Final answer:
The short story 'The Story of an Hour' by Kate Chopin and the poem 'I hear America Singing' by Walt Whitman are emblematic of American culture in the 19th century, revealing themes of female independence and American optimism respectively, capturing critical cultural aspects of the era.
Step-by-step explanation:
To compare a 19th-century American short story and poem representative of American culture during their respective periods, we could consider 'The Story of an Hour' by Kate Chopin and 'I hear America Singing' by Walt Whitman. Chopin's short story highlights themes of female independence and self-identity in an era when women's rights were gaining attention. It reveals the restrained existence of women and their desire for freedom. In contrast, Whitman's poem reflects the American spirit of optimism and individuality, celebrating the diversity of the nation's workers and their contribution to society. Both works shed light on critical aspects of American life and attitudes during the late 19th century.
Chopin's narrative encapsulates American domestic life and the women's movement while employing a tone of quiet rebellion and a twist that challenges contemporary social norms. Whitman's poetry employs a free verse style that was innovative for the period. It is representative of American democracy and the spirit of inclusiveness that is a hallmark of the national identity. His poetic form mirrors the unfettered spirit he attributes to the American worker.
Citing specific evidence from these literary works, such as the moment of liberation that Mrs. Mallard experiences upon believing herself free of her marriage's constraints in Chopin's story, and the catalog of joyous laborers in Whitman's poem, allows for a deeper understanding of 19th-century American culture. Both authors, in their own ways, were forerunners of Modernist tendencies in literature; they were setting the stage for the freedoms and explorations that would characterize the 20th century.