Tell all the TruthTell all the Truthbut tell it slantbut tell it slant

By Emily Dickinson By Emily Dickinson

(pg. 386)(pg. 386)

ExplicationExplication

TTellell all the all the TTruth but ruth but ttellell it it sslant- lant- aaSSuccessuccess in in CCircuitircuit lies lies bbToo Too brightbright** for our for our infirm Delightinfirm Delight**** aa The Truth’s The Truth’s ssuperb uperb ssurpriseurprise bbAs As LightningLightning to the Children to the Children easedeased ccWith With explanation kindexplanation kind ddThe Truth The Truth mustmust dazzledazzle graduallygradually eeOr every man be Or every man be blindblind-- dd

KeyKey Rhyme Rhyme

SchemeScheme MetaphorMetaphor SimileSimile AlliterationAlliteration DictionDiction ImageryImagery Internal Internal

Rhyme *Rhyme * Oxymoron*Oxymoron*

ParaphraseParaphrase

1.1. Tell all the Truth but tell it Tell all the Truth but tell it slant-slant-

2.2. Success in Circuit liesSuccess in Circuit lies3.3. Too bright for our infirm Too bright for our infirm

DelightDelight4.4. The Truth’s superb The Truth’s superb

surprisesurprise5.5. As Lightning to the As Lightning to the

Children easedChildren eased6.6. With explanation kindWith explanation kind7.7. The Truth must dazzle The Truth must dazzle

gradually gradually 8.8. Or every man be blind-Or every man be blind-

1.1. Tell the truth but dilute it to suit Tell the truth but dilute it to suit the listener the listener

2.2. Sometimes it is better to not go Sometimes it is better to not go strait to the truthstrait to the truth

3.3. The truth is sometimes too The truth is sometimes too much to handle all at oncemuch to handle all at once

4.4. It surprises you It surprises you 5.5. When explaining lightning to When explaining lightning to

childrenchildren6.6. You must explain lightning You must explain lightning

gradually so it will not scare the gradually so it will not scare the child as muchchild as much

7.7. Likewise when explaining the Likewise when explaining the truth, you must do so gradually truth, you must do so gradually

8.8. Or they will not see the truth at Or they will not see the truth at allall

Imagery and SymbolismImagery and Symbolism

Line 5: “As Lightning to the Children Line 5: “As Lightning to the Children eased”eased”

Visual Imagery: The lightning refers to Visual Imagery: The lightning refers to the imagery pattern of light and dark. the imagery pattern of light and dark.

Symbolism: Light=Truth/Dark=IgnoranceSymbolism: Light=Truth/Dark=Ignorance

ElementsElements

Metaphor: Metaphor: truth compared to light. The truth opening your eyes truth compared to light. The truth opening your eyes

to new ideas is compared to light showing things in to new ideas is compared to light showing things in the darkness that were previously overlooked. Just as the darkness that were previously overlooked. Just as light is sometimes too bright and hurts your eyes or light is sometimes too bright and hurts your eyes or surprises you if turned on too suddenly, truth may hurt surprises you if turned on too suddenly, truth may hurt your feelings or surprise you. your feelings or surprise you.

Another metaphor is in the last two lines. It’s a Another metaphor is in the last two lines. It’s a metaphor because a person will not literally go blind if metaphor because a person will not literally go blind if told the truth but will close off and ignore or not told the truth but will close off and ignore or not believe what they have been told because it was too believe what they have been told because it was too much to handle. much to handle.

Elements ContinuedElements Continued

Simile: Lines 3-6, the truth’s surprise is too bright Simile: Lines 3-6, the truth’s surprise is too bright for us to understand like lightning is too hard for for us to understand like lightning is too hard for children to understand unless the explanation is children to understand unless the explanation is broken down and the truth is diluted.broken down and the truth is diluted.

Alliteration- tell/truth, Alliteration- tell/truth, slant/success/circuit/superb/surprise. This is slant/success/circuit/superb/surprise. This is important because it calls attention to the words important because it calls attention to the words alliterated emphasizing Dickinson’s theme.alliterated emphasizing Dickinson’s theme.

