Emily Dickinson, Poem #359

Mikaila Garfinkel
English 48B
3/18/2009
Emily Dickinson

"And then he drank a Dew From a convenient grass- And then he opped sidewise to the Wall To let a Beetle pass-"

Emily Dickinson is notorious for being one of the most mysterious writers to date. The fact that for most of her life she lived isolated in her bedroom, gives us little information about her from outsiders. Her poetry is filled with metaphors and symbols that make it nearly impossible to ever be sure about what she is writing about. Emily Dickinson was schooled for a year at Mount Holyoak, in which she dropped out after a year of being homesick. During this brief education, she was exposed to religion, and this exposure is apparent in some of her poetry, such as poem #359. An example of religion in this poem is when she writes, "Than the Oars divide the Ocean". This could symbolize when Moses parts the sea, a very important scenario in religion. While there are traces of religion in her work, it is never really apparent about her views on it. Her descriptions leave the reader wondering if she is implying that she is a believer in orthodox religion, an atheist or perhaps a believer in a religion she created herself (which some believe is why she locked herself up in her room). For example, when she follows the previous quote with "too silver for a seam", she could be saying that Moses who freed the Jews, was too good (or too "silver") for the life that Egypt gave him, and therefor she believes he is a person that deserves to be praised. On the other hand, her word selection of choosing silver, as opposed to gold, could be implying that she did not believe people should have had faith in him, for he was not valuable.

The reason that I chose the quote involving the Beetle, is because while I got a religious vibe from the poem, this line I found religion not important in. I feel that Dickinson was also trying to show good vs. evil, and how in society evil has taken over. In the opening lines, she mentions an Angel worm being eaten (again, religious context) which represents that good is not surviving in a world where evil and greed are taking over. The fact that the bird whom ate the work then "drinks from a convenient glass" could also imply the sins that come with evil, such as gluttony and sloth. For the bird is greedy in food and drink, and also goes for what is convenient, and does not require effort. The bird lets the Beetle pass, while he ate the worm. Beetles are dark, creepy insects, unlike worms who help with agriculture, and are harmless, beneficial insects. The beetle is the one that survived however, despite it representing the evil side of creatures. This reinforces Dickinson showing that it seems as if evil is stronger than good. The bird also goes to a wall, which could be Dickinson's own personal views on the evils of society. She herself is implying that she believes that evil intentions will only get a person so far, and that at some point, their actions will force them to run into a wall.

Emily Dickinson, Poem #207

Mikaila Garfinkel
English 48B
3/18/2009

"I taste a liquor never brewed-From Tankards scooped in Pearl-"

Emily Dickinson's poetry is completely subjective, which #207 surely proves. This poem, as discussed in class, could mean many different things, and Dickinson herself is probably the only person who will ever know the true meaning behind it. One subject that I feel is a strong connection to this poem, is that it symbolizes sexuality. Dickinson herself was known for being a recluse, and while she never married, had several lovers. Among these speculated lovers, was her best friend, whom also was a woman. I Feel that #207 not only represents sexuality and desire, but homosexual sexuality, particularly that between two women. Dickinson uses various metaphors, including and obscure combination of nature (such as flowers and bees) and alcohol. I believe that Dickinson chose to use this combination to show that in society, alcohol and drugs had almost become nature. A sense of arrogance also accompanies the poem, such as when she says, "Inebriate of air-am I". She seems to be saying that she is better than other members of society, because she doesn't need alcohol to be "inebriated" or to be happy. She in fact, is more in touch with nature, which could be considered ironic, considering she spent most of her life locked inside her room. It was also mentioned that Dickinson was a possible alcoholic, and so while we try to make sense of her writing, it could also be a "drunken mess" of words, that really never made sense to her either. However, I believe that Dickinson, though different, was perhaps one of the most clear headed people in society, for the outside world she tried so hard to stay out of, was definitely a mess.

This quote, after reading it several times, seems to exude homosexuality, as does much of the rest of the poem. The "liquor never brewed", represents the relationship Dickinson desired, but could never really have. This seems to correlate with the idea that she was in love with her best friend, whom married her brother. The love was "never brewed", because her friends feelings were never reciprocated. She uses liquor to represent lust or desire, because alcohol use is considered "immoral" or something that her society did not really support, yet everybody still used it. Dickinson's feelings were something that were also frowned against in society, for homosexuality was rarely acceptable, yet Dickinson still wanted a taste. The tankard is also symbolic as well. Tankards are large drinking cups, similar to a mug. The "large" cup, shows that much liquor was need to fill it. This emphasizes Dickinson's feelings for her friend, and how heavy or intensely she felt them. It could also be seen that the cup represents the population and it's vastness, as if Dickinson knew that she had many people to fall in love with, yet she chose the most forbidden person. The tankard is also made of pearl, which shows society's expectations of women. Women in pearls is almost the archetype for high class, "well behaved" women of the time. While Dickinson did not fit this stereotype, the use of it in her poem does depict a woman. Pearl is definitely a feminine gem, which Dickinson chose to represent homosexuality, and the feelings that she could not control.

