "The Runner." Leaves of Grass. 1891. 217. Walt Whitman Archive. Walt Whitman Archive, 1995. Web. 2 Mar. 2011. .