ENGL 481 Post 2

My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun 
Emily Dickinson's 764th or 754th poem, depending on which number you wish to use, is my favorite work that we have covered in class. The poem's central stylistic premise is the personification of an inanimate object; in this particular instance a gun. The general tone that I see in the poem is a profound sadness. The narrator laments for the immortality of an object that was never alive.  
     A fellow group in class reviewed this poem and brought up the argument for an interpretation of gender roles and paternal hierarchy. While all interpretation of any work are valid in their own right, this particular point of view is not one that I agree with. It is a possibility that a feminist agenda could have been involved with the poem. It is much more likely that the surface question of the immortality of a non-living object is the central theme of the poem.  

ENGL 481 Blog post 1

While reading Letter's from the Earth a particular section which stood out in my mind was from Satan's letter "Moreover -- if I may put another strain upon you -- he thinks he is the Creator's pet. He believes the Creator is proud of him; he even believes the Creator loves him; has a passion for him; sits up nights to admire him; yes, and watch over him and keep him out of trouble. He prays to Him, and thinks He listens. Isn't it a quaint idea" (Twain 1909 ,2). Satan's observation of human ego is both intriguing and in my opinion accurate. Satan portrays humanity as having a large ego when it comes to God. Human beings with their massive ego believe themselves be the favored children of God while Satan portrays humans as insignificant test subjects. My initial reaction to the section was shock at the subject matter Mark Twain chose to publish. I was surprised at the potential controversy that such a publication could cause. My overall reaction to the text was very positive. I strongly supported the sentiments of the section.