We Grow Accustomed To The Night By Emily Dickinson Essay

Depression is an ever-changing dual sword of solitude and struggle. Emily Dickinson’s poem “We Grow Accustomed to the Dark” illustrates the concept that depression is a scarring battle that brings similar individuals together in the hope of overcoming it; however, in Robert Frost’s poem “Acquainted with the Night” depicts depression as a lone ballet to be fought by the individual themselves. Both poems use personification, metaphors, and opposite points of view to illustrate their points. Dickinson writes in a third person point of view by using “we” constantly, and phrases like “The Bravest—grope a little (13)”. She does this to emphasize that even though “The bravest…/sometimes hit a tree(13-14)” they are not alone in their struggle against the night. Dickinson also uses the moon and stars as a metaphor for hope, but this hope is not always available. Although Dickinson does not out right mention depression she implies this with the mention of darkness in conjunction with “those evenings of the brain (10)”. Frost writes in a first person point of view which is inferred by the constant use of “I”, he
Dickinson also depicts the idea that once depression is beaten the individual will be changed for better or worse, but will not necessarily suffer through depression again “either the darkness alters/ or something in the sight/ adjusts itself to midnight/ and life steps almost straight (17-20)”; however, Frost illustrates the concept that depression is a battle within ones self and thus the individual must remain in solitude. Frost also depicts the idea that depression will come and go “I have walked out in rain — and back in rain (2)” contrary to what Dickinson