After reading a few of the posts I noticed that no one is really reading Emily Dickinson for enjoyment..not that I do but I thought it was an interesting observation.
After reading a few of the posts I noticed that no one is really reading Emily Dickinson for enjoyment..not that I do but I thought it was an interesting observation.
*waves hand* I do.
I don't tend to discuss most of the books/poetry I read for pleasure, though. My teachers made sure I got that out of my system in high school; I'm always afraid that if I discuss what I've read, it will lose its magic, like it did in school.
If you had to live with this you'd rather lie than fall.
You think I can't fly? Well, you just watch me!
~The Dresden Dolls
She's one of my favorite poets,but school takes enjoyment out of everything because they believe there can only be one interpretation of a literary work(at least in my school) and your opinions don't really matter. Then I recieve a zero because I refuse to conform to my indoctrinate masters.
Man I hope that was the right word.
I love to read Dickinson for pleasure, and I wish there was more discussion of her. It's very sad if school makes you think anything is boring when it is interesting, and that your opinion isn't valid. I am a person who thinks everyone ought to have their own opinion on everything. I have a personal vision of literature and history, and if school makes it seem boring, or like I can't have my own opinion, I log onto a Russian history forum and hopefully this forum, and post my opinions completely unfazed.
I personally love school, homework, teachers and the classes. Think everyone if there wasn't school what would be your purpose??? Life without purpose is so hard to live, its like your walking in a long road and the end never comes. Everyone reaches their destination except you...anyways, I read Emily's poems only for pleasure but if we ever do have to do it for school i would love it!!!
School was what got me into likeing poetry, and first introduced me to Emily Dickinson, which then led on to me reading Emily's stuff for pleasure. So I'm pretty thankfull to my school for that. Frankly though, where I went to school one's own opinions in literature were strongly encouraged.
whats odd is that although i've been really into Emily's work for ages now, and although i've (sort of) been looking for this forum for ages also, I only found it just now.
Last edited by alja123; 07-09-2006 at 08:42 PM.
well, I read Emily's poems for pleasure. I'm brazilian, so my school doesn't even mention her name during literature classes (we see only nacional authors or portuguese ones, from the 16th century or whatever), but I came across her poem about hope a few years ago, and I just loved it. since then I'm just trying to read a little more from her.
by the way, does anyone know which is the best book with her poems? I found many here, but they are all translated to portuguese and I would really like to have one in English, but I can't make up my mind in which to buy.
anyway, sorry for any mistakes in what I said here, my english is not that good :P
Personally, I find Emily Dickinson shallow and insipid. I had to read her in English this year, I wasn't sure if I could make it all the way through without puking.
Snow White is doing dishes again, 'cause what else can you do with seven itty bitty men?
I do, ever since I got a collection of her poems in 6th grade, when I couldn't even read (in english!). I love her work.
Shall these bones live?
I don't read them for pleasure only for my classes. I've also noticed a number of posts where people ask for help in writing papers for one of Dickinson's poems and the help is negligible. Is it that people don't understand Dickinson's work or perhaps that nobody cares enough to help?
@Mapgirl: The thing is you're supposed to do these assignments yourself. People like to help but they don't want to write your homework (or anybody else's).
@Topic: I read E. Dickinson's works solely for pleasure. Some of her poems may not be to me liking but overally, I like her style.
Last edited by Themis; 02-09-2008 at 06:31 AM.
“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”- Robert McCloskey
I think there is a lot to love about Dickinson’s poetry. It’s just that most of the time when people ask for help on her stuff they don’t specify which aspect or they don’t contribute anything to the discussion, which turns the whole love of reading poetry into homework. Actually this goes for any of the posts asking for help on poems or poets. Most of the active threads of authors you see people discussing here are for pure enjoyment, and not for projects or assignments.
I read Emily's poems for pleasure. In fact, I read one everyday from her 'Complete poems' and I love it. She's just brilliant.
But I like this thread! I mean, it is true that a lot of people read her poems just for college or something like that and a genius like Emily Dickinson deserves much, much more.
Katherine Mansfield and Emily Dickinson: My everlasting love stories.
'Make thy books thy companions. Let thy cases and shelves be thy pleasure grounds and gardens.'
Dickinson, although required in my studies, is one of the few poets I read for enjoyment.
I enjoy Miss Emily's work but confess that interpreting them can be quite a challenge!
Back in the 50s and 60s Marianne Moore was the most popular poetess that we had in NYC. But Emily surpassed her in popularity ever since. Perhaps it is because her work can be subjected to differing interpretations which can readily be altered with the passage of time!
When stupidity is considered patriotism, it is unsafe to be intelligent
~ Isaac Asimov