Don't Kick Someone that is Down

(https://brilliant.org)

The adage, “do not kick someone that is down” is a vital message that is seen throughout history and literature. The short story “Thank you M’am” (read it here!) by Langston Hughes was published in 1958 (http://americanliterature.com); however, the story demonstrates that the poor boy, Roger, should not be punished for a minor incident of attempted theft. Mrs. Jones used her power to support Roger and lead him in the morally correct direction rather than simply reporting him to the police to face disciplinary action. Mrs. Jones sympathetic reaction to Roger was the ideal manner to handle the situation because Roger will not likely commit unhonorable, illegal acts in the future, he is given a sense of hope, and he will reciprocate similar acts of compassion in the future.

Mrs. Jones’ lesson to Roger will resonate with him for the rest of his life because of the vulnerable state in which he received the message. Mrs. Jones was in a clear sense of power because Roger had, “sweat popped out on [the boy’s] face and he began to struggle” (Hughes 2); Mrs. Jones used this power to scare Roger to amplify the tone of her message. Roger is a poverty stricken fourteen or fifteen year old boy with a dirty face, minimal adult guidance, and in need of new clothes. Roger’s fear stems from the unpredictability of Mrs. Jones’ actions; Roger is unsure whether he will be reported to the police. Instead of a harsh disciplinary response, Mrs. Jones feeds, cleans, and gives Roger ten dollars. Mrs. Jones’ final reminder is, “because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet” (Hughes 4). Mrs. Jones kindness in caring for the boy left him in a state of shock as he could barely verbalize “thank you” (Hughes 4). The imagery of Roger being overcome with gratitude and surprise suggests to the reader that Roger will respect Mrs. Jones’ message because of the compassion that she showed Roger when he was most vulnerable, and the prospect of hope that she provides.

For a short time, Mrs. Jones treats Roger like her own son; it appears that Mrs. Jones genuinely cares about Roger’s well being. The hope and support Mrs. Jones offers Roger is more constructive than any punishment that she or the police could have given Roger. Not only did Mrs. Jones provide Roger with tangible goods, such as ten dollars for a new pair of shoes, but she developed Roger’s character and values in manner that he had never been taught before. Initially, Roger’s only goal was to run away from Mrs. Jones, however their relationship mature over the course of the story. When Roger thought, “He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run, run!” (Hughes 3) he resisted the urge and remained with Mrs. Jones, which demonstrates Roger’s growing sense of trust in Mrs. Jones. Roger begins to believe that some people are naturally well meaning and caring of others; Roger has likely not experienced this level of support before in his life. Mrs. Jones has taught Roger the characteristics of compassion, kindness, and integrity, which provides Roger with the hope that there are still good people in the world, and he can escape poverty; Mrs. Jones passes this along in good faith that Roger will reciprocate these ideals in the future.

Mrs. Jones handles Roger with tact, respect, and care that Roger will impart on others in the future. Mrs. Jones does not speak to Roger as a lesser human; instead, she speaks to Roger as a parent figure. She does not place herself on a pedestal and suggest that she has never done anything wrong, nor does she “ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would embarrass him” (Hughes 3). Mrs. Jones further demonstrated her good faith and upstanding character by trusting Roger to independently purchase sweet milk for the cocoa, while understanding that Roger may just run away. At the end of the story, Mrs. Jones addresses Roger, “Eat some more, son,” (Hughes 4) as if they share a familial connection. Given the trusting, supportive relationship between the two, and the appreciative, tongue-tied farewell, Roger will carry Mrs. Jones message with him for the rest of his life.

Roger begins the story as a directionless and confused street orphan; however, the guidance of Mrs. Jones developes Roger’s character to understand the character traits of compassion, kindness, and tact. Mrs. Jones provided Roger with a punishment more constructive and helpful than any law enforcement can provide. Mrs. Jones altered Roger’s life drastically and lead him in an ethically responsible path. Instead of kicking Roger when he was down, Mrs. Jones helped him up; this is a timeless character trait that everyone should impart upon their daily lives.

Watch this Ted Talk to learn how to help people up: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chXsLtHqfdM

Carry it forward. 

“Thank you M’am”, an Argument for Criminal Justice Reform

The short story “Thank you M’am” by Langston Hughes challenges the notions of punishment and rehabilitation that are the backbone of our criminal justice system. Whilst the United States employs a system of punishment and deterrence, Scandinavian countries such as Norway have experimented with more rehabilitative programs. In “Thank you M’am” the woman represents a rehabilitative approach to justice, whereas the society around her represents an approach that would suck the boy into a never ending cycle of punishment and reoffence. Especially in poor communities, people like Luella Bates Washington Jones understand the struggles of young men and aim to steer young offenders onto the right path instead of taking them off the path all together.