Songs of Myself

Mikaila Garfinkel
English 48B
3/12/2009
Walt Whitman

"You sea! I resign myself to you also-I guess what you mean."

Walt Whitman's, "Sons of Myself" is, somewhat literal in the title, a poem that Whitman wrote to describe himself. It discusses his relationship with himself, and others, and shows his self awareness, and at times, the love for himself. As a homosexual writer, Whitman conveys that he will t be anybody but himself. The poem uses nature and metaphors to show his desire to maintain his individuality, while still being part of the rest of the world. He uses creed to evoke spirituality, and demonstrate how he embodies many different moods and traits, such as when he says, "I am not the poet of goodness only, I don not decline to be the poet of wickedness also". "Songs of Myself" is written about Whitman himself, but it also serves the purpose of showing readers that it is natural to be both good and evil, and that individuality can be freeing. He also attempts to awaken spirituality, and get the reader to pay attention to their mind, body and soul. While he tries to show he is an individual, or "special", he also tries to convey the idea that humans are alike as well, such as when he says, "I am the poet of woman the same as the man". He wants to show that aspects such as gender or race don't make us different, but how a person carries himself, and how a person chooses to live their life.

Similarly to "Brooklyn Crossing Ferry", this poem was a hard read for me, and it took several reads to grasp what Whitman was trying to convey. This quote stuck out to me, because I noticed a reoccurring use of the sea in many of his works (for example, "Brooklyn Crossing Ferry"). The ocean is a versatile metaphor, but I feel that Whitman uses it to represent the universe, for it is vast and dark and empty, which is consistent about how he views the world. Despite how he feels the universe or world he lives in can be accepting, he also feels connected to it. In the same section, he says, "I am integral with you", which shows that he feels as if he is part of the sea, or that he feels part of the society he lives in. I also noticed that the first line "You sea!" is interesting, in that he seems to be addressing the reader, almost in a "you see" sense, and forcing the reader to take a closer look into the world that we are part of. The second part of the quote shows almost a more vulnerable side to Whitman, when he resigns himself to the sea. The poem is constantly Whitman embodying his individuality, and this passage shows that he is human, and that he at times gives in to the way of the universe or society. This is supported by when he says "I guess what you mean" for unlike the rest of the poem, he is not sure, but is merely guessing, which shows that he at times doubts his ability to "survive" as an individual.

Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

Mikaila Garfinkel
English 48B
3/11/2009
Walt Whitman

"Crowds of women attired in the usual costumes, how curious you are to me!"

Walt Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" is a poem that does not embody much structure, and can be hard to interpret or breakdown due to this fact. I had to read the poem several times, and there are still many parts of it that I feel are hard to understand. The poem seems to be Whitman questioning humanity or human tendencies, and the unrealistic expectations society expects from people. He addresses the reader directly, by using "you" to talk to us, which helps connect the reader, and allows the reader to attempt to see from his perspective. He also uses aspects of nature, such as hills and water, but describes them with human qualities (which could be considered a form of personification.) For example, when he asks the hills to "stand up", he is using nature to get through to sthe readerThe way he speaks to the reader through out the poem, with the use of metaphors, also appears distant, and he indirectly brings up issues to the reader (once again, for example using inanimate objects) about society and how he feels about humanity. The ferry itself is also a major metaphor of the book, and the fact that it moves from land to water, show the migration of humans, and how we migrate to different places, such as the different parts of land the ferry goes to.

The reason the quote stuck out to me is that to me, it was a line that deviated focused more on societal issues, as opposed to his more philisophical views that is throughout most of the poem. This quote in particular, I feel, conveys Whitman's views on how society forces people to mask or costume themselves in order to feel like they belong. For starters, he always addresses people as a whole population, or as a generalization. This is apparent in this passage when he mentions that the group of people are a "crowd", he fails to ever individualize anyone. He uses this to show that in society, we are rarely individualized ourselves. He wants to show that if people chose not to go against whats conventional, than other people, such as himself, cannot see us as standing out either. In this quote, is addresses the fact that woman particularly are required to wear a costumes. This is consistent with many other literary works of the times, for woman were, and in many ways still are, repressed and were expected to "wear costumes" that made them blend in with one another. He also mentions that this crowd of costumed women is "curious" to him, which shows that he doesn't understand why women continue to follow these conventional standards. He also describes that the costumes the women wear are unusual, which is somewhat ironic since he is describing the "typical femme attire". He finds that what most find the social norm, is strange. This could reflect his own personal "issue", which is his sexuality. Whitman is a known homosexual, and so the fact that it was considered unacceptable to be gay, is reflected in this quote in that he doesn't understand why people chose to hide their true selves behind the costumes that society expects.

