I Felt a Cleaving in my Mind

Thesis Statement

A lapse into irrationality can lead to psychological break-down.

Introduction

Dickinson is discovering a psychological know-how, which could be either (1) a lapse into irrationality, a psychological breakdown or (2) the ignoring of a considered or phrase (an know-how we have all have had and one which, I lament to notify you, gets more widespread as we age). You can conclude if she is recounting an abnormal psychological state or if she is recounting a widespread mental occurrence. Don't let the name leverage your reading; an reviewer who arranged the verses for publication chose that name, not Dickinson. (Thomas p.36)

Discussion

"Cleaving" is an intriguing phrase choice. It entails to divide, distinct, drop apart, often with a proposal of effort or even violence; it furthermore has the converse significance of to attach to or to cling to. "Split" makes clear the speaker is utilizing the first significance of distinct, yet her yearn is for the second significance, for the divided ideas to fit together. To articulate this year, she values the metaphor of a seamstress, who will not agree two parts of slash fabric ("seam by seam"). The speaker, like the seamstress with the borders of the piece of cloth, is incapable to make an attachment between one considered and the considered directly next it. She values another stitching metaphor for her incompetence to attach her thoughts; they are like distinct globes of yarn (they--and her thoughts--are not "knit" together). (Henry p.42) A wonder of up to date poets, Dickinson's verses still arrest nature's form. With splendid perfection, she masterfully denotes and capitalizes on the attractiveness of two activities. One, in itself becomes a thing of attractiveness, but when she blends it with attractiveness; they catapult off each other and glorify the Robin. Instead of equality, environment strives ...