Oxymoron- Infirm Delight, infirm meaning Oxymoron- Infirm Delight, infirm meaning sickness and delight meaning joy. It is used to sickness and delight meaning joy. It is used to say that ignorance is bliss in our society. say that ignorance is bliss in our society.

Elements ContinuedElements Continued

Punctuation- The first dash after slant means Punctuation- The first dash after slant means “because” indicating the end of the introduction “because” indicating the end of the introduction and leading into the rest of the poem. The and leading into the rest of the poem. The second dash after blind is used to remind the second dash after blind is used to remind the reader to keep thinking about the speaker’s reader to keep thinking about the speaker’s purpose. purpose.

Capitalization- Truth is capitalized to show that it Capitalization- Truth is capitalized to show that it is the subject of the poem. Circuit is capitalized is the subject of the poem. Circuit is capitalized to emphasize the need to be indirect when to emphasize the need to be indirect when telling the truth. telling the truth.

StructureStructure

There is rhythm and the poem is written in free verse. There is rhythm and the poem is written in free verse. There is however a rhyme scheme (a, b, a, b, c, d, e, There is however a rhyme scheme (a, b, a, b, c, d, e, d). d).

She differed from normal poetry because she didn’t She differed from normal poetry because she didn’t feel like she had to be limited by rules and because no feel like she had to be limited by rules and because no one except her was supposed to read her poems. one except her was supposed to read her poems.

Rhyme: She uses slant rhyme when she uses the Rhyme: She uses slant rhyme when she uses the words slant and delight and exact rhyme with words slant and delight and exact rhyme with lies/surprise and kind/blind. Then she uses internal lies/surprise and kind/blind. Then she uses internal rhyme with bright and delight. rhyme with bright and delight.

Speaker: The speaker is first person plural where the Speaker: The speaker is first person plural where the speaker aligns themselves with society. speaker aligns themselves with society.

Meaning and ThemeMeaning and Theme

Meaning: The poem was meant to be Meaning: The poem was meant to be informative and advising. informative and advising.

Theme: There were two themes. One is: Theme: There were two themes. One is: Tell the whole truth, while diluting it so as Tell the whole truth, while diluting it so as to not frighten or surprise the listener. The to not frighten or surprise the listener. The other is: The whole truth is sometimes too other is: The whole truth is sometimes too much to handle.much to handle.

Diction and ToneDiction and Tone Diction: The words tell, success, circuit, eased, Diction: The words tell, success, circuit, eased,

explanation, kind, must, and gradually to give explanation, kind, must, and gradually to give advice and inform the reader of her opinion. She advice and inform the reader of her opinion. She uses words such as infirm, delight, surprise, uses words such as infirm, delight, surprise, dazzle and blind to convey the powerful nature dazzle and blind to convey the powerful nature of the truth. Also the words eased, kind, of the truth. Also the words eased, kind, gradually and surprise is used to show the gradually and surprise is used to show the sympathetic nature of the speaker.sympathetic nature of the speaker.

Tone: The tone is several things, informative, Tone: The tone is several things, informative, advising, opinionated, confident, and advising, opinionated, confident, and sympathetic. These are shown through the use sympathetic. These are shown through the use of diction and other literary and poetic devices. of diction and other literary and poetic devices.

