On Whitman's Whoever You are Holding Me Now in Hand (2)

Yuen M. Ho
English 48B
January 12, 2007
Journal #4 Walt Whitman

I. Quote

“Or else by stealth in some wood for trial,
Or back of a rock in the open air,
(For in any roof’d room of a house I emerge not, nor in company,
And in libraries I lie as one dumb, a gawk, or unborn, or dead,)
But just possibly with you on a high hill, first watching lest any person for miles around
Approach unawares,
Or possibly with you sailing at sea, or on the beach of the sea or some island”

II. Summary

These few lines reveal a touching message about true love – that love confirms one value of existence. Whitman did not feel any sense of significance or respect while he was at public places like libraries, or even in his own workplace. In any “roof’d room of a house”, as Whitman put it, he felt as if he did not exist.

One difference between “roof’d room of a house” and the open space is the presence of other people. By house, he probably referred to places where other people were present, along with their biases and stigma. Nevertheless, despite so, his love could offer him assurance and confirmation.

It is clear that the society asserted immense pressure on their relationship. Even though his love offered him the only comfort zone, out of the same love, he did not want his partner to suffer from this kind of pressure. He has experienced and gone through enough – he did not wish that his partner had to go through the same struggle and obstacles, for they could never be overcome, but for the most they could only be dodged constantly.

III. Response

Even though I certainly do not share the same experience with Whitman, I can understand the assurance he felt while being with his loved one. Sometimes when the world seems to be going against you, your love will be the only one you need to understand you, and confirm that you have value and a place in the world.

Just like Whitman, from time to time I feel like a dump person or a weirdo. I am never the center of the circle, nor do I want to be in the spotlight. I fear too much attention, but I cannot survive without some. The experience of being in love saves me from self-hatred and self-doubt. My boyfriend helps me to understand my uniqueness and that my life serves some purposes.

It is depressing to know that Whitman had fortunately found a person who gave his life meaning, but could hardly continue the relationship out of some outsiders’ pressure. As its title of “Whoever You are Holding Me Now in Hand” has suggested, whoever that person is, as long as the person is a “he”, then Whitman could not but end the relationship to save that person from an unceasing vicious cycle.