Dashes interrupt your writing to insert an interjection or pause, while parentheses gently add information to your point. They are sometimes considered interchangeable, but each serves a specific purpose. What do dashes symbolize in writing?ĭashes and parentheses are both used to indicate an aside or additional information in a sentence. By doing so, she highlights the speaker’s paradoxical statement that what appears to be madness may actually be sense. Smith said.ĭickinson uses dashes in “Much Madness is Divinest Sense” to draw emphasis to a particular word or phrase. Martha Nell Smith, a professor of English at the University of Maryland and the author of five books on the poet Emily Dickinson, said that Dickinson used the dash to “highlight the ambiguity of the written word.” “The dash is an invitation to the reader to make meaning,” Dr. You might likeHow are emerson and emily dickinson similar? In a sense, Dickinson is playing a game of “Red Light, Green Light” with her readers, controlling the pace and flow of the poem. This technique is especially effective in lines 4, 11, and 12, where the reader is forced to take stock of what is being said. By capitalizing key words and phrases, and using dashes to set apart specific words and phrases, the poet ensures that the reader will take the time to think about the poem’s meaning.ĭickinson is known for her use of dashes in her poetry, which act as pauses to break up the flow of lines.

The poet uses a variety of techniques to draw the reader’s attention and force them to slow down and contemplate the poem. Why does Emily Dickinson use dashes and capitalization? Finally, dashes can be used to create pauses or emphasize certain words or phrases, which may have been yet another way Dickinson was hoping to communicate her message to her readers. Additionally, dashes can indicate a sudden change in mood or tone, which may have been another way Dickinson was trying to engage her readers.

By interrupting her thoughts with dashes, she may have been trying to keep her readers on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what she would say next. One possibility is that she wanted to create a sense of suspense or dramatic effect. There are a few possible reasons why Emily Dickinson may have chosen to use dashes in her writing.

Poem with dashes