“I’m nobody! Who are you?” by Emily Dickinson Essay

Never judge a word of honor by its cover. Appearances can greatly deviate from what is hidden on the inside. Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson, We assume the mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Im nought Who are you? by Emily Dickinson each give examples of appearances in pipeline to globe. Robinsons Richard Cory is essenti tout ensembley about a man who is set upon a golden pedestal by others and due to his suppressed sadness, kills himself. We wear the mask by Dunbar shows us societys engagement of a mask to hide their sorrow and grief, grinning and smiling when they truly feel overwhelmed with sadness.Dickinsons Im nobody tells of the manipulation of person in society as opposed to a nobody, deeming the justness as the latter of the two. In Robinsons Richard Cory, Dunbars We wear the mask, and Dickinsons Im nobody appearance versus reality is exhibited by means of the usage of poetical language evoking various feelings in the reader. With each authors do of poetic l anguage feelings are stirred and the discrepancies between appearances and reality are clearly expressed.Robinsons Richard Cory lets us closely examine appearances in contrast with reality. All who knew of Richard Cory held him in reverence they glorified him and were quite avaricious of his lifestyle. And he was always quietly arrayed, and he was always human when he talked barely still he fluttered pulses when he said, Good morning, and he glittered when he walked. In fine we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place gives a perfect example of how highly Richard Cory was thought of by the population on the pavement and how they wished to be of his status.Those who watched Richard Cory every time he went into t avow might have desire all Cory had and was, but they were deceived by his rejection of the eminence that his fellows would accord him. And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, went home and throw up a pot by his head, although it may i magem somewhat an ironic and abrupt ending, it suits the theme well, readily identifying the concept of appearance versus identity. Robinson also shows us appearances versus reality through his utilise of poetic language.Robinsons use of imagery, and irony enhances the poem greatly. Robinson uses imagery throughout the course of his poem. And he was always quietly arrayedand he glittered when he walked, Robinson uses visuallystimulating words and phrases to show the magnitude of a man that was Richard Cory. Robinson also makes use of irony in Richard Cory, enabling us to understand the truth of Corys existence, that of a sad man, no better than any of those on the pavement. And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, went home and put a bullet through his head, after all that reverence, Richard Cory was in all respects unhappy. This use of poetic language in Richard Cory provokes feelings of grandness and jealousy.When Richard Corys fellows looked at him, they saw him as of royalty, of pertaining to that which heavenly or divine howbeit, they were looking through eyeball full of envy. Richard was held in high regards. And he was rich yes, richer than a king and admirably schooled in every grace, his ranking alongside Kings gives a sense of how grand a man the townspeople do Cory out to be. People on the street admired Cory from afar they wished to be him, to walk in his shoes, they begrudge his very essence. In fine, we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place. So on we worked, and waited for the light, and went without meat, and cursed the bread the extent of their jealousy runs far. However, We wear the mask by Dunbar, in its own way, also deals with the same(p) principles of appearance versus reality as did Richard Cory.We wear the mask allows us to delve into the brainpower of humanity and explore its apparent need to hide behind a mask. In We wear the mask, the patronage alone gives us the theme for the entire poem. W e wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides our cheeks and shades out eyesThis debt we dedicate to human guile with poser and bleeding hearts we smile, and mouth with myriad subtleties, shows that the mask that is worn hides the confessedly self, instead, a false face is given, one which smiles and does not let the underlying, suppressed sorrows show. Humanity, as seen through the eyes of Dunbar in We wear the mask, is deceiving itself with these masks we wear, this fraudulent life which is lead by all. This debt we pay to human guile with thorn and bleeding hearts we smile, and mouth with myriad subtleties, though we may be torn apart inside, to the human being we are content with life once again, appearance deviate greatly from reality. Moreover, through the use of poetic language, Dunbar also expresses appearance in contrast withreality.Through the use of an extended metaphor and sensory, Dunbar further allows the exploration of appearances versus reality. We wear the mask tells of a mask which hides the face, which hides the emotions one is feeling, the term mask is used throughout the poem as a metaphor Dunbar does not write of a mask which is adorned and used for masquerades, rather, he writes of the inherent suppression of emotions for fear of being ostracized from a society which is quick to do so. Nay, let them yet see us while we wear the mask, the mask is a necessity in life, it is worn by all. Sensory language in We wear the mask enables the reader to feel the pains and sufferings of the human race.Dunbars use of extended metaphor and sensory in We wear the mask elicits pride and empathy in the reader. We smile, but O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh, the clay is vile beneath our feet, and long the mile lines much(prenominal) a these enable the reader to empathize with the narrator. The way poetic language was used in We wear the mask evokes feelings of empathy in the reader, as well as pride.Throug hout the course of Dunbars poem, one cannot tending but feel a sense of empathy and pride. Reading this poem, a sense empathy for humanity arises, for the pain we all face day in and day out. We smile, but O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise, evokes the feeling of empathy towards the plights of humanity. A sense of pride is also given in the poem with the narrators refusal to let others see him without the mask. But let the world dream otherwise, we wear the mask the narrator voices this statement with pride. In addition, Im nobody by Dickinson also faces the idea of discrepancies between appearance and reality.Dickinsons Im nobody explores appearance in contrast with reality. The true face of the reader is being questioned, their identity so to speak. Im nobody Who are you? Dickinson suggests, through the persona of a child that the true mortal is, in reality, the nobody. In order to re chief(prenominal) in society, one must adopt the views and beliefs of society disregarding of your own. atomic number 18 you nobody too? Then theres a pair of us entert tell Theydbanish us you know, this shows how people must appear to be the same as the majority, even though in reality, they may be quite different. Dickinson also shows us appearances versus reality through her use of poetic language.Dickinsons use of similes and satire further enhance the theme of the poem. She compares and contrasts the role of somebody to a frog. How distressing to be somebody How public like a frog to an admiring slow down Dickinsons depiction of somebody is of a self-important and constantly self-promoting person and further shows the false set of a society that approves of people like the frog. Dickinson uses satire to illustrate the follies of mankind in accepting these frog-somebodys. How dreary to be somebody How public like a frog to tell your name to the livelong June to an admiring bog Dickinsons use of poetic language sound, at times, mischievous a nd comical.Dickinsons use of tone in Im nobody is playful and at comical. The child persona she adopts gives the sense of a playful nature in the poem. Im nobody Who are you? Are you nobody too? gives the main evidence of its playful tone. At times, Dickinson pokes fun at society, comically pointing out its errors. How dreary to be somebodyTo an admiring bog gives a comical, yet true, depiction of society. This poem, like all the rest, expresses appearance in contrast with reality.In Robinsons Richard Cory, Dunbars We wear the mask, and Dickinsons Im nobody appearance versus reality is exhibited through the usage of poetic language evoking various feelings in the reader. Hiding the true self from society is a necessary part of life, everyday it must be worn in order be accepted, and these trine poems are exemplary. Appearances are just that, appearances, and nothing more the true individual is far different from that which we see. Are we all not quick to judge a book by its cover?