Emily Dickinson's 'Tell All The Truth'

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Analysis of Tell all the truth but tell it slant
Emily Dickinson wrote Tell all the truth but tell it slant to explain how people could effectively tell others the truth. In the first line she says “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant--” She’s saying it’s important to tell the truth but you should dress it up when you do because people can take it negatively. Next she says “Success in Circuit lies”, which means you should indirectly tell the truth so it won’t be as brutal. “Too bright for our infirm Delight” suggests that people feel better about the truth if you tell white lies along with it. “The Truth’s superb surprise” means the truth is something that’s almost always unexpected. “As Lightning to the Children eased” translates to the …show more content…
In the first line when she capitalizes “Truth” it was purposeful and meaningful. She highlights that word to make sure you know it’s important. In the next line when she says “Success in Circuit lies”, it can have two different connotations. One could be negative in a way of someone circumnavigating the truth to lie and the other could be someone going around the truth to sacrifice someone’s feelings or well being. In the next line, “Too bright in our infirm Delight” has a connotation of the truth being too overwhelming at some points which could be too much for most people. Following that line Dickinson says, “The Truth’s superb surprise” means the truth always has a negative or positive connotation. It depends upon what is being said and who they’re telling it to. The next line says “As Lightning to the Children eased” meaning the truth is painful like lightning and it’s hurting people which she compares to innocent and vulnerable children. The next line says, “With explanation kind” meaning you tell the truth in a nicer way rather than blunt. The following line says, “The Truth must dazzle gradually/Or every man be blind--” meaning the truth must be given in steps because it’s really bright. She uses the word bright because most people connect it to something that’s radiating and blinding. Also, Dickinson continuously capitalizes the word “truth” to express its
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