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Question 1
What metaphor does Dickinson use in her definition of hope? What is she comparing hope to?
Dickinson defines hope by comparing it to a bird that perches in a human's soul. It can nest in the human's soul and share in its compassion. Just like a bird might perch and then fly away, hope sometimes "flies" away or is lost for a while.
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Question 2
Why is hope, like the bird, "sweetest in the gale" or against the wind?
She is saying that hope is the "sweetest" when we are experiencing difficulties, like the bird's song battling through the wind. She is saying that we need hope most when things are not going so well. The bird's song inspires when it needs to the most.
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Question 3
What kind of place would you imagine the "chilliest" land to be? Why is hope in this place where you might think it would be least expected?
Dickinson tells us that the "chilliest land" is symbolic for the times she has heard and seen hope in the most extreme, unlikely places. Hope has the ability to fill our hearts with whatever force is necessary to get us through a difficult place or time in our lives.
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Question 4
Why is hope like a bird in that it never asks for a crumb?
Hope, like the bird to which it is being compared, sings it song and makes us feel better without asking for payment. It aids the soul, but never requires anything back. It supports us and never asks for anything in return, perched and ready when we need it.