Theme Of Human Mind By Emily Dickinson - 799 Words

The human mind and its capacity for learning and thinking is a subject with diametrically opposed groups of thought. On one hand, there is the theory that the human mind is an infinite expanse, and has no real limit to thoughts or creations it is capable of. The other belief is that humans are entirely dependent on some outside influence to decide what to think. The latter concept is a state referred to as â€Å"mindlessness,† which is a contradiction in itself (Thinking that the human mind is incapable of thought). This debate is an old one, and has been explored by authors and philosophers across time. One such explorer on this line of questioning was the famous and reclusive early American poet, Emily Dickinson. Many of Dickinson’s poems†¦show more content†¦While there are a number of Dickinson’s poems that portray the mind as very limited and dependent on others, even more of her poems praise the independence and understanding possible by a determin ed mind. Her poem â€Å"The Brain- is Wider Than The Sky-† is the most distinct example. The last stanza of this poem claims, â€Å"The Brain is just the weight of God—†¨/For—Heft them—Pound for Pound—†¨/And they will differ—if they do—†¨/As Syllable from Sound—† Dickinson boldly compares the brain (in this case, referring to the mind and its capabilities as well) to God. Not only is human understanding unlimited, but it is so great, that it is equal to God in ability to create, think, understand, etc. Another poem that expresses this view of human understanding (though not nearly to such a degree) is the poem called â€Å"The Soul Selects Her Own Society.† In it, Dickinson claims, â€Å"The Soul selects her own Society —/Then — shuts the Door —† The soul in this instance makes a decision, then â€Å"shuts the door† to outside influence. The mention of the soul se lecting a â€Å"society† of her own supports the idea that individuals are indeed capable of making decisions independently. While both views of human understanding are expressed in Dickinson’s poetry, she seems to favor the belief in an unlimited ability. Even her poems describing a docile and dependent mind stillShow MoreRelatedCharles Bukowski s Poem, A Genius, And Power Of The Human Mind1513 Words   |  7 Pagespessimistically about the human brain and disrespects the good that comes from it, yet does not hold back on describing its power. He uses dark, extreme examples to describe hidden truths in today s society. In Emily Dickinson’s poem, â€Å"[The Brain—is wider than the Sky—],† she talks about the power of the human brain, complimenting and respecting it to things thought to be incomparable. Both Dickinson’s and Bukowski’s poems show the strength and power of the human mind, but their views on what theRead More Lite rary Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poetry Essays1053 Words   |  5 PagesLiterary Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poetry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous authors in American History, and a good amount of that can be attributed to her uniqueness in writing. In Emily Dickinsons poem Because I could not stop for Death, she characterizes her overarching theme of Death differently than it is usually described through the poetic devices of irony, imagery, symbolism, and word choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emily Dickinson likes to use many different forms of poetic devicesRead More`` Much Madness Is The Divinest Sense `` By Emily Dickinson1086 Words   |  5 Pagesmost becoming of the late great Emily Dickinson. By virtue of the multitudinous biographical literary works, moreover the wondrous intimacy of Dickinson’s poetry, one could surmise that as readers we comprehend her entirely: yet the most prevalent experience borne from reading Emily’s work, especially if her poems are read successively, is that we come away feeling as though we know nothing at all. Like no author before her and very few after her, Emily Dickinson divulges her hearts hidden secretsRead MoreEmily Dickinson s Emily And The English Specking World Essay1744 Words   |  7 Pages Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson is a very well-known poet. Emily wrote many poems. She has written 1700-2000 poems (4) According to Nicolas Tredell, there was â€Å"only eleven poems published during her lifetime.† (4) She did not know about most of them being published. Dickinson’s sister found the poems and turned them in to be published. Emily did not want her poems to be seen. Dickinson is one of the great poets. 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Her father was Edward Dickinson, and her mother was also named Emily, Emily Norcross Dickinson. Emily Dickinson went to Mount Holyoke College, a small private school in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She’s known as one of the best American Poet. Emily s poem were frequently perceived by a wide range of writersRead MoreLife And Nature Are Very Similar. Both Are Complex, Yet1124 Words   |  5 Pagesbeautiful, and both are all around, yet cannot be created artificially. The constitution of both is often explored in different forms of art, such as poetry. In her poem, â€Å"Nature† Is What We See, Emily Dickinson uses personification, imagery, contrast, and an extensive use of dashes to convey the theme of nature’s dangerous beauty and incredible simplicity, as well as its extreme complexity and the completeness of its unattainability. By personifying nature as a woman, the author captures some ofRead MoreEmily Dickinson Poetry Essay1591 Words   |  7 PagesEmily Dickinson’s Poetry There is a lot more to poetry than just the words themselves. â€Å"What William Shakespeare called, â€Å"the mind’s eye† also plays a role† (Borus34). What that means is that your experiences and thoughts will add to your understanding. Dickinson had an active mind and a style so unique and unusual with her writing. Something that was very unusual about her writing was that she never put a title to her poems. Just like many poets, she used a wide assortment of literary devices suchRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop For Death Literary Analysis918 Words   |  4 PagesAround the world, people of all cultures, religions, and so on, each acquired their own beliefs on unique aspects of spirituality, and the life of a human and what happens after life on the planet. Though most people believe in a universal definition of life as being joyful, fruitful, and a positive subject, death, on the other hand, has numerous definitions between each person. Some people consider death to be morbid, horrifying, and a negative thing, whereas others celebrate death and believe thatRead MoreAn Analysis of I Heard a Fly Buzz- When I Died and Jilting of Granny Weatherall1714 Words   |  7 Pagesarticle â€Å"Human Salvation in an Evolutionary World: An Exploration in Christian Naturalism† by Karl Peters, Peters states salvations is â€Å"not primarily to a future life after death but a transformation in this life of both ourselves and this world† (Peters, 845). Salvation is not only something that can be found after death; people can finds salvation at any point by deciding to make a transformation in their lives to better themselves as well as the world around them. However, most humans seek salvation