Assignment Details

Course: English 456: American Literature: Study of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry

Write an essay about the most influential aspect of Dickinson’s verse on the current U.S. poetry scene.

Brainstorming phase:

Her use of the dash.

Narrowing topic phase:

Her use of the dash to create unique rhythms and emphasis.

Take a position phase:

The key contribution that Emily Dickinson made to modern poetry is introducing the use of the dash as a rhythmic and emphatic device.

Specify phase:

The key linguistic contribution that Emily Dickinson developed that lent itself to the current American poetry scene was her usage of the dash as a rhythmic and emphatic verse device.

Show valid support phase (optional):

In accordance with contemporary poetic trends as analyzed by U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, I surmised that the key linguistic contribution that Emily Dickinson developed that lent itself to the current American poetry scene was her usage of the dash as a rhythmic and emphatic verse device.