AOS ‘Belonging’

1. AOS ‘Belonging’ Depth in discussion Synthesis between texts Mr D. Parsons 2012

2. Student response • Gaining understanding through two realms is also evident in This is my letter to the world by Emily Dickinson. … the persona attempts to understand her place in society through the natural world and the harsh treatment of reality. The persona develops a sense of trust with nature as “the simple news that nature told” implies the understanding that the persona is accepted in this realm.

3. The natural world is portrayed with fluid, flowery imagery as “tender majesty” suggests the persona thinks highly of this realm. In contrast the persona is quick to judge reality as the world “that never wrote to me” suggests finality and harsh criticism. Harsh pairing of letters with repetition of the ‘n’ sound mirrors her thoughts on gaining an understanding with the world.

4. …what point is it trying to make? • …how could it be improved? • …do you think its discussion is ‘in-depth’?

5. EXEMPLAR • The desire to be understood is a salient theme in Dickinson’s poetry. The poems do not offer simplistic representations of this idea, however. If nothing else, her readers become acutely aware of the complexity involved in negotiating meaningful relationships. The persona in “This is my letter to the world” embodies such a negotiation. The poem’s brevity seems well-suited to the representation of an individual’s plea to be understood as it conveys urgency and immediacy.

6. The persona’s thesis seems straightforward enough: her “letter”, “the simple news” of her self will be transmitted to “the world” in order to gain understanding; a “tender” judgment. The simplicity of these terms and their rendering in monotonous, jingly iambic metre may beguile some readers, they may miss the depth of her missive. Such depth comes in two significant phrases: “tender majesty”, and “hands I cannot see”. The first is Nature, the second is Humanity.

7. The contrast between the two captures the persona’s quandary: nature’s overwhelming sovereignty is overtly conspicuous; humanity’s reception is not even perceptible. Of course the persona is conflated with nature – “my letter” is nature’s “news” – and it is in this identity that the persona’s hope for understanding and acceptance lies (“For love of her, sweet countrymen”).

8. The poem’s ending is abrupt as is the plea and the readers will not know whether acceptance took place or not. This is the complexity that lingers on for the reader: acceptance, even of such majestic entities as those of nature, is not assured. The reader is forced to reckon that our persona may have written many more unanswered letters.

9. …what’s different about this discussion? • …can you see the depth that this discussion has? • …what are you reflections on your own writing now you’ve looked at these examples?

10. SYNTHESIS • “The collecting and connecting of many specific elements or ideas from various sources to form something new.” (BOS Glossary)

11. Workshop: Personae in “Study for Holiday” and ED’s poems… • As with Dickinson’s persona in “I had been hungry”, Smart’s persona is content to focus his gaze away from human society symbolised by the building. The irony of this decision by both personas is that they reside in and with society’s spaces, whilst simultaneously rejecting such spaces. It can be concluded that belonging is not simply determined by an individual’s place, but their attitude towards the places they inhabit.