In “Thank you M’am” Roger, a young hoodlum, attempts to rob an old lady's purse. This old lady, however, turns out to be stronger than expected and defends herself. Clearly angered, she “put[s] a half-nelson about his neck” and drags him to her apartment (Hughes 2). The young boy expects the worst, fearing to go to jail and face harsh punishment. To the contrary, Ms. Jones sits down with him, cooks him a meal, and shares anecdotes from her life with him. The fears of looming punishment, however harsh, did not deter Roger from perpetrating crime and neither do they deter kids nowadays. The pull of material goods and their associated vanity, that have only grown in our modern consumerist society, were just too much for Roger to resist. Ms. Jones who has “done things, too, which [she] would not tell you (Roger)” understands these powerful forces that drag young men into crime (Hughes 3). With this clear understanding of the motivations and repercussions of crime, Luella Jones reaches out to the boy and tells him “shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet” (Hughes 4). She opens his eyes to the facetiousness of a system that forces boys, like Roger, to steal from old ladies, like herself, and hopes this will steer him away from the wrong path in the future. Instead of being caught in an endless cycle of repercussions and reoffense, Roger listens to Ms. Jones and even thanks her at the end.

The criminal justice system Roger would have been subject to still maintains a recidivism rate of 76.6 %. In contrast to this, Norway, which employs a rehabilitative system akin to Ms. Jones approach, boasts a recidivism rate of 20 %. The boy is fully aware of and greatly fears jail, but that does not stop him from robbing an equally poor old lady. Unless he is provided with the crucial skills that will help him acquire the desired material goods and the social standing they are associated with he will be caught in a vicious cycle of crime, punishment, and reoffense. Norway’s criminal justice system, like Luella Bates Washington Jones, aims to provide those skills instead of weighing young men down with punishment and social ostracism. The boy is flabbergasted by this approach and his openness results in a better outcome for all parties. It would not have benefited Roger, Luella Bates Washington Jones, or even society in general to harshly punish Roger and then welcome him back into the system with a 76.6 % probability. German rappers like Xatar have been through this vicious system and share the same insights as Ms. Jones. In a song released after his 5 year jail sentence he confronts the system directly criticizing that “you lock us in a cage/ and when we reenter society you expect us to be tamed (Genius.com).” The facts and personal accounts from across the world speak for themselves.

The politicians and administrators of our criminal justice system get locked into a cycle of penalizing crime, recidivism, toughening of punishment, and repeated offense. As President Obama lamented in a Vice Documentary entitled "Fixing the System" “Nobody ever lost an election because they were too tough on crime.” Instead of continuously toughening laws against crime and incarcerating more and more people the system must take to heart the parable of “Thank you M’am.” An effective criminal justice system requires real experience and insight, not political power play.

Not for Buddha, but for Myself

Not for Buddha, but for Myself

Sungwoo Park

        The fundamental principle of Transcendentalism lies on the idea that individuals are innately good beings and should be considered as significant parts of nature. Champions of this belief often claim that social institutions have prohibited many from acknowledging their own individualities. They also argue that every individual is unique and is like a root of a plant that encompasses all men. For instance, Emerson claims that an ideal man is “he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” Moreover, Thoreau once stated that people should “regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of nature.” He later pointed out the significance of walking because this action often allows an individual to profoundly meditate and reflect on one’s life. For me, visiting temples and traveling by myself have always been my ways of praising myself for success, scolding myself for mistakes, and retracing my steps.

