# How does John Brown’s Body develop the theme of National Identity?

> John Brown’s Body by Stephen Vincent Benét

## Answer

John Brown’s Body by Stephen Vincent Benét develops National Identity across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.

The poem explores the multifaceted and contradictory nature of American identity, portraying it as a blend of diverse regions, peoples, and histories—from Puritan settlers and Southern gentry to slaves and frontiersmen—that defies simple definition.

The entire poem is a meditation on the multifaceted and elusive nature of American identity, celebrating its diversity and contradictions.

The tension between Eastern and Western soldiers reflects regional divides within the Union army.

## Evidence

- [invocation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/john_brown_s_body_se/chapters/invocation.md): The entire poem is a meditation on the multifaceted and elusive nature of American identity, celebrating its diversity and contradictions.
- [book-iii](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/john_brown_s_body_se/chapters/book-iii.md): The tension between Eastern and Western soldiers reflects regional divides within the Union army.

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