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In "O Captain, My Captain", Whitman uses line length and word choice to represent a wide range of emotion from joy to sorrow. The poem begins with the narrator feeling overjoyed because the "fearful trip is done," (Whitman 1). Whitman displays this feeling of joy with words that imply same. Examples of these choice words are prize, won, bells, people all exulting. These words give the reader a feeling of excitement and accomplishment. Soon, however, the mood swings from enthusiasm to sorrow once the narrator realizes that the Captain is dead. Whitman makes the change from joy to sorrow seamlessly, a skill that only few possess. As the mood swings, Whitman's word choice changes accordingly. He begins using words such as pale, no pulse nor will, and fearful words that generally have the feeling of sorrow. Whitman uses line length and line repetition to set the tone of the poem, and also to make the reader see the true meaning. The first line of each of the three sections begins with Captain, and the section ends with "fallen cold and dead". The purpose of Whitman beginning each section with Captain is to remind the reader that the focus remains on the Captain and nothing else, while the purpose of placing "fallen cold and dead" at the end of each section is to, at first, to inform the reader of what is to come, while later it's purpose is simply to remind the reader of the tragedy. Whitman uses line repetition often, and mostly for the purpose of clarification. Whitman also uses line length to further the tone of the poem. In the beginning of the poem when the mood is joyful, the line length goes from long to short representing, at first, the feeling of enthusiasm, but then growing shorter to represent a panicked feeling. Whitman used line length and word choice masterfully in the poem "O Captain, My Captain", resulting in a roller coaster of feelings for the reader.

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