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Emily Dickinson Mood

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Tears are a complex phenomenon caused by strong emotions, most often associated with misfortune, depression, and sorrow. However, the reality is that tears can come to represent many different emotions, from intense joy to utter confusion and pity. These strong emotions depend on the perspective of the person who is crying, and perspectives play a major role in providing deep layers of individuality between multiple minds and defining them. They differ between people due to various factors and influences such as circumstances and insights; circumstances can cause people to bend and think a certain way in the moment based on their true nature, and the insights individuals gain can very often influence lasting change in views. Under different …show more content…

For instance, Emily Dickinson’s poem, “We grow accustomed to the dark,” explores the struggle of navigating a world deprived of visibility “[w]hen [l]ight is put away” (1). Despite encountering obstacles in the way, the protagonist of the poem is finally able to “learn to see / … / And [l]ife steps almost straight.” (Dickinson 16-20). The darkness is symbolic of struggle or adversity, and in his/her attempts to continue moving forward in the face of said adversity, the speaker realizes that one does not need to see the light at the end of the tunnel if he/she can see in the darkness clearly. This insight demonstrates that perseverance and a strong will can guide people through even the darkest times. Therefore, Emily Dickinson’s poem conveys that insights can be as influential as the circumstances from which they spawn. Such is also clear in Amy Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club, wherein An-Mei Hsu is faced with circumstances of adversity. All her life, she is led to believe her mother is a horrible, shameful person but is proven wrong after learning of dark revelations. An-Mei’s mother, trapped in and raped at Wu Tsing’s house, became “already as low as a prostitute” and was forced to move in with him “to hide her shame with Wu Tsing’s wealth” (Tan 237). This insight proves the stance that actions do not occur without reason, and false assumptions are a nightmare that one must wake up from in order to face reality. An-Mei’s point of view becomes defined by her learning to accept the hard truths around her, such as her fault in Bing’s death. Both An-Mei Hsu and the protagonist of Dickinson’s poem undergo a change in character upon learning in their situations, instigating a change in perspective as well. This demonstrates that insight can be a heavily influential contributing factor to different

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