English 2XL / Shakely / 9.

15

PV Log: (circle one) Poem / Movie / Theater / Lyric / Photo

Date 1/31/16

Title Because I

Could Not Stop For Death

Author / Director / Poet / Lyricist, etc. (if known)

Emily Dickinson

Context (Where Found / Viewed / Read . . . Variety of Sources, please, vis-a-vis Google Images only)

Found on the 5 poetry on an AP Exam handout

Content / CD / Summary (Say? Plot? Setting / Situation? Key lines / Phrases, Scenes, etc? )

The poem describes the speaker having a date with Death. The speaker is picked up by Death in a carriage,
and they slowly ride pass many different places. As their ride comes to a stop, the speaker realizes that they
stop in front of the speaker's own grave.

Content / CM / Meaning? / Theme(s)?

The theme of the poem is the impending fate of death that awaits everyone. Although everyone is going to
die one day, it does not mean that all hope is lost. We should learn to value every single minute we have
while we are alive on earth, because we never know when we are going to die. Even after death people can
live on by the memories that they have created with others.
Form (Diction? Construction Terms? Symbolism?) This section MUST be filled out for poems taken from the AP Poetry
packet provided prior to first library visit.

This poem personifies Death. Dickinson gives death a gender and human characteristics, such as being polite
and well-mannered.

Commentary: Why like? Poetic Traits? Relevance / Connections / Allusions (Lit, Bib, Myth, Histor, Other) / Relevance
to personal experience, 20Qs? etc.)?

I find this poem very eye opening to me because it shows that no one is truly ready to die. The poem also
shows that Death is not always a bad force, by personifying Death using positive characteristics. It is also
different seeing Death as a person, rather than a force of nature. It is poetic when people create special
memories with the people that they love so that they live on after they die.

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