While both Whitman in his poem "I Hear America Singing" and Sandburg in his poem "Chicago" present realistic subject matter in their poems, their respective diction and imagery show contrasting philosophies. The speaker in "I Hear America Singing" conveys Whitman's philosophical attitude of a realistic subject matter with elements of Romanticism in his use of cheerful diction and optimistic imagery. The content as well as the powerful diction and provocative imagery in "Chicago" all portray the speaker's philosophical attitude of Realism.

The subject matter in Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" is about the everyday jobs of Americans in the nineteenth century. Whitman's examples of a "carpenter" (Whitman, 3), a "mason" (4), and a "shoemaker" (6) as typical occupations present the speaker's attitude that it is important to focus on the realistic aspects of life. While Whitman's content is realistic, the speaker's attitude toward the common laborer is romantic. The individual is...