Question

Which two lines in this excerpt from “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman reflect a realist view of death?

I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.
You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Answer 1

The two lines in this excerpt from "Song of Myself" that reflect a realist view of death are:

"I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love," and "If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles."

These lines suggest that death is a natural and inevitable part of the cycle of life, and that the speaker is accepting of this fact. They also suggest that the speaker's physical body will eventually return to the earth and become part of the natural world again. This reflects a realist view of death, as it acknowledges that death is a fact of life and does not try to sugarcoat or romanticize it.