Ask students to browse the notebooks for other passages that express mood powerfully and have them explain how they do so. Or, students can practice creating mood in their own prose or poetry. Journal Writing Whitman frequently reached for pen and paper to record his thoughts, ideas, observations, and tasks. If a notebook was not handy, he used scraps of paper. In this way, they may witness the very close relationship between the two media.
Students can buy or make their own notebooks to jot full of notes.
There are no right or wrong notes to include. After a given period of time, they can review their notebooks and choose a topic or passage to develop into an essay or poem. Further consider the relationship between different creative media by contemplating Whitman's cardboard butterfly . Ask students why, given what they know about him, Whitman might have combined these media. Inform students of the changes Whitman made to the organization and look, especially the size and cover, of Leaves of Grass throughout his life.