Dear Reader

Dear Reader,

            Throughout my life, there have been a plethora of authors whom I have become enamored of; one of them is Emily Dickinson.  I have many of her poems memorized, and remember singing them to Amazing Grace, The Yellow Rose of Texas, and the Gilligan’s Island Theme Song upon many occasions.  When we had the opportunity to select our topic for the final quarter independent reading, Dickinson seemed like the perfect topic.  Not only do I like the author, but she attended Mount Holyoke where I am going next year.

            I read the novel The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson by Jerome Charyn, which details Dickinson’s life in her own voice.  Although Charyn adds fictional characters, he follows closely the events of her life.  While my initial idea was to research Mount Holyoke, where the novel begins, I was fascinated by Dickinson herself and focused on her life.

            I was surprised to find Dickinson was outspoken early in her life not just on the page.  Many people know her poetry, but few know about her life; her reason for reclusion and male friend by the name of “Master” remain a mystery today.  I wanted to investigate her life off the page, as I only before read her poetry.

            For one of my genres, I wrote a poem in the same meter Dickinson used.  It was fun to fit the words into this structure, as I have sung the poems of Dickinson for years.  I wrote about her life and the mysteries behind it even her closest family and friends never solved.

            I also wrote an annotated recipe.  Charyn wrote about Dickinson’s famous bread at Mount Holyoke, and the Emily Dickinson Museum has a post about her bread, for she was quite the baker.  She often sent loaves to friends, especially her father, for he adored her baking.  This genre seemed like a personal touch in getting to understand Dickinson.

            One thing that has always fascinated me about Dickinson is the fact that during her life, she was not known as a poet.  Now, almost everyone has heard abut her.  Her sister Lavinia, or Vinnie, was assigned the task of destroying her letters and journals upon her death and came across all of the hand bound volumes Dickinson had stored away.  I chose to write a letter from Vinnie to her brother Austin about her excitement at discovering the wonderful poetry of their sister, as I have often wondered how she felt.

            For the final genre, I made an art piece.  I drew a picture of Dickinson in the quotes of her poems, and titled it, “A Poet in her Own Words.”  Most people only know Dickinson for her poetry, so I wanted to depict her in the way she is remembered.

            Throughout my genres, I used a white dress as my golden thread.  Neighbors often described seeing Dickinson out around her house in the evenings wearing a white dress.  She was an avid gardener, and this was one of the few times she left the safety of her home.  Adorned in white, she looked like a ghost, and that reminded me of the mystery behind the poetess.  I included a white dress in each piece to represent the parts of her life no one knows about.

            I hope you enjoy!

                        Angelina

Expository Essay

Illuminating the Story Behind the Woman in White

When the name Emily Dickinson comes up, people often think of her poetry. Her writings were full of emotion, perceptions, and wit, yet these are not words most people think of to describe the author herself. Aside from her verse, people know Dickinson for her reclusive tendencies, rarely exiting her home and only doing so adorned in all white. She was an avid reader who spent most of her time in her home, gardening and visiting with select close relatives; but before 1860, Dickinson led a different lifestyle (Emily Dickinson’s Biography). To investigate the early life of Dickinson, Jerome Charyn wrote a novel entitled The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson in which he writes using Dickinson’s own voice and tells her entire story, the life of an outspoken young woman to solitary poetess.

Dickinson grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts as one of three children. Although close with both her brother and sister, she had many friends in the neighborhood. She attended schooling through one year of college, as her father wanted his daughters educated. Dickinson had a relatively normal childhood filled with family, friends, and fun. The most notable influence scholars have identified as an inspiration to her poetry is the whereabouts of Dickinson’s childhood home. During her early years many relatives passed away, and the view from her bedroom contained the city cemetery. Not only did Dickinson experience the pain of death of people she knew, but having a view of the cemetery, she witnessed the frequent burials that took place in town (Emily Dickinson’s Biography). With this exposure, she became fascinated with immortality, a subject that would later show up in her poetry. 

One of the most notable times in Dickinson’s life was her time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. While some women attended schooling at the time, not many went on past the equivalent of high school. Although her father wanted all of his children educated, even he was weary about her continuing that far in her schooling. Nonetheless Dickinson was a part of one of the first classes at Mount Holyoke. Now the place is a women’s college, but at the time of her attendance, religion was a major part of the curriculum. Dickinson resided with her cousin Lavinia, and while she excelled in her studies, she lacked in the religious aspect the founder Mary Lyon put such a large emphasis on. Lyon envisioned higher education for women of all socioeconomic backgrounds, focusing on science which was less available to women, but she also held meetings with the students in which she influenced them to profess their faith (Mary). It is in this setting that Dickinson spoke out. She was unsure about her religious beliefs, and she would often refuse to admit to the presence of a god as well as aim her comments personally at Lyon and her views (Charyn). Having the guts to stand up to the head of the seminary she attended does not fit in with the picture many hold of Dickinson. Be that as it may, she left after one year, maybe as a result of the focus on religion. 

