Crossing Brooklyn Ferry main idea is that people are connected to each other no matter where they live. Even though Whitman is writing about a ferry ride in the 1800s, he is really talking about something much bigger and how humans share the same feelings, struggles, and moments across time. As he looks at the water, the sky, and the people around him, he keeps thinking about future readers who will stand in the same place and see the same things. He makes it clear that even though hundreds of years might pass, people will still feel the same wonder, curiosity, and emotions that he felt while crossing the river.

I came to this idea because Whitman talks directly to people in the future. He says that what we feel when we look at the river and the sky is exactly what he felt. That made me realize that the poem is not just about one ferry ride. It is about how human experiences repeat themselves. People still go to work, ride trains or ferries, look at the sunset, and think about their lives just like Whitman did. Time changes, but human feelings do not change much.

Whitman also uses repetition and long lists to get this message across. One example is when he keeps repeating the word others. He says that others will ride the ferry, others will watch the water, and others will see the same skyline. By repeating this word, he shows that the same experiences will happen again and again for different people. His long lists of ships, waves, people, and city scenes make everything feel active and full of life. It feels like the city and the river never stop moving, just like people never stop living and feeling. These writing techniques help show that we are all part of one shared human story, even if we live in different times.