        Buddhism itself is a religion of meditation. Followers never deified Buddha as a holy figure but respected him as a wise mentor who provided guidance for an individual to contemplate. As Buddha said that conquering oneself is harder than conquering others, his words place much emphasis on one’s inner self, and temples always provide a perfect environment for one to completely calm down and put down all burdens that one had from such a rigorous life. As soon as I place my feet into a temple, I am more comfortable than when I am mingled with many people in urban areas because temples are often located in the wilderness to sink into nature. Since a temple is always silent with only birds humming and wind gently dragging the leaves, this peaceful environment becomes a spiritual space just for me and Buddha. Once I reach the Holy Land, a metaphor used by Thoreau to depict the discovery of a self-identity, I cannot see anyone but Buddha who has always been willing to listen to me. For me, Buddha is not a genie who grants my wishes; he is simply a person who endlessly would listen to my complaints, hopes, and he is my best friend whom I can confide my secrets with. In Walking, Thoreau considers people who leisurely stroll as Holy-Landers because successfully meditating and reflecting upon oneself require much energy and perseverance. Reaching the level where one can proudly detect one’s individuality and rectify and strengthen one’s weaknesses, according to Thoreau, is a holy process of deification. When I pray to Buddha as I visit temples, I am brought to a different world. I subconsciously think of every bad sins I have committed, and Buddha, as a sage and a teacher, helps me admonish the devil and strengthen my weak ego and will. As walking also makes one think of what one hopes to achieve in the future as a strong individual of such a rigorous, competitive society, praying and meditating allows me to cleanse my contaminated thoughts and plan out my bright future. Therefore, as Buddhist meditation invigorates my soul, allows me to reflect upon and reprimand myself, and provides me the correct path towards success as a stalwart individual, my “walking” is communicating with Buddha at a temple.

        The primary role of a religion is to provide reliance and leeway for people who are arduously fighting against such a demanding society that asks everyone to fulfill his or her responsibilities. One of the main reasons Transcendentalists were opposed to the establishment and development of social organizations was that these groups inevitably formed social hierarchies that forced individuals to be complacent and simply follow commands from their bosses. Individuals could live on just by doing what others told them to do, and people gradually lost interests in themselves but solely cared about fulfilling their daily responsibilities assigned by others. As a student, I was forced to become a part of an educational institution. I have had abided by the strict school rules, have lived to complete assignments, and have survived in an institutionalized society where several letters called grades are the only determinants that judge an individual. Thus, visiting a temple helps me escape from such an oppressive society. Instead of simply memorizing mathematical formulas, I focus on every aspects of nature, and I only think about myself. I cannot think of how much workload I have left, but I, like how Transcendentalists emphasized the notion of individualism, delve into my true self; I always observe Sungwoo not as a student but as a 17-year old teenager trying to discover the appropriate route towards success. People always need some break and should not get brainwashed by instructions and assigned life routines. As a result, Buddha teaches me every time I visit the temple not to become a lifeless conformist to oppressive society, but to maintain my ego and identity to move on successfully and to inspire others. Consequently, Buddhist meditation is walking of my life.

“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Even though humanity has been institutionalized and has advanced as a single unity, Transcendentalists argued for decades that every individual should take responsibility of oneself and prioritize oneself over others. Like Thoreau, many have their own actions that cleanse their souls and make them reminisce the past to enhance themselves in the future. As the only child of a Buddhist family, my family naturally integrated Buddhist principles in our daily lifestyle, and Buddha and his religion eventually became an integral part of my life. Thus, like sauntering to the Holy Land, Buddhist meditation has helped me become a civilized, prudent human being.

Move to Live Life
People evolve as they move around. Moving around can be expressed in many ways, but travelling is one way that we could move to evolve. Through travelling, we can evolve intellectually, emotionally, and eventually grow as a person. In my opinion, travelling is: the butterfly excitement on my chest whenever I land a foot in an airport; the knowledge that I capture whenever I meet someone new; the self-reflection that I do while  travelling and finally the happiness that overpowers all my emotions.

Living in a homogenous country where everyone has the same ethnicity, culture, color, and religion, expanding your understanding of the world isn’t easy. And basically, my world was my country. I didn’t know how it felt like to meet someone from Asia, Europe or any other country whatsoever. It wasn’t that long ago that I thought that everyone with small eyes was from China. The first time that my world started to expand was the first time that I landed my feet on an airport. One of the airports that blew my mind away was Dubai International Airport, and I remember meeting people from Japan, South Africa, and from all over the world. Those few hours in the airport widen my grasp of my knowledge on the world, and it was those hours that I had my first epiphany on travelling. The epiphany that travelling is far more educational than textbooks, and that practical presence expands your knowledge in a deeper level than any textbook does.

