Summary Of Emily Dickinson's Publication Is The Auction
Michelle Reigle
ENG 2750 Close Reading
January 23, 2015 In her poem 788, "Publication – is the Auction", Emily Dickinson claims that creating works to be published disparages the author. In the first two lines, Dickinson provides a very demeaning description of publication by comparing it to auctioning off one's mind. The capitalization in the phrase "Mind of Man" suggests that Dickinson considers the mind to be of great importance. The capitalization of "Auction" in the first line adds emphasis to the word and suggests that the auction being spoken of is not just any auction but the auction of something important and even sacred. In the next two lines of the stanza, Dickinson continues to express her disdain towards publication by using very harsh, negative language. She states that those who publish their works are deserving of "Poverty". She describes the act of publication itself as "so foul a thing". …show more content…
The second stanza of Dickinson's poem demonstrates the alternative to the creation of works for publication.
Her use of repetition of the color white in this stanza implies purity. The speaker would rather "go/ White - unto the White Creator-". The phrase "go/ White" implies to go pure. The phrase "the White Creator" once again uses the color white to show that the "Creator" being spoken of is also pure. The capitalization of "White Creator" suggests this person is of great importance and is likely a higher power such as God. The final line of the stanza, "Than invest – Our Snow - ", once again uses the color white with the word "Snow" as a symbol of purity. This time "Our Snow" likely refers back to the "Mind of Man" from the first stanza. Put together, the lines of the second stanza imply that the speaker would rather die having only written works that were unpublished, but pure than to write simply for the value of
publication. The third stanza appears to build on the idea presented in the second stanza of purity and God. The first line states "Thought belong to Him who gave it-". "Him" is capitalized, likely referring once again to God. Here, Dickinson is suggesting that our thoughts were given to us by God and so they belong to Him. The next line says, "Then – to Him Who bear". The dash that Dickinson uses in this line creates an emphasis on the word "Then" and also creates a large pause between "Then" and the next word. This emphasis and pause created by the dash make it clear that the thoughts belong to God first and foremost and to the person who has them second.
ENG 2750 Close Reading
January 23, 2015 In her poem 788, "Publication – is the Auction", Emily Dickinson claims that creating works to be published disparages the author. In the first two lines, Dickinson provides a very demeaning description of publication by comparing it to auctioning off one's mind. The capitalization in the phrase "Mind of Man" suggests that Dickinson considers the mind to be of great importance. The capitalization of "Auction" in the first line adds emphasis to the word and suggests that the auction being spoken of is not just any auction but the auction of something important and even sacred. In the next two lines of the stanza, Dickinson continues to express her disdain towards publication by using very harsh, negative language. She states that those who publish their works are deserving of "Poverty". She describes the act of publication itself as "so foul a thing". …show more content…
The second stanza of Dickinson's poem demonstrates the alternative to the creation of works for publication.
Her use of repetition of the color white in this stanza implies purity. The speaker would rather "go/ White - unto the White Creator-". The phrase "go/ White" implies to go pure. The phrase "the White Creator" once again uses the color white to show that the "Creator" being spoken of is also pure. The capitalization of "White Creator" suggests this person is of great importance and is likely a higher power such as God. The final line of the stanza, "Than invest – Our Snow - ", once again uses the color white with the word "Snow" as a symbol of purity. This time "Our Snow" likely refers back to the "Mind of Man" from the first stanza. Put together, the lines of the second stanza imply that the speaker would rather die having only written works that were unpublished, but pure than to write simply for the value of
publication. The third stanza appears to build on the idea presented in the second stanza of purity and God. The first line states "Thought belong to Him who gave it-". "Him" is capitalized, likely referring once again to God. Here, Dickinson is suggesting that our thoughts were given to us by God and so they belong to Him. The next line says, "Then – to Him Who bear". The dash that Dickinson uses in this line creates an emphasis on the word "Then" and also creates a large pause between "Then" and the next word. This emphasis and pause created by the dash make it clear that the thoughts belong to God first and foremost and to the person who has them second.