Customary first post

I am a SUPER senior at James Madison University. I'm an english major who detests grammar and spelling, and who, most of the time, is too dense to pick up on subtle symbolism and imagery. However, our AMAZING professor...(who should really give me an A) thought that it would be a great idea to have her class blog about Dickinson.And here it is, my first post for my major author class, Emily Dickinson. Here's what I "knew" about Dickinson before attending class...

• I have a ferret named Emily Dickinson (Emmy D. for short) who is deaf like her brother Oliver Twist...yes, my animal names reflect my major, don't judge. But, fun fact...Dickinson loved Dickens's and alludes to Oliver Twist in many of her letters...so, my animal names were fate.
• She wrote confusing poetry (I'm still operating under that assumption)
• she is NOT the lady who stuck her head in the oven
• She was a recluse

After taking about a months worth of classes and reading a boat load of letters and poetry by Emily...my conclusion about her has not drastically wavered, but I have determined the following, which I will explore in later entries.

• She's as mad as a hatter- seriously, she's insane, but I have decided that she is merely a victim of being born in the wrong time. If she had access to facebook or myspace or a blog, perhaps she would have been less stir crazy and people would actually write her back because...
• She has HORRID handwriting. People like her make me glad that I changed major from education...I would fail her, even though her ideas are genius (or insane?) seriously, I doubt she could even give a five year old a run for their money regarding penmanship.
  

This five year old's handwriting is at LEAST legible! Every word can be read...Dickinson could take a few pointers from this kid.

• She was lonely. Honestly, she was a recluse, but towards the end of her life when she was sick. Her father, when alive, was a religious meanie and her perfect brother Austin got ALL of the attention. I'd act out too if I was Emily.
  
• Her poetry is deep. Even the most seemingly simple poem about a lady wanting berries, but wont get them because God Would get angry at the speaker for soiling her apron. It's simple at first glance, hilarious at second glance (as a lot of her works are) and is a chin scratcher after glance number 3. She's a genius, she's insane.
• She, really, really liked her brother's wife, Sue....and I mean really...
• Seriously people, if she had access to a type writer I feel like everyone's life would have been better. It probably took people so long to respond to her mail because it took them months to decipher her "handwriting."
• She could use a hug, she wrote a lot about death, and she's always writing about how she wants to hug and "embrace" the people she's writing too.
  
• She had a giant dog...I love dogs, Emily and I would have been friends until I forgot to write her back, unless she had facebook, then I would have probably written her back.