     Travelling allows me to meet with different people from different ethnicities, backgrounds, and cultures. This maybe that most exciting fact about travelling because how we interact with people around us reflects who we are.Travelling also sanctions me to discover my true identity, the identity that embodies me. More importantly, it also teaches me the many identities that people personify, and ultimately educates me about their flaws and strengths. Through these lenses, I encounter many versions of myself. It’s our decision which version we identify with and which version we like people to see it. At the end, it’s these experiences that bring out our different versions, and it’s not every day that we experience something extravagant in our mundane day routine. It’s through these experiences of meeting people that we develop and grow as a person. Why do you think adults receive more responsibilities than adolescent? It’s because adults have more experiences, and they lived longer. Unfortunately, experiences don’t come without movements. For example, if you raise someone in an isolated house without any interactions with humans and nowhere to go, that person would turn out more like an animal than human. No one desires to become an animal, and I for sure don’t want to miss the fun and the excitement that life has to offer as human. To  not turn out like animals, the humane thing to do is to move to seize all the experiences that would eventually make-up who we are. Henry David says, “Every sunset which I witness inspires me with the desire to go to a West as distant and as fair as that into which the sun goes down” in his essay, “Walking”, to express his inspiration to walk and move.

Travelling has a way of making us think and reflect on ourselves. Most of us live in structured day-to-day schedules whether we are working or studying, and we don’t usually ponder on ourselves. We get stressed from deadlines, exams, and work that we don’t take a second to relax and enjoy the moment. One of the only times that I really self-reflect is when my head is leaning against a window of a car or plane. I usually listen to music and stare down the window to see the clouds and trees reasoning through actions that I have taken and setting goals for myself. These moments allow me to ease up my stresses, and freshen-up every time I do it.

Most importantly, travelling gives me the happiness that overpowers all of my emotions. It doesn’t matter if I’m stressed, angry, or sad, all these emotions trample down when this sudden, and beautiful feeling of happiness emerge. Doing something for the first time or seeing cool stuff for the first time could trigger this happiness.  For example, I travelled to Jordan last term, and there were a lot moments where I just felt happiness. These moments were the times Jordan that I was trying new things like snorkelling, riding a camel, horse, and a boat for the first time. During these moments, I feel free and I feel like I can do anything. It is that sense of feeling freedom that brings out the best version of me.

Travelling makes me alive, free, and empowered. I hope to do more travelling to find my true identity and find the best version of myself before my time in this precious world end.

Walking on ice

Walking on ice

To become a “walker” one must free themselves from all external obligations and focus on maximizing the happiness of oneself and others. The journey of walking is that of a spiritual and emotional adventure that is guided by oneself and God. One can not be forced to walk; the pursuit of walking is a mutual existence in which the journey and person become intertwined. My personal “walking” is when I play pond hockey. When I am on the ice, nothing else matters. For a couple of hours I can free myself from all other obligations and capture the pleasure, liberty, and peacefulness that pond hockey has to offer. Thoreau describes, “You must be born into a family of walkers” (Thoreau 111). Although I was not born into a family of skaters, in fact I was the first person in my family to skate, my upbringing fostered my love for the game of hockey.

Ever since I was a young child, my frozen local pond has been my favorite source of pastime. Thoreau describes walking as, “nothing in it akin to taking exercise” (Thoreau 112). Similarly, I do not consider pond hockey as exercise; I can get lost in the enjoyment of pond hockey for hours. I simply enjoy hockey in its most natural and free flowing form; no referees, heckling fans, cutthroat coaches, college scouts, or player agents- just me and my boys. No rules to slow the pace, no systems to constrict the flow, and no hitting to foster hostility. No memory of my mistakes in the last game, last shift, or last play. Although sometimes directionless and sauntering, playing pond hockey is soothing to the soul and the manner in which I find my true inner peace. Pond hockey can provide many people with a similar sense fulfilment because of the ease of accessibility and brotherly unity that is developed within minutes of playing with someone. Likewise, Thoreau states, “No wealth can buy the requisite leisure, freedom, and independence which are the capital in this profession” (Thoreau 112). No monetary value can provide one with the utopian state that is achieved when walking.