One of the focuses of Charyn’s book and the topic of study for many scholars is what happened that caused Dickinson to go from an outspoken social butterfly to a recluse who seldom saw people other than her brother and his wife. One explanation Charyn examines in more detail is her love life (Charyn). While the poet never married, she did have many male acquaintances throughout her early years, some of whom she became seriously involved with. Charyn makes up some fictional male characters, but some real beau’s of Dickinson include Benjamin Newton, George Gould, Judge Otis Lord, and a mystery man whom she wrote to as “Master” (Emily Dickinson’s Love). One lengthy and notable relation was with Lord, and this occurred during a tumultuous time in her life when both of her parents fell ill and her mother ended up dying. Some scholars suggest that these hardships accompanied by her relationships ending caused Dickinson to spend more and more of her time within her home.

Even when Dickinson resided in her home, her poetry was full of emotion and feeling. She took inspiration from other poets at the time, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and John Keats were among her favorites (Emily Dickinson). Some of her poems were also inspired by former relationships or her constant view of the cemetery, but some came out of relationships she continued to have which are documented in her letters. Whilst her public persona was that of a recluse, Dickinson continued her outspoken manner in all forms of her writing. Per the custom of the time to destroy a person’s letters upon their death scholars estimate only a tenth of her correspondence was found, but even that fraction shows her continued love, warm family relations, and wit in expressing her thoughts (About). The world may never know who the mysterious “Master” was, the exact cause of her social reclusion, the specific inspirations for her writing, but Dickinson should be known for her existence as an eloquent poetess and the outspoken woman behind the ghostly figure illuminated in white.

Bibliography

Bibliography

"About Dickinson's Writings." About Dickinson's Writings: An Introduction | Emily Dickinson

Museum. Emily Dickinson Museum, n.d. Web. 16 May 2015.

Charyn, Jerome. The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson. New York: Norton, 2010. Print.

"Emily Dickinson." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 16 May 2015.

"Emily Dickinson's Biography." Emily Dickinson's Biography | Emily Dickinson Museum.

Emily Dickinson Museum, n.d. Web. 16 May 2015.

"Emily Dickinson's Love Life." Emily Dickinson's Love Life | Emily Dickinson Museum. Emily

Dickinson Museum, n.d. Web. 16 May 2015.

"Mary Lyon." Mary Lyon (1797-1849), Teacher. Emily Dickinson Museum, n.d. Web. 16 May

2015.

Genre 4: A Poet in her Own Words

A picture of Emily made of her own poetry:

Genre 3: Emily's Famous Coconut Cake

Genre 2: A Letter From Lavinia

Brother Austin,

Upon going through the odds and ends for our dear departed sister, I found the most fascinating thing!  Father told me to go through and destroy all of her letters.  Don’t tell him, but before doing so I read a few.  It looks like sister had more male acquaintances than we thought!  Her most recent letters were full of loving notes and written to someone by the name of Master.  Do you have any idea who that could be?

While her correspondence was fascinating, that was not the only treasure I found.  Stashed in her drawers and boxes underneath her bed, Emily had over twenty hand-bound books.  No wonder she spend so much of her time alone in her room!  I assumed they were her diaries so naturally I took a peak, but what I found was even better.  Remember when she had that one poem published anonymously in that magazine years ago?  That was not her only attempt at poetry as she told us.  All twenty bound books were full of verse after verse after verse.  And although I am no literary critic, in my opinion she is a wonderful poetess!  I will include one of my favorites so far along with this letter.

I cannot wait for you to arrive back home.  I know it is a sad day, and a less than joyful trip to return for the sake of Emily’s funeral.  We are all saddened here.  Emily was stubborn up until her final moments, not allowing the doctor to come near enough to her to do the necessary tests.  She always was distant, but one would think she would allow a doctor near her!  Anyway, although the circumstances are less than desirable, I am excited to see you.  Maybe we can examine her letters and poetry together, for I believe we will learn something new about our quiet and prim sister from her writings!  For someone who spent the bulk of her time gardening or writing locked away in her room, her poems are sure full of emotion!

Oh, also one last logistical thing.  Emily asked to be buried in her favorite white dress.  I know it has the stain from when she wore it baking her scrumptious coconut cake, but I would like to fulfill her wishes.  It would be nice to see her in a different color, for maybe she wouldn’t appear so ghost like!  The neighbors are always asking about her attire by the way.  Anyhow, I cannot locate the dress here and believe it is at your house.  Could you bring it with you?

Fondly,

  Vinnie

My favorite of Emily’s poems thus far:

Success is counted sweetest

By those who ne’er succeed.

To comprehend a nectar

Requires sorest need..