The Awakening

Mikaila Garfinke
English 48B
3/5/2009
Kate Chopin

"The fish was scorched. Mr. Pontellier would not touch it. Edna said she did not mind a little scorched taste."

This scene is when Leonce and Edna are eating dinner together. Edna has been spending time with her friends, such as Robert and Reisz, and has not seen her husband or children much. She is described as not being a good mother, and consuming her time with people that are not her family, the people she is supposed to be spending her time with. Edna cooked them dinner, and it is one of the only times in the story they are described as being alone together. This rare moment is accompanied by the fact that their dinner is burnt, which is the fault of Edna. This is significant because it appears as if Edna is abandoning her "wife" duties, and not putting in any effort to the dinner. The rare occasion where her husband and her actually spend "quality" time together, eating dinner together, she puts little effort into making it a pleasant one. She could have easily made is a nice dinner, but for Leonce, she did not feel like it was worth it. This scene is not only important to show that she is slowly progressing out of her femininity, but also to show that she doesn't even care. He obviously doesn't like the dinner, and instead of apologizing or listening to him, she merely dismisses his comment by saying that she is not bothered by the burnt fish.

This quote stuck to me for a couple of metaphorical reasons as well. First of all, fish, obviously creatures of the sea, which is a dominant part of the story. Edna learns to swim for the first time, with Robert, and feels free. The fish, and the fact that they are eating it, could be foreshadowing for the fact when Robert abandons her, she in a sense, feels as if she is "eating" or losing her freedom she learned from him. The sea is also significant in the fact that that is where she ends her own life. She feels that like the fish, she has been burned, by society not accepting her, and by Robert not returning her love that she has for him. The burnt fish can also symbolize the acts that Edna has been participating in. She has been unfaithful to Leonce, by falling in love with Robert, and by having an affair with Alcee Arobin. While these acts do free her in a sense, for she feels liberated (which like I stated before, the fish and the sea represent), they are also burnt actions. These behaviors she participates in also hurt people, such as Leonce. They are still immoral, or "burnt" acts, in that they negatively effect others. However, Edna does not care about the effects of others, which is the significance of her not minding the fish tasting burnt. She means to say that while she knows that she should be doing it, she is thinking of herself, and doesn't care about the effects it has on other people in her life.

The Storm

Mikaila Garfinkel
English 48B
3/3/2009
Kate Chopin

"She would not compose herself; she would not be seated"

This quote is describing Calixta, and her worries of her husband and son, who are not home with during a huge storm. At first, she is too involved in her work to even notice that their is a storm, but when a past love interest stops by, she is aware of what is going on. Alcee, the visitor, is trying to get her to relax and stop worrying about her family, but she refuses to have her tell her what to do. He tries to pull her close to him, before she reciprocates by pulling away, and telling him to stop. She also has a brief rendezvous with Alcee, whom is also married, before her husband and son return home safely. Her family also comes with gifts from the store, and Alcee writes a loving letter to his wife and children as well. This story, like many other of Chopins stories, can be viewed from a feminist stand point.

This quote had several reasons for sticking out to me so much. First of all, it represents the personality of Calixta, and shows that she is in control of herself, and does not allow others to try and repress her. Chopin is notorious for writing about "Creole" women, whom are high class and conventional, which means they do not have much freedom. Calixta goes against that form, and through actions and words lives her own life on her own terms. Calixta, unlike Chopins repressed female characters, appears to live a happy life, by doing what she pleases. Chopin even allows her to be sexually free when she participates in an affair. However, at the end of the day, her family returns home, and she is happy to see them. Chopin wants to show that true happiness only comes by living a free life, without oppression. Calixta, in a sense, is the one with the sexual power, for she is the one who seduces Alcee, even though he makes the moves, she is the one who is described as exuding sexuality. Through her actions, she is described as being in control of Alcee, such as by pushing him away. Even though she "gives in" to Alcee's attempts to be with her, it is not by force, and does not compromise her wants. The story in its entirety can also be viewed through "queer critique lenses", in that it is unconventional in the ending as well. Chopin creates this infidel relationship, that most would view as morally wrong. However, despite it being against the social standards of acceptable, the story ends with everybody being happy. The families return to their normal lives, and they all still love each other and want to be with each other. If anything, Calixta is viewed as the "more good" character, for Alcee tells his wife to stay in France, as if he does not want to be with them, and is a bad father. During the time, the "over sexed" woman would be viewed as the evil one, not the man. The fact that Chopin made Calixta likable to the reader is another way of looking at the story from a feminist point of view.