Much of the beauty of pond hockey is connected to the allure of nature. Thoreau describes walking as a quest, “to go forth and reconquer this Holy Land from the hands of the Infidels" (Thoreau 110). In this sense, infidels are non believers that tarnish the beauty of the Holy Land, while the local pond is my Holy Land of hockey. Similarly, the infidels of hockey are the grinders; the agitators that contribute to the team by attempting to injure the skill players on the other team. Grinders have a misguided role that has no place in the Holy Land of pond hockey. Thoreau furthers his description of the Holy Land when he states, “So we saunter toward the Holy Land, till one day the sun shall shine more brightly than ever he has done, shall perchance shine into our minds and hearts, and light up our whole lives with a great awakening light, as warm and serene and golden as on a bankside in autumn” (Thoreau 135). Comparably, pond hockey provides me with an emotional and psychological outlet that temporarily relieves my frustrations and elicits joy and affection. Thoreau continues his description of nature by portraying his neighbourhood and its surrounding area as a location to escape reality and enter a state of temporary euphoria and tranquility. Similarly, my favorite place to place pond hockey is at my local pond. I learned how skate on this pond and have grown up playing there with many of the same players for fourteen years. It is easy to lose track of time; my mother would often call me well past midnight wondering when I would be home. Thoreau acknowledges that the environment affects one’s walk when he states, “For I believe that climate does thus react on man--as there is something in the mountain air that feeds the spirit and inspires” (Thoreau 119). Equivalently, skating outside with the crisp air, falling snow, and clear night sky, rather than a monotone, fluorescent lit rink with the stale smell of fast food is the difference between walking and playing hockey.

Although Walking was written nearly 150 years ago, Thoreau's comments on difficulties that many young people faced in that era are applicable to youth today. Thoreau foresees, “When we should still be growing children, we are already little men” (Thoreau 129). I would consider myself, and many of my pond hockey counterparts to be little men, although most of us are still teenagers. Pond hockey provides us with an escape from the pressures of college, recruitment, and the constant pressure to improve our resumes. Fittingly, Thoreau also notes, “Many a poor sore-eyed student that I have heard of would grow faster, both intellectually and physically, if, instead of sitting up so very late, he honestly slumbered a fool's allowance” (Thoreau 129). This image parallels my life that is spent worrying about grades, SAT scores’, college applications and winning the next hockey game. I would benefit from untroubled relaxation. Thoreau remarks, “In short, all good things are wild and free” (Thoreau 126). I hope that after I mature and surpass my intense adolescent years that I can shed the burden of expectations, free my soul, and find more time to appreciate life.

Whitman's Poems Create Fire

Walt Whitman's poetry style flouted traditional meter and rhyme and gained him the label, "the father of free verse

Whitman’s Poems Create Fire

Walt Whitman has been the Jesus of poetry. With innovative poems, Whitman revolutionized poetry and spread enriching verses to everyone. His vivid and inspiring writings touched many people’s hearts and gave energy to hopeless souls, and his free verses, which did not obey the conservative rules of poetry, initiated a completely new era of poetry with a looser form and a direct personal voice. Whitman’s poetry has a wide scope: in embracing all of nature, he sometimes expresses his veneration of God, but also portrays the most infinitesimal part of nature. In thinking creatively about Whitman as both an energetic poet and nineteenth century individual, one can imagine similarities between him and a fire hydrant. Just as publishing makes poems easily accessible, fire hydrants make water accessible everywhere in the city. Invented during the nineteenth century, this red-colored fire hydrant is always there to save civilians in emergencies. In brief, Whitman and a fire hydrant share similarities in that they both have saved people, symbolize sexuality, and have endless reservoirs tapped with great spewing force.

Whitman’s poems and fire hydrants imply sexuality. In Whitman’s poems, readers can easily identify themes of sex and sexuality. In Song of Myself, using erotic phrases and tones, Whitman connects bodies with souls and redefines sexual intercourses as a spiritual experience. For instance, Whitman argues that sexuality is a way to directly connect with the world as he writes, “I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked/I am mad for it to be in contact with me." Moreover, in one of his anonymous reviews of his own work, Whitman states: “body, he teaches, is beautiful. Sex is also beautiful. He works the muscles of a male and the teeming fibre of the female throughout his writings, as wholesome realities, impure only by deliberate intention and effort.” In some rare places, some of Whitman’s works explicitly describe sex. In the nineteenth century, lines like these might have been scandalously vivid: “sex contains all, / bodies, souls, meanings, proofs, purities, delicacies, results, promulgations... / Without shame the man I like knows and avows the deliciousness of sex." Furthermore, most readers can easily detect Whitman’s affection towards men because Whitman used his poems as the only way to express his struggles and suffering from the taboos of homosexual love during his oppressively conservative era (Aspiz 10). At a time when many homosexuals gave up on expressing their love toward men, Whitman wrote lines like “You friendly boatmen and mechanics! you roughs! / You twain! and processions moving along the streets! / I wish to infuse myself among you till I see it common for you to walk hand in hand” (A Leaf for Hand in Hand 5-8). Similarly, and in an obvious way, a fire hydrant suggests sexuality in that its shape resembles a masculine phallic symbol and it sprays water with force.  

