Introduction
Joyce Oates writes on some of the collection of poems written by Emily Dickinson. In her book, she selects the best works to illuminate Dickinson’s works and acknowledges her great work. In the book, the writer introduces the work of the poet and pays tribute to her. She acknowledges Dickinson as one of the greatest women writers in American history. In the heart of the book, the writer introduces the reader to the most interesting works of the poet. This paper reflects on the book written by Emily on the essential Dickinson.
Main text
In her book, the author states that the poet was not a recluse but maintained a friendly and strong relationship with her neighbors and friends. She also participated in household matters and maintained a healthy relationship with distinguished and renowned men writers, including those associated with the famous newspaper of the National Reputation (Dickinson, 2006). This implies that Dickson was a social person and could build the professional connection that was fundamental to her ambitions in poetry. She valued her family and close friends who provided moral support when she needed it.
According to the above statement, I derive the importance of valuing friends and acquaintances in the life of a person. To succeed in any field, an individual needs the help of other people, specifically those who can offer advice necessary to succeed in any field. From the book, the poet would seek advice from experienced writers who write articles infamous national newspapers.
This has an implication in my life as a learner. Family and friend relationship is an integral part of my life from both individual and community points of view. Maintaining a good relationship with friends and families helps me succeed in my endeavors. As an individual, maintaining a network with people who can assist me in my ambitions is paramount. I constantly seek advice from senior professionals in my field and this ensures that I don’t lose focus on my life goals.
The writer also points out that, Dickinson was able to discover her distinctive voice as well as the energies within her from the works she did. She wrote both “poetry and prose work, these were inclined to be a romantical adolescence as well as rebellious in the sense of self-declaring and self-effacing”. According to the writer, “the air of deprivation that signifies the aggressiveness of the poems is mainly attributed to self-deprivation even though it can be attributed to other sources” (Dickinson, 2006). The poets should portray attributes of freedom and power as well as familiarity with poetry in a brilliant representation of the ideas. This implies that a poet should have a good understanding of the subject and should be driven by passion and interest. The poet was driven by a passion for poetry and started writing poets as soon as she determined her passion in poetry. She started practicing it through writing small pieces of poems and prose articles and later advanced her work to become a famous poet.
This attribute is important and challenges individuals to develop their talent. The fact that the poet started to write articles as soon as she discovered her talent is an encouragement to people who have different talents. The poet also helps individuals to develop their talent in different fields. This trait is relevant to me as an individual in my learning process and my life in general. It encourages me to be self-determined and follow the interest of my conscience in deciding my ambitions. It also encourages me to continue following my will in the field that I have an interest in.
Oates also asserts that the poet did not seek literal fame in doing her work. According to the author, fame was not the goal in every piece of work she wrote but it turned out to be the subject of her writings (Dickinson, 2006). She maintained anonymity and invisibility in all the poems she wrote. The writer also notes that much of the work was written during economic and political hard times and the concern of the real world such as the slavery, racism, and civil wars that existed during her era were excluded from her work. This implies the conscience she had on the political influence that could compromise and degrade her work. It also shows how intelligent and humble the poet was, and this contributed largely to her success in poetry.
To me, this was a noble and intelligent idea that the poet possessed and was core to her success. The same character can be very useful in real-life within society. Many people focus on self fame which in most cases, leads to falling. To be successful in whatever I do, I don’t focus on personal fame but making the best out of my work is always my goal. In this context, fame comes automatically after doing good work. Focusing on fame can compromise any achievement leading to unsuccessful goals and missions.
Conclusion
The work of Emily Dickinson was well acknowledged by Oates. Emily wrote a poem that came to be considered great work in American history. The poet was able to maintain a good relationship with people, follow her interests and focus on good work rather than personal fame. The qualities are relevant in my life as an individual and the community at large.
Reference
Dickinson, E. (2006). Essential Dickison: Selected and with an Introduction.New York: HarperCollins.