Free Essays: Faith and the Other Works of Emily Dickinson :: Biography Biographies Essays

Faith and the Other Works of Emily Dickinson Many of Emily Dickinson's poems are short. Similar to Faith, they are full of delightful surprises and thought provoking twists. Faith is more provocative than usual. The words are plain. Literally, it says that the gentlemen only believe what he can see; for those are hard to see by the naked eye, they rely on science which is symbolized by "Microscopes." "Faith" is a fine invention when Gentlemen can see -- But Microscopes are prudent In an Emergency. -- by Emily Dickinson As in all poems, the true meaning is always deeper than the meaning of the words. I try to grasp the poet's intention by study the images conjured by the words. Every time I read this poem, I see a picture of a girl in her cheerful voice reading the words. The voice reminds me of her own words -- "The old -- old sophistries of June." I carefully listen to every word and wrestle with every sound, but they all puzzle me. Is the "faith" an invention of man? Someone must have invented the word "faith" and associated a meaning to it. The Webster dictionary defines "faith" as a "firm belief in something for which there is no proof." Did man invent the belief? Did he invent the objects of his belief? ... I have many questions, where to look for answers? Following Dr. Johnson's suggestion, I seek hints from other poems by Emily Dickinson. She lived in a religious family according to her own letter to Thomas Higginson, the editor of her work, but she is not a religious person. In one poem, she wrote: Some keep the Sabbath going to Church - I keep it, staying at Home - With a Bobolink for a Chorister - And a Orchard, for a Dome. In this poem, she compares nature with church. The bobolink and the orchard are her deities. Considering this information, I image there is a little bit of smirk in the girl's voice. Maybe she is laughing at her church-goer parents as many teenagers do. When I was that age, I used to think that going to church is mere formality and took notice of all the inconsistencies between my parents' words and their actions. Each time when I see an inconsistency, I say to myself "Talking about faith, the only thing they believe is what is in front of their eye.