Whitman and a fire hydrant share another similarity: life-saving qualities. The fire hydrant was invented to save lives in conflagrations, and Whitman, though not a professional doctor, volunteered extensively to help thousands of wounded soldiers during the Civil War. In 1862, the second year of the Civil War, Whitman saw his brother’s name, George Washington Whitman, in a New York Herald list of wounded soldiers from the war. After learning about his brother’s severe injury during the Battle of Fredericksburg, Whitman strenuously searched for his brother at numerous make-shift hospitals in Virginia. Despite failing to find his brother for several days, Whitman finally reunited with his brother in an Union Army camp at Falmouth, Virginia. After the two weeks that Whitman spent with his brother, Whitman started to shepherd many wounded soldiers from battlefields to the hospitals. He did so throughout most of the Civil War period. Through observing the hospital and listening to soldiers’ stories and emotions, Whitman could gain inspiration and sources for his poems. He told Ralph Waldo Emerson that “I desire and intend to write a little book out of this phase of America, her masculine young manhood, its conduct under most trying of and highest of all exigency, which she, as by lifting a corner in a curtain, has vouchsafed me to see America, already brought to Hospital in her fair youth—brought and deposited here in this great, whited sepulcher of Washington itself." Moreover, readers, through reading his poems, could infer how considerate and humane Whitman was during the violent and unstable period in America. In his wartime poems, by using phrases like “the tearful parting—the mother kisses her son—the son kisses his mother” (Drum-Taps 37) and “the blood of the city up—arm’d! arm’d! the cry everywhere” (Drum-Taps 34), Whitman sought to inform the readers how tragic and inhumane the Civil War has been, and he urged the public to finish the seemingly endless warfare in this country. Similar to how Whitman cared for the wounded soldiers and tried to disseminate the brutality of the Civil War, fire hydrants have functions of not only saving innocent civilians from large fires, but also of safeguarding the community in times of droughts. Reports have emphasized the importance of having a well-functioning fire hydrant in the community, such as when houses in Montgomery, Alabama, burnt down when the fire hydrant could not supply enough water to extinguish the fire in town. In addition, the community of Spicewood, Texas is trying to install more fire hydrants because people have been fully aware that fire hydrants have saved thousands of lives and properties from burning in wildfires. As a result, fire hydrants and Whitman are comparable to one another because of their life-saving records.

Whitman’s poetry and a fire hydrant share similarities in that they both have endless reservoirs tapped with powerful spewing force. While his contemporaries used traditional poetic rules and banal subjects, including patriotism and slavery during the Civil War, Whitman devised a more flexible style of writing that allowed ordinary individuals to enjoy reading poems without feeling bored and facing difficulties. In addition, Whitman also used diverse themes, varying from religion to politics and sex. Since poems often contained profound and complex message in shorter length than proses, many who were barely literate without receiving proper education avoided reading poems and were not capable of understanding them. However, Whitman’s revolutionary free verses that consist of both impressive expressions and easy format.

Watch Walt Whitman's Biography here: 

"Setting Sail" and Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous poets ever to live.  While many did not know her during her lifetime, after her death her poetry became popular among everyone.  When she was alive, Dickinson was a secluded person and would spend much time alone in her room writing poetry.  Her style, diction, and meter are key to her poetry.  A subject not commonly related to Dickinson and her poetry is sailing.  Like Dickinson’s poetry, sailing has an air of seclusion and a distinct sense of order, its timeless attraction to everyone.

Dickinson is known to have lived a life of isolation.  She communicated mainly through letters to colleagues and her poetry that was later discovered.  This seclusion from the outer world is one of the parts of Emily Dickinson’s life that makes her famous.  “Scholars have also speculated that she suffered from conditions such as agoraphobia, depression and/or anxiety,” (Bio.).  In sailing, sometimes there will be a crew in the boat, so not complete isolation from every human being on earth, but there comes a point when you will reach the spot over the horizon where no land can be seen from the boat.  At this point, you are completely secluded from the rest of the world.

When sailing, there has always been an air surrounding the activity of order and uniformness.  On sailboats, a common task is to keep the boat in “ship shape,” as some people call it.  The crew must work night and day to not only keep the sailboat moving forward, but also to maintain it and keep everything consistently working.  Emily Dickinson uses in her poetry, a specific meter known as the 8-6-8-6.  This means that the poetry is written with the first line being made up of 8 syllables and the next line with 6 syllables and alternating so on to the end.  An example of this is her poem, Snowflakes:

I counted till they danced so

Their slippers leaped the town –

And then I took a pencil

To note the rebels down –

And then they grew so jolly

I did resign the prig –

And ten of my once stately toes

Are marshalled for a jig!

