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Question 1
What does Dickinson mean when she compares the truth to bright light?
The truth can open your eyes to new ideas much like light allows one to see through the darkness. Light is sometimes too bright and can hurt your eyes just like the truth can hurt your feelings or cause you to feel surprised.
Go to question 2.
Question 2
What do the lines "the truth must dazzle gradually/Or every man be blind" mean in the poem?
Dickinson means that rather than go literally blind, a person may refuse to believe he or she has been told the truth because it is too much to handle or understand. He or she may not have the maturity or experience to understand it completely unless it is revealed to them gradually.
Go to question 3.
Question 3
What is the tone of the poem and what words from the poem help to illustrate the tone?
Dickinson's tone is informative, pedantic, confident and even sympathetic. She uses words like "tell," "explanation," "must," and "gradually" to show the impressive nature of the truth. She uses words like "gradually" and "surprise" to show sympathy for her unknowing audience.