What was your opinion of the Walt Whitman verses that separated the chapters? Why do you suppose the author included these?
Whitman wrote about freedom and elevated the ordinary. It’s been a while since I read his poetry but it fits with the time period of the book.
Also been a while since I studied Walt Whitman at Miami University, but I enjoyed his poetry then, and it was a wonderful reminder of my professor, Dr. Walter Havighurst who taught American Literature.
I have not read much poetry in my life, but I enjoyed the verses in between the chapters. I felt they predicted what was to come in the next chapter.