Getting Accustomed to the Dark: The Central Idea of Dickinson’s Stanza Two
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Paraphrase stanza two of "We grow accustomed to the Dark". What is the central idea of this stanza?
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We don't rush out into the dark. We walk slowly at first, until we get used to the night. Then, as our eyes adjust to the dark, we walk more confidently. The central idea is that we walk slowly until we are used to the darkness.
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What does Dickinson mean 'Beyond the literal meanings of the words when she says "We grow accustomed to the Dark?" With this interpretation in mind, consider the lines, "And so of larger—Darkness--/ Those Evenings of the Brain—": To what might these lines refer?
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Darkness is uncertainty. Darkness is always present, and one must learn how to navigate it. "Those Evenings of the Brain" might refer to dark thoughts or depression. It is possible to navigate emotional darkness. In lines 13-16, Dickinson explains that those who are brave learn to "grope" through darkness. In line 20, "Life seems almost straight" could refer to adjusting to a way of life.
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Dickinson uses images of eyes and sight in both poem. Explain whether she uses theses images.
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In "We grow accustomed to the Dark," the concept of sight is figurative; people can eventually see through the dark. In line 7, our eyes get used to the dark, and in line 16, we learn to see. In "Before I got my eye put out," the idea of sight is literal; being able to see again is overwhelming. If the speaker regained her sight, her heart "Would split" (lines 7-8), and news of being able to regain her sight would strike her dead (line 17).
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Write a summary of the conclusion the speaker comes to at the end of each poem. How and why do they differ? Cite lines from each poem to support your explanation.
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In "We grow accustomed to the Dark," the speaker comes to the conclusion that we can eventually see through Darkness as our surroundings adjust or we adjust to them. In "Before I got my eye put out," the speaker has accepted blindness and reveals that it is safer to rely on imagination than to actually see. These are opposite conclusions. In the first poem, the speaker wants to see. Either something changes about the darkness (line 17) or something changes in the viewer (lines 18-19); but the result is that life seems normal again. In the second poem, the speaker believes it is safer to depend on imagination (line 18), as "Creatures" who can see are "incautious," or described as having no restraint (line 21).
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"We grow accustomed to the Dark" Lines 1-20: Silently read the first line of the poem and note the pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. Then divide the line into feet and tell the meter of the line. Examine the meter in the other lines in the stanza and tell whether the meter is consistent. How does rhythm create impact with one-syllable words such as "Dark" and "Lamp"?
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Tetrameter. No. The second and fourth lines each have three feet. The rhythm emphasizes those words.
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"We grow accustomed to the Dark" Lines 16-20: Paraphrase these lines of the poem.
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As people's eyes grow used to the dark, there's a change. Either the night turns out to be less dark, or their vision adapts to the darkness. In either case, everything seems normal.
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"Before I got my eye put out" Lines 1-8: Which words rhyme in the first line? Which word is emphasized with this rhyme? What other words in the first two stanzas repeat the "i" sound?
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"I," "my", and "eye". "eye". "liked," "might," mine," and "size".
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"Before I got my eye put out" Lines 14-17: What example of consonance is in the fourth stanza? What words are examples of assonance in lines 14-15?
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"Dipping" and "Morning's," lines 14-15. "Motions," and "Road"; "Birds" and "Amber".
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"Before I got my eye put out" Lines 18-21: Paraphrase the final stanza of the poem. What word might you use to replace "soul" in line 18? What word might replace "Creatures" in line 20? What word might replace "Incautious" in line 21? Write a summary of this stanza.
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*I guess it is safer to look out the window just using my memory, unlike other people who recklessly look at everything around them.* Memory; thoughts. People. Reckless. Using my imagination to see things is better than actually seeing them.
