Poem 260 (I Felt, A Funeral, In My Brain

Emily Dickinson, in her poem “#260 (I felt, a Funeral, in my Brain)” discusses a speakers descent into madness and a mentally unstable condition. The speaker experiences a loss of self and place in the world. Throughout the poem, many metaphors are used to convey the themes. A funeral is used to express that the speaker feels as though part of him/her is dying. Yet, at the same time, a funeral is contradictory to the speakers situation. This is because the “taboos” of the funeral service and recession represent control and order, the opposite of what the speakers is experiencing. A funeral also represents life and death, both the transition between the two states and the connections between them. This idea of life and death, symbolism …show more content…
Throughout the novel, Morrison discusses the African American population in the mid nineteenth century and the horrors the majority of the population faced under enslavement. They were subject to racism, marginalization, and abuse both physically and mentally that was dehumanizing. With this being one of the most prominent themes of the novel, Morrison demonstrates the characters needs to lock away haunting memories and attempt to find stability and peace in their lives. Yet, despite the characters efforts to shun the memories of their past, they are frequently forced out from a character’s minds. Morrison uses the symbol of trees to further demonstrate this notion. Throughout the novel, Morrison uses trees in many scenes, and with many potential meanings. They are shown as benevolent and harmful, and are shown in scenes with negative and positive outcomes for the characters. Ultimately, the usage of trees in the novel symbolizes the Tree of Life and the Family Tree. The Tree of Life depicts life, both in terms of birth and death. Also, it depicts the Circle of Life in terms of resurrection and rebirth. The Family Tree depicts the importance of family and the fact that older members of the family strive to protect