(Dickinson, Snowflakes)

In this poem, the 8-6-8-6 meter is used and it creates a noticeable rhythm.  You can say that all of Emily Dickinson’s poetry can be sung to a simple folk tune and it would sound the same.  Most of her poetry rhymes, adding to the standardization of her poetry.

Emily Dickinson’s poetry has lived on well past Dickinson herself has.  Today, scholars continue to scour her journals and letters for glimpses into her mind and the genius that lies within.  Discussions on why she was so secluded include her possible mental health problems or the traumatic deaths in her life.  Other times her poetry requires scholars to delve deep into her writing to examine the deeper meanings.  Similarly, sailing has seen more popular days, but nonetheless people still love it.  In the beginning of human history, sailing was almost as necessary as breathing like making the world connected, and still today, there are some massive boats that are using sails to save fuel on cargo.  Sailing continues to awe people and professional sailors compete in world class events such as the famed America’s Cup and the insanely difficult Volvo Ocean Race.  For a sport without much media attention, these two events draw thousands of people crowds.

To finish, I will conclude this blog post with another Emily Dickinson poem:

Time and Eternity, Poem 7: Setting Sail

Exultation is the going

Of an inland soul to sea, -

Past the houses, past the headlands,

Into deep Eternity!

Bred as we, among the mountains,

Can the sailor understand

The divine intoxication
Of the first league out of land?

As Dashes as Bookshelves

Muna Salad

Why does Emily Dickinson use dashes? What are their primary function in the poems? Many readers ignore the dashes while they read, but some incorporate the dashes to the overall purpose of the poem. Even though dash's troubled a lot of readers, many readers later considered it as a gap, pause or disrupt in the poem. The dashes that Emily Dickinson uses in her poems are comparable to the bookshelves in libraries because their functions are similar. In my opinion, the dashes in Emily’s poems divide words with differents ideas just like lines in bookshelves divide books with different subjects, and in the meantime,  dashes also combine words with same theme together just like small boxes in the bookshelves combine books with the same subject. . Also, dashes combine words that somewhat rhymes just like bookshelves combine books that somewhat have the same levels.

Instead of commas and periods, Emily Dickinson uses dashes to divide thoughts and ideas just like lines in the bookshelves divide books with different ideas. In many of Emily Dickinson’s poems, there is no single period at the end of stanzas or sentences, so she uses her dashes as punctuation marks.  It is essential to use punctuation marks when shifting ideas, so the dash’s main function in Emily’s poems is “To indicate interruption or abrupt shift in thought.” In one of her poems, Emily writes, “"Faith" is a fine invention /When Gentlemen can see—/But Microscopes are prudent In an Emergency.” In this poem, Emily uses the dash to gap two completely distinctive thoughts that she was comparing.  Lines in bookshelves also have similar function because they divide books with different ideas. For example, biology and chemistry fall in the science category, but lines separate the two when looking at bookshelves according to their subject differences. (Emily Dickinson, “Faith Is A fine Invention” );(“Common Questions on Emily Dickinson” D.Campbell.)   

In the same way, the dashes also combine words that share the same theme and motive together just like bookshelf boxes contain the combination of books with same subject. For example, many of the dashes in Emily’s poems enclose words, and usually these dashes stress these words or show their relationship to each other. In her poem, “Nature is What We See”, Emily Dickinson uses dashes to enclose important words in the poem like “_Nature is Heaven_” and “_Nature is Harmony_”. Emily also uses dashes from these phrases to show their significance in the poem. Even though this is not the case for some of her poems, using dashes to group significant words is her ultimate goal for some of her poems. (Emily Dickinson, “Nature is What We See)”

Emily Dickinson also uses dashes to group or combine words that somewhat rhyme together just like bookshelves group books that are somewhat in the same level. Emily Dickinson doesn’t often use perfect rhymes, but sometimes, her poems rhyme with unexpected order. In the previous example, “_Nature is Heaven_” and “_Nature is Harmony_”, harmony and heaven rhyme even though one of them is in the fourth line of the poem and the other one is in the eighth line of the poem. In the same sense, books in bookshelves are not perfectly ordered from the bottom level to the top level, but level is very significant when ordering them. For example, you wouldn’t find an adult novel in the children's section. (Emily Dickinson, “Nature is What We See)

Given these points, Emily Dickinson’s use of dashes in her poems function just like bookshelves in libraries. While the small boxes in bookshelves combine books with the same subjects, dashes combine significant words to emphasize them. In the same way, the dashes also divide words that encompass different ideas and thoughts just like the lines in bookshelves divide books that encompass different subjects. Lastly, bookshelves assemble books in the same level while dashes assemble words that somewhat rhyme with each other.   

