journal 4

Nika Bogoslovsky
1/11/08
Dickinson

Quote: "'Faith' is a fine invention /For Gentlemen who see! /But Microscopes are prudent /In an Emergency!"

Summary: This short poem is # 202 [185]. It is a bout faith and science and what's more useful. I think this poem shows Dickinson's struggles with religion

Response: I like this poem because again you can hear her struggles and doubts with religion. They are easy to relate to because I think anyone brought up in a religious family, like hers, has struggles with faith especially with the hard evidence of science. In this poem, she kind of mocks faith by putting it in quotations and calling it an invention. Also, by stating that it's some thing men can see in contrast to a microscope that can actually help people see only further makes faith less mystical. She's clearly saying that microscopes, an invention, are more helpful and practical in an emergency than faith. It's wiser to stick to something proven to help rather than something people only hope that will help. It's interesting that she italicized the word see because obviously you can't see faith, but you can see, and see through, a microscope. It's a really short and simple poem but has a lot of meaning and shows how she struggles with faith.