Question

Read the poem "'Nature' is what we see—" by Emily Dickinson. Which two purposes does the dash serve in this poem? "Nature" is what we see— The Hill—the Afternoon— Squirrel—Eclipse—the Bumble bee— Nay—Nature is Heaven.  Nature is what we hear— The Bobolink—the Sea— Thunder—the Cricket— Nay—Nature is Harmony. Nature is what we know— But have no Art to say— So impotent Our Wisdom is To Her Simplicity.

Answer 1

The dashes serve:

1) To show emphasis on certain words within the dashes (such as Thunder)
2) The dashes also show a list, as it gives each phrases inside the list without placing them in vertical tables.


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