Madie Henderson
Period 1
“Tell All the Truth But Tell it Slant”
Emily Dickenson
I.
Overview
a. Emily Dickenson shares, you must tell the entire truth but in the same perspective,
care about the listener to whom you are speaking to. Truth is vital in building
relationships and keeping trust. In order to show respect towards someone, you
should tell them the truth.
II. Description of each line
Line in Poem
Tell All the Truth But Tell it Slant--Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for your infirm Delight
The Truth’s superb surprise
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind---
III.
Meaning
Tell the truth but in an alternative or
half of the truth.
Going around the truth could be the
successful. Or it may be better to not
go right to the truth.
The truth might be too hard for
someone to handle.
The truth could be a surprise to
someone.
Like explaining lightning to a child.
You must explain lightning steadily so
it would not frighten the child.
When explaining the truth, you must
say it step by step for them to
understand.
If not, they will never see the truth after
all.
Literary devices
Literary Device
Internal Rhyme
Quote
“Too bright for your
infirm Delight(Line 3).
Metaphor
“As lightning to the
Children eased”(line 5).
“The Truth’s superb
surprise, as lightning to
the Children eased”
(Lines 4-5).
“The truths superb
surprise ( Line 4).
Simile
Alliteration
Explanation
The truth is too bright or
difficult for someone to
understand.
The lightning is compared
to the truth.
The truths surprise is
being compared to the
understanding of lightning
to a child.
This alliteration brings
attention to the surprise of
the truth.
Madie Henderson
Period 1
IV.
V.
VI.
Tone
a. Informing
i. This poem is informing because telling the truth could truly be hard.
Dickinson informs us that telling the truth could be too bright for someone
to understand. Also, it would be a good idea if you could go around the
truth like said by Dickinson “Success in Circuit lies”(line 2).
b. Confidence
i. This poem shows confidence because telling the truth is never an easy
task. Dickinson shows us confidence when comparing the truth to
blinding someone. This concludes that telling the truth is truly a confident
procedure.
Theme
a. The whole truth is much too hard the handle.
i. Telling the entire truth all at once could be hard for a person to
understand. Depending on how you word the truth, it could depict on how
the person could react. Dickinson has shown if you are trying to tell the
truth, try to say it gradually for the person to understand. If not, the truth
could blind you, or in other words, they would never see the truth after all.
Citations
“Emily Dickinson’s Collected Poems Summary and Analysis”. Emily Dickinson’s
Collected Poems Study Guide: Summary and Analysis of “Tell All the Truth but
Tell it Slant—“1999-2012 GradeSavor LLC.Web.08 Dec. 2012.
“PoetryConnection.net Disscussion: View Topic-Emily Dickenson’s #1263Tell All The
Truth But Tell It Slant.” PoetryConnection.net Discussion: View Topic- Emily
Dickinson’s # 1263 Tell All The Truth But Tell It Slant. 11 Apr. 2004. Web. 09
Dec. 2012.