Paraphrase
In “I like to see it lap the Miles,” what is the it?
A Train
Identify the literary device used when the train is described as if it is alive in “lap the Miles.”
Personification
Describe the main emotional feeling created in “There’s a Certain Slant of Light.”
invisible pain, existential dread, universal sadness
Identify what physical object is described in “There’s a Certain Slant of Light.”
A slanted winter light
Identify the punctuation mark Dickinson frequently uses to interrupt rhythm and create pauses.
Em Dash
Explain how irregular rhythm contributes to meaning in Dickinson’s poetry.
It mirrors emotional instability and the difficulty of expressing deep internal experiences.
In “I like to see it lap the Miles,”
"To fit its sides
And crawl between" refers to?
The train going through a tunnel
Identify the device used when Dickinson describes emotional contrast in phrases like “Heavenly Hurt" in There’s a Certain Slant of Light.”
Oxymoron
Explain what it means that Dickinson in “There’s a Certain Slant of Light.” says there is “no scar,” but still “internal difference.”
It suggests that emotional pain can completely change a person internally without leaving any physical or visible sign.
What does the speaker say cannot be done with this experience in "There's a Certain Slant of Light"?
cannot be taught or explained to others.
What is the connotation of "prodigious step" in “I like to see it lap the Miles"?
Indicates advancements in industrialization
Explain what the train symbolizes beyond just transportation in “I like to see it lap the Miles".
The train can symbolize unstoppable progress, human innovation, modernity itself, and questions the futures uncertainty
What happens when the train reaches the end of its movement in “I like to see it lap the Miles”?
It stops at a station or stable-like place.
What does the alliteration in "horrid - hooting stanza" portray in “I like to see it lap the Miles"?
A negative noise contrasting the beautiful power creating uncertainty.
Explain what is implied by describing the light as something that “comes” and “goes” rather than simply existing in “There’s a Certain Slant of Light.”
It suggests that the emotional experience is temporary but powerful, arriving unexpectedly and leaving a lasting internal impact.