1. “The Soul selects her own Society” “If you were coming in the Fall”
Dickinson
“The Soul selects her own Society”
“If you were coming in the Fall”

2. Vocab. “The Soul selects…” “If you were coming in the Fall”
Exact Rhyme – the accented syllables and all following syllables of 2+ words share identical sounds.
Slant Rhyme – close, but not exact rhyming sound
Personification – giving human-like qualities to non-human things.
“If you were coming in the Fall”
Tone – author’s attitude toward subjects, characters, etc.

3. “The Soul selects…” “If you were…”
Summarize the poem. How does the speaker feel about the situation they are in?
What figure of speech is being used in the first stanza? Describe the comparison taking place.
What is being compared in the second stanza?
Paraphrase the third stanza.
How would you describe the speaker’s tone in stanza’s 1-4. How does the tone change in the fifth stanza? What is the tone of the poem overall?
In the fifth stanza, a Goblin is a tormenting creature. What might Dickinson be suggesting when she says that the bee is a goblin and will not “state” its sting?
Discuss how Dickinson uses personification regarding the soul overall.
Majority (line 3) has numerous possible meanings. Discuss how majority fits the meanings of the following: “the greater part,” “maturity,” and “superiority.”
Identify all exact and slant rhyme taking place in the poem.
Why is it important that the word Stone be emphasized at the end of the poem? How does this word affect the overall impression of the poem?