Leaves of Grass

I want to compare the references of birth and it's purpose on page 23 and pg 56. (Kindle pages)

On page 23 Whitman proposes this question 'Has anyone supposed it lucky to be born?'
He then continues to describe or explain what I believe are his interpretations of the purpose of being born. The purpose of living. He writes:

'I am not an earth or an adjunct of earth,
I am the mate and companion of people, all just
as immortal and fathomless as myself;
They do not know how immortal, but I know.
Every kind for itself and its own.... for me
mine male and female.'

The message that is conveyed here is that he may a apart of the physical earth and its landscapes; nature itself. However his sole purpose of birth is to accompany mankind that according to him never perishes because there will always be male and female humans populating earth. After he writes this he then goes on describe the relationship mankind has with one another which is the reason of life. In this part of the poem it seems like birth is a good thing. What matters most is the interaction between people and how they function together.

On page 56, he speaks about eternity; how seasons have been exhausted and births have provided 'riches and variety.' Here I believe he is inform people the no one is greater than the other. Her writes:

'Were mankind murderous or jealous upon
you my brother or my sisters?
I am sorry for you....they are not murderous
or jealous upon me...'

Here is where I think the great joys and purposes of birth in reality only belongs to him. He goes on to say that he doesn't need to lament because all has been gentle with him. He says he feels sorry but when I read it feels as if he's being kind of sarcastic and boasting about how I guess interactions with him have been pleasant.

Therefore what I am trying to convey is that on page 23 this feeling of optimism of birth is tarnished on page 56 because the reality of what happens after birth is presented yet Whitman is in way intangible to all things negative. He seems to describe himself as being invincible.

'What have I do with lamentation?
I am an acme of things accomplished, and I an
encloser of things to be.'

In The Cage Reading Journal

This novella was indeed a more complicated read than Bartleby, I had to reread quite a few times to understand exactly what was going . Sometimes even after rereading I was still confused. The style in which the story is written made me feel distant from the characters. I' never really felt a intimate connection with the reading. It felt as if I had to push through a bunch of people to figure out the events or conversations that were occurring. To be honest I couldn't finish reading the text because I wanted to get more sense out of it during the class discussion. I want to know why she sees her work place as a cage. Her relationship with Mr. Mudge is quiet awkward as well so I would like to get a better sense of the relationship as well. I know that as a telegraphist she's receiving and sending messages from people and I notice that she does poke her nose into these people's lives. Overall, I just need help!