Finding Similarities Between an Dickinson’s poetry and a Joke

It is possible to find similarities between opposites; one must simply think outside of the box. This is the case when comparing a joke to Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Jokes and Dickinson’s poetry are rarely compared to one another, but when breaking the two down, a homogenous relationship emerges. When analyzing Dickinson’s poetry, it is difficult to find evidence of humor, similar to how jokes are rarely thought of as intellectual; however, both are able to convey a message to the audience. Dickinson’s poetry and jokes are both expressions that are simply conveyed in different ways. In her poetry, Dickinson uses rhyme and punctuation to intrigue her audience similar to how jokes use punch lines. Although the objective of a joke is vastly different than that of Dickinson’s poetry, the result is still same, and the paths to that result are more parallel than some may consider. When examining composition, delivery, and effect, similarities quickly emerge connecting jokes with Emily Dickinson’s poetry.

        Dickinson’s poetry is overrun with metaphors used to link her ideas to nature. This gives Dickinson’s audience a better understanding of her thoughts and feelings -- making it easier for the audience to understand the messages her poems deliver. “Generic as a Quarry / And hearty - as a rose - ” (Dickinson 5). Jokes work in the same way. Metaphors are commonly used in jokes to enhance your ability to find the humor within the joke. Such as the case with jokes, Dickinson’s poetry can be complex and difficult to understand at first, yet they use similar techniques to guide the you around this difficulty. Using diction to ingrain images into the minds of the audience, Dickinson’s poetry and jokes are able to overcome this obstacle. The feeling and mood accompanied by these images assists the you in drawing a conclusion to the meaning behind the joke or the poem.

        The delivery of a poem or joke is equally important as the content. When the delivery of a joke is botched, you are left with little chance of understanding it. The same applies to poetry. If Dickinson failed to illustrate images through her words, the reader would be stuck. Without a sense of feeling or mood, it is easy to become confused and stuck trying to find the message with no evidence or support pointing you in the correct direction. Dickinson’s delivery of her poetry is different than that of a joke in the sense that jokes are often heard while poems are commonly read; however, the way Dickinson presents her poetry on the page is almost identical to how a joke is told. First, background is given such as what and where, then, a sudden shift occurs. In a joke, this shift is known as the punch line and is often succeeded by key information that enables you to understand the joke. The punch line in Dickinson’s poetry is much more subtle than the punch line of a joke, but it achieves the same effect. Commonly, Dickinson’s punch lines are mixed in with her metaphors, which is why they are often difficult to uncover. “The news like squirrels ran” (Dickinson 4). In the same fashion as the delivery of a joke, Dickinson uses a punch line to communicate her message to readers.

       After the joke has been told or the poem has been read, you must remain thinking. However, you should not be thinking to understand; rather, you must consider how the poem or joke affected you. More often than not, a Dickinson poem must be read again or spoken out loud for the reader to establish an understanding of it. “Often, reading a (Dickinson) poem aloud can help to elucidate its meaning” (Emily Dickinson Museum 2015). The similarity between the effect of a joke and one of Dickinson’s poems resides in the emotional response it provokes from the audience. Although audience may have conflicting emotional responses to a joke versus a poem written by Emily Dickinson, both spark a reaction, and that is where the similarity between the effects of the two becomes clear.

        Composition, delivery, and effect are the key similarities in the relationship between a joke and Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Because Dickinson’s poetry is the opposite of a joke, it is difficult to notice resemblances between the two; however, when looking closely these elements, similarities become as bright as a sunny afternoon. Although both serve different purposes and provoke dissimilar emotional responses, how Dickinson leads her reader to understanding the meaning or message is the same to that of a joke. To understand a joke or one of Dickinson’s poems, the audience must put themselves in a position to match the emotional state of the author or person telling the joke. In doing so, similarities between Dickinson’s poetry and jokes become obvious.

Click on the links below to find some Poems written by Emily Dickinson and a few jokes. See if you are able to establish similarities between the two. If you do, please post them in the comment section so that others are able to consider these similarities as well.

• http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/emily-dickinson#about
• http://poetryfountain.com/jokes.html