Context Information on
Emily Dickinson

1830-1836
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Eccentric recluse – shunned outside world

One romantic involvement – intensely
passionate crush on a married preacher

Feelings not reciprocated – never physical

When he left area – vowed never to love again

Profitable to take a Freudian perspective when
reading her poem
Emily Dickenson
The Unconscious Mind

Freud (1900, 1905) developed a topographical
model of the mind, whereby he described the
features of mind’s structure and function.

the conscious mind (everything we are aware
of) is seen as the tip of the iceberg, with the
unconscious mind a repository of a ‘cauldron’
of primitive wishes and impulse kept at bay
and mediated by the preconscious area.
Emily Dickinson

In a group, discuss any ways in which this
context information on Emily Dickenson
leads you to further understanding of the
text

Make notes to refer to when discussing the
poem
Task
Short stories and
Narrative Voice

Often focus on single character in single situation

Focus – often on moment at which central
character(s) undergo important experience which
presents a significant moment in their personal
development

Can be seen as ‘moment of truth’ – where some
perception, large or small, changes within the
character

Some stories – ‘moment of truth’ – evident only
to reader (not character(s))
Short stories

Don’t all end in climax

Some – may offer a kind of ‘snapshot’ of
a period of time or an experience
i.e. a ‘day in the life of….’ kind of story
Short stories

Others – end inconclusively

Reader - feeling of uncertainty

Others – no discernible plot

Reader –completely baffled!

Leading to – exploring range of possible
interpretations

Might be response writer intended
Short stories

Usually 3 traditional ways to voice fiction:

1st person

3rd person

Free indirect
Narrative Voice
Context Information
Hills Like White Elephants
Earnest Hemingway
3 stages to this short story;

The girl is pregnant

Story set in Catholic Spain in the 1920s

Hemingway – famous for his use of
symbolism
Earnest Hemingway
Hills Like White Elephants –

Great portrait of how we talk at, to and past
each other

How we can go on and on and never quite
get at what it is we really want to say

Story-chance to reflect on way we talk to our
loved ones and what we might, or might not,
reveal when we do communicate
Earnest Hemingway

In a group, discuss ways in which this
context information on Hills like White
Elephants leads you to further
understanding of the text

Make notes to refer to when discussing
the poem
Task