1. What words come to mind when you see the word ‘funeral’? 2. Where is our spirit/soul/essence found, in your opinion?
3. Do you like it when the ending of a poem, book or film is left open-ended or do you prefer definitive endings?
COMPREHENDING AND RESPONDING
1. How many words associated with funerals can you find in this poem? Write a list of these words and state what impact you think they have on a reader.
2. What do you think it might mean to feel a funeral in your brain?
3. Why do you think Dickinson uses repetition in the first two stanzas of this poem and what impact does it have on you as a reader?
4. Do you think comparing a funeral service to a drum is an effective simile? Give reasons for your answer.
5. Explain the following lines in your own words: ‘And then I heard them lift a Box/ And creak across my Soul’. Remember that this poem, like any poem, is completely open to interpretation.
6. ‘Stanza four of “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” gives us a powerful insight into depression.’ Give your response to this statement, supporting your answer with reference to the poem and/or Dickinson’s life.
7. What do you think might be happening in the last stanza of this poem? You can choose from one of the options listed below or come up with your own interpretation. Explain your interpretation with reference to the poem.
„„The speaker has fainted or had a panic attack. „„The speaker has had a nervous breakdown. „„The speaker has been buried. „„The speaker has imagined her own funeral taking place.
8. How would you describe the tone of this poem? Give reasons for your choice.
9. What theme or themes can you find in this poem? Refer to the poem in support of your answer.
CREATING
1. Write an email to the Minister for Education complaining that the material selected for the Leaving Certificate English course is often difficult and depressing, and that a greater balance could be found with the inclusion of more lighthearted material. Give suggestions of such material.
2. Write a short story inspired by ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’.
3. Imagine you were a close friend or a family member of Dickinson’s. Write the eulogy that you would have delivered at her funeral.
4. The fear of being buried alive could be termed an irrational fear. Write a personal essay exploring your irrational fears.
