Question

The English language is complex. Not only do differences exist among accepted rules of the spoken word, but style guides offer up differing guidelines. Read the Emily Dickinson poem “We Grow Accustomed to the Dark,” and note Dickinson’s use of punctuation. Then locate a style guide, such as The Modern Language Association Style Manual or The Chicago Manual of Style, online or in a library. Copy and paste the poem into the answer box. Then use the style guide to revise the punctuation in the poem based on the punctuation rules on dashes, commas, periods, and semicolons contained in the style guide. Briefly comment on what it felt like to standardize Dickinson's work. Do you think editors were justified in making similar changes? Would you prefer to write like Dickinson did in her poetry in your daily and school life?

Answer 1

Answer:I enjoyed putting the poem into a standard form because I had to think about the relationship, line to line, of the entire poem. But it also makes me realize that Dickinson's dashes are effective because they leave it unclear just how one line connects to another. Honestly, if I read this poem either way, I don't know that I would notice feeling different about it, but putting the two versions together makes me see the differences.

If I were conforming strictly to modern style, I would also feel the need to not capitalize the nouns with the most symbolic meaning. I think the poet's way of capitalizing is a unique personal mark.

Editors work hard to make writing consistent. In some ways, though, I'm glad that everything doesn't have to follow rules, and I would not like to always use correct sentence structure in everything I write. I'm glad publishers eventually put Dickinson's dashes back in her poem so I can see them that way. It's subtle, but punctuation does play a role in what a poem means.

Explanation: it was on plato so i would use parts of it