I heard a Fly buzz--when I died - Emily Dickinson by Tisha Huynh (Student FVHS)

4. What figures of speech are used? How do they contribute to the tone and meaning of the poem?

stran121_ — 2024-02-15 20:32:30 UTC

In I heard a Fly buzz by Emily Dickinson, the writer uses figurative language that includes similes. At the beginning of the poem, the narrator describes that the "stillness in the room, was like the stillness in the air -", explaining that once they had died, there was absence in movement around the room like the air. Comparing the stillness of the room to the air is an example of a simile identifying as a figurative language in the poem. Dickinson uses these types of similes to make the poem more descriptive as it can help the reader illustrate the current setting and mood at the beginning of the poem.

tahuynh103_ — 2024-02-15 20:32:53 UTC

5. Are there any symbols? What do they mean? Are they universal symbols or do they arise from the context of this poem?

stran121_ — 2024-02-15 22:47:25 UTC

The main symbol of the poem could be the fly that symbolizes death, as the narrator describes it is one of the things they heard while they were trying to accept their death. Throughout the poem, the narrator explains that they had given away their prized possessions in memory of themselves to others, but then, "there interposed a fly". This quote depicts how that once the narrator had died, a buzz from a fly was heard; which could presume that they had heard the fly arrive because it was attracted to the narrator's dead corpse. Therefore, the fly represents the narrator's dead presence, arising from the context of the poem.

1. What is the poem’s tone? Which words reveal this tone? Is the poem ironic?

tahuynh103_ — 2024-02-16 17:03:54 UTC

The poem's tone is dark, mysterious, and somewhat resentful. Although the narrator tells us, "The Stillness in the Room/Was like the Stillness in the Air--/Between the Heaves of Storm--/The Eyes around--had wrung them dry--/And Breaths were gathering firm," in lines 2-6, they also tell us that a Fly interposed at their deathbed. This could lead to a person harboring resentful feelings towards those who wish to impose on a peaceful death.

6. What is the theme (the central idea) of this poem? Can you state it in a single sentence? Elaborate on your idea.

tahuynh103_ — 2024-02-16 17:04:10 UTC

The theme of this poem is that in the darkest of moments, even death, life goes on and the world has no care for it. We can tell by using lines 11-14 from the poem. The text states, " --and then it was/There interposed a Fly--/With Blue--uncertain stumbling Buzz--/Between the light---and me." The narrator is dying a saddening death, yet it seems like a single, common fly has the audacity to intervene. To some, this scene might almost be laughable. Here the narrator is, passing away, and an insect shows up to buzz around them as if they're garbage laying around the house.

tahuynh103_ — 2024-02-16 17:07:40 UTC

tahuynh103_ — 2024-02-16 17:10:36 UTC

Biographical Information Analysis

stran121_ — 2024-02-16 20:17:08 UTC

Emily Dickinson was a poet known to include death as the main themes and a variety of symbols in the majority of her poems. Her obsession with death led her to create multiple poems about it that allowed readers to see how she viewed death in numerous different perspectives. An example of one of her poems that takes on the theme of death is, I heard a Fly buzz, which is about a buzzing fly attracted to a mysterious corpse of a dying person. The person dying, who is the speaker in this poem, describes the buzzing fly to be something they suddenly hear while dying at the moment. They also explain the memories of what they did before their death and how they had attempted to accept their own death until a fly interrupted their thoughts. The fly symbolizes the narrator's death by becoming attracted to their corpse that represented the presence of it. This poem identifies as one of Emily Dickinson's poems, indicating an example of themes and symbols of death.