Not one of all the purple Host

Who took the Flag today

Can tell the definition

So clear of victory

As he defeated - dying -

On whose forbidden ear

The distant strains of triumph

Burst agonized and clear!

Genre One: A Dickinson Style Poem

Most people only saw her dress

Upon rare trips out doors,

A ghostly figured draped in white

Gard’ning, doing chores.

Her life she kept close to her chest

Allowing few friends in,

She only shared her deepest thoughts

Through writings swift and thin.

Her life was not always this way

She used to speak her mind,

Spoke out against Mistress Lyon

Religion she declined.

Although she seldom left her plants

She had many a beau,

She told this love through verse and rhyme

Yet disclosed to no soul.

And now she’s know for graceful verse

A loved poetess,

But all most know about her life

Recluse with a white dress.

It is fascinating to me how you can think you know a fair amount of information about a topic, but then discover that there are so many more stories and facts waiting to be discovered.  This is how I feel about Emily Dickinson, for I have read her poetry and a few letters over the years and her words have intrigued me.  Jerome Charyn's novel The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson has turned what I thought I knew about the poet on its head.  Although Charyn adds a few fictional characters and writes in Dickinson's own voice albeit using his words, many of his ideas are based in fact.

First of all, it was amazing to uncover the outspoken, stubborn, and even mischievous nature Dickinson had.  Throughout the novel Charyn has her stand up to headmistress Lyon about her beliefs on religion, chase multiple men, and rendezvous into far less cultured places of town in the evenings.  Dickinson was known for her reclusive tendencies, something that began around 1860.  While she remained in her home with only few and select visitors from that time on, no one would have seen this behavior coming considering her actions earlier in life.  What also interests me is what lead to this change in her life.  Is it one of her male friends as many have suggested?

I have been thinking a lot about what to do for the essay as well as the other four pieces for the project.  Today my idea for a golden thread hit me, so I believe this will influence the direction I go.  At Mount Holyoke College, each grade level has an animal and a color, all four of which rotate each year with the incoming class.  The combinations are Blue Lyon, Red Pegasus, Green Griffin, and Yellow Sphinx, the latter of which will be the marker for the class I will be a part of.  This tradition was not in place when Dickinson attended, nor did she remain at the school all four years to graduate, but had she been assigned a marker, it would have been a Yellow Sphinx.  I hope to use this as my golden thread.

For the expository essay, I plan to look at the side of Dickinson I was unaware of or what lead to her reclusive tendencies.  For my four other pieces, I tried to think of interesting ideas to make the assignment fun!  I plan to write a poem in the same meter Dickinson used, an annotated recipe of her bread famous at Mount Holyoke and within her family, a journal entry during her final months when everyone around her was also sick and she was bedridden, and a letter of her sisters about her surprise when she was assigned the task of throwing out Dickinson's letters and then discovered her nearly 2000 poems.  I cannot wait to get started!

For the final quarter of independent reading this school year, I selected The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson by Jerome Charyn.  Not only do I love Dickinson's poetry, but I was also drawn to the book because of the setting.  The opening section takes place at Mount Holyoke College, which Dickinson attended close to its opening.  I am going to attend Mount Holyoke this coming year, and thought it would be interesting to learn more about its history.  It was the first of the Seven Sisters.

The novel begins during Dickinson's time at school.  As one of the first few classes of women to attend, Dickinson knows Mary Lyon, the founder of the college.  Charyn writes in the first person, so it is as if I am reading the words of Dickinson.  Lyon is a strict and rigid mentor.  Upon the opening of the school it was also a seminary, so there is tension between the two characters, for Dickinson is not sure if she believes in a higher power.  The dynamic between the two is intriguing and I am curious to see how their disputes get handled.

Knowing I am going to attend Mount Holyoke, I originally thought that would be the topic of my research to accompanying the reading of the novel.  While the novel gives an interesting look at Lyon and the college at its beginning, I am no longer sure if this is the road I will take.  There certainly is a lot of interesting history behind the school and its role as the first women's college, intended to educate women at a time when this was rare, but this is only one section of the novel.  The focus is on Dickinson, and her character may guide my research toward her life, and she and the history that accompanies her also seems intriguing to me.

Most people know Dickinson for her poems and reclusive tendencies.  These are both a part of the novel, but not yet in the first half or so of the novel.  In fact, at Mount Holyoke, Dickinson is portrayed, based in fact, as outspoken.  She defies Lyon's ideas on a high power, speaks back to the teachers, and spends time with the only male on the property.  Her behavior is striking to me, as I was unaware of the spunk she had when attending schooling.  It is interesting to have my ideas of Dickinson shattered and to have a new picture of what she was truly like arise.  This also makes me wonder what is next to come, for the summary of the novel mentions her shift to a more reclusive life style.  My current thoughts are either that this is just what people saw, or that she changed when her father died, as the two were close.  I cannot wait to find out, and to continue my research upon finishing the novel!