Multiple Choice QuestionsMultiple Choice Questions

1. How is the line, “Tell all the Truth but tell it 1. How is the line, “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant-” best interpreted in this poem?slant-” best interpreted in this poem?

a)a) Tell something that sounds like the truth but is not Tell something that sounds like the truth but is not the truththe truth

b)b) Tell the truth but dilute it to suit the listenerTell the truth but dilute it to suit the listener

c)c) Tell the truth but not the whole truthTell the truth but not the whole truth

d)d) Do not tell the truth at allDo not tell the truth at all

e)e) Avoid answering the question Avoid answering the question

Multiple Choice QuestionsMultiple Choice Questions

2. What literary element or elements does 2. What literary element or elements does Dickinson use to emphasize her advising Dickinson use to emphasize her advising tone?tone?

a)a) Capitalization-Circuit, to emphasize the need to be Capitalization-Circuit, to emphasize the need to be indirect when telling the truthindirect when telling the truth

b)b) Alliteration-tell/truth, /success/circuit/superb/ Alliteration-tell/truth, /success/circuit/superb/ surprise. surprise.

c)c) Diction-tell, success, circuit, eased, explanation, Diction-tell, success, circuit, eased, explanation, kind, must, and graduallykind, must, and gradually

d)d) Answers a and b onlyAnswers a and b onlye)e) Answers a and c onlyAnswers a and c only

Multiple Choice QuestionsMultiple Choice Questions

3. How does Dickinson use diction to convey 3. How does Dickinson use diction to convey the powerful nature of the truth?the powerful nature of the truth?

a)a) She uses the word “explanation” She uses the word “explanation”

b)b) She uses the word “Circuit” She uses the word “Circuit”

c)c) She uses the word “delight”She uses the word “delight”

d)d) She uses the word “success”She uses the word “success”

e)e) She uses the word “must”She uses the word “must”

Multiple Choice AnswersMultiple Choice Answers

1.1. B- You must tell the truth and the whole truth but you B- You must tell the truth and the whole truth but you must explain it kindly and gradually so the listener will must explain it kindly and gradually so the listener will understand better.understand better.

2.2. E- Capitalization: by emphasizing circuit, it is E- Capitalization: by emphasizing circuit, it is emphasizing the need, or advising the reader, to be emphasizing the need, or advising the reader, to be indirect when telling the truth. Diction-tell, success, indirect when telling the truth. Diction-tell, success, circuit, eased, explanation, kind, must, and gradually circuit, eased, explanation, kind, must, and gradually are all words that someone might use when giving are all words that someone might use when giving advice about how to tell someone the truthadvice about how to tell someone the truth

3.3. C- “delight” is a word associated with feeling when C- “delight” is a word associated with feeling when “explanation”, “Circuit”, “success” and “must” are all “explanation”, “Circuit”, “success” and “must” are all words that are associated with taking actionwords that are associated with taking action

Essay QuestionEssay Question

How does Dickinson use How does Dickinson use metaphors to emphasize metaphors to emphasize

her themes?her themes?

Essay Question AnswerEssay Question Answer

Dickinson uses a metaphor when she compares truth to light. The Dickinson uses a metaphor when she compares truth to light. The truth opening your eyes to new ideas is compared to light truth opening your eyes to new ideas is compared to light

showing things in the darkness that were previously showing things in the darkness that were previously overlooked. Just as light is sometimes too bright and hurts your overlooked. Just as light is sometimes too bright and hurts your eyes or surprises you if turned on too suddenly, truth may hurt eyes or surprises you if turned on too suddenly, truth may hurt

your feelings or surprise you. This relates to both themes your feelings or surprise you. This relates to both themes because she explains here that the blunt truth is not always the because she explains here that the blunt truth is not always the best thing and may surprise the listener. Another metaphor is best thing and may surprise the listener. Another metaphor is

when she says “The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man when she says “The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind-”. It’s a metaphor because a person will not literally go be blind-”. It’s a metaphor because a person will not literally go blind if told the truth but will close off and ignore or not believe blind if told the truth but will close off and ignore or not believe

what they have been told because it was too much to what they have been told because it was too much to understand. This also relates to both themes but especially understand. This also relates to both themes but especially

explains the theme of “The whole truth is sometimes too much explains the theme of “The whole truth is sometimes too much to handle” because if you tell someone the blunt truth right to handle” because if you tell someone the blunt truth right

away, they may not have time or the experience to understand away, they may not have time or the experience to understand it completely and may just block it out altogether. it completely and may just block it out altogether.