I'm nobody! Who are you?

by Emily Dickinson, Virginia Euwer Wolff (Introduction)

Librarian's Note: This is an alternate cover edition - ISBN: 0439295769 / ISBN13: 9780439295765

Poems by Emily Dickinson. With an introduction by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Scholastic Classics.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Fiction, Young Adult, Literature, Adult, Childrens

105 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Emily Dickinson was an American poet who, despite the fact that less than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime, is widely considered one of the most original and influential poets of the 19th century.

Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.

Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.

Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.

A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...

Reviews

[هدى يحيى · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you – Nobody – too?
Then there's a pair of us?
Don't tell! they'd advertise – you know!

How dreary – to be – Somebody!
How public – like a Frog –
To tell one's name – the livelong June –
To an admiring Bog!

***

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading – treading – till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through –

And when they all were seated,
A Service, like a Drum –
Kept beating – beating – till I thought
My Mind was going numb –

***

Much Madness is divinest Sense -
To a discerning Eye -
Much Sense - the starkest Madness -
’Tis the Majority
In this, as all, prevail -
Assent - and you are sane -
Demur - you’re straightway dangerous -
And handled with a Chain -

Breathtaking collection of poems !

[Margarita Nikolajevna]

ja sam ubeđena da su ovi krš prevodi dobrih pisaca koji zvuče kao robot sa polomljenim nogama teorija zavere protiv mene lično
da sam dobila dinar svaki put kad sam čitala pisca koji je živeo u 19. veku, pisao na engleskom i mali vrt mu je užasno preveo pesme imala bih dva dinara što nije puno ali čudno je što se desilo dvaput i to sa dobrim pesnicima u originalu

[Vukasin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super je ovo izdanje, zato sto su na kraju tumacenja,bez kojih neke pesme ne bi bile razumljive.
Moja omiljena je :

"Nada" je pernato stvorenje-
Koje u dušu sleće -
I pesmu bez reči peva
I bas nikad-stati nece-

I najsladje se cuje - u oluji -
I ljuta bi nepogoda morala da bude
Koja Ptičicu moze da zbuni
Koja greje tol'ke ljude -

Čuh je na moru najdaljem od svih
I u zemlji gde je najhladnije -
Nikad, i u nevolji krajnjoj
Ni mrvu mi potrazila - nije.

Isto su mi se svidele i: 543 ; 569 ; 897

[Miloš Lazarević · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emili Dikinson je jedan od onih pesničkih glasova koji se rode u vremenima velikih smutnji, kada čovek više nije vlasnik svog života, već se čini da samo ima pravo da saobraća sa utuljenim, tihim glasom svoje savesti i ličnih nemira.

Prvi put čitam kompletno delo, premda smo se s jednom pesmom susreli na master studijama ( gde se lirski subjekat poredi s puškom); i tekst je gust, neobičan, pun elipsi i oksimorona. Emili često piše u zagonetkama, propituje stavove tadašnjeg establišmenta i vešto skriva nagone strasti u filigranski osenčene stihove pune tihe lascivnosti.

Pored toga što je pisala pod uticajem vremena u kom je živela, malo zasićena puritanskim hrišćanstvom, Dikinsonova je bila i pod uticajem transcendentalizma: nema oslanjanja na empirijsku stvarnost, postoji enormna snaga i naslućenje proviđenja u intuiciji. Prema transcendentalizmu, čiji je predstavnik bio Ralf Valdo Emerson, čovek poseduje inherentnu dobrotu, koju društvo i institucije kvate ( slično Rusoovom shvatanju o izlasku čoveka iz prirodnog stanja).

Njene pesme su često hermetične, višeznačne, prekićene metaforama. Za pažljivog čitaoca, tu se može naći i kritika strogog viktorijanskog društva, pasaži o položaju žene u umetnosti i generalno, svakodnevici, ali i pasusi lični, tegobni, u kojima se čita težina jednog života.

Ja ću se Emili sigurno vraćati. Ono što je dobro kod ove zbirke, jeste što imate kratka objašnjenja za neke od pesama na kraju zbirke. Svakako, uvek možete i slobodno da tumačite. Ipak, mislim da je užitak mnogo veći ako se čita u originalu, premda mi prevod deluje i zvuči sasvim u redu. :)

[celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

ojalá pudieráis ver la edición tan monísima bilingüe japonés - inglés que compré en kinokuniya

me hace gracia ver que marketean este libro como "para niños". para los niños más listos y resabidillos del mundo, será! pero, aunque no ha sido mi poemario favorito, me ha acompañado en el viaje más loco de mi vida!

These Strangers, in a foreign World,
Protection asked of me -
Befriend them, lest yourself in Heaven
be found a Refugee -

God is indeed a jealous God -
He cannot bear to see
That we had rather not with Him
But with each other play.

[Kaylee D · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was kind of confusing. I found it hard to follow. But I did enjoy a few of the poems but some were hard to understand. Overall I did not really understand the meaning of the poems. I did though like the poem on page 45. That poem said '' pain has an element of blank''. I found that poem easy to follow and understand. Overall I don't recommend it was boring and hard to understand for me.

[Clarice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not usually a fan of poetry, but this book of poems was really good. I had to read poetry for a class, and a friend recommended reading Emily Dickinson. The poems flowed nicely and were different than any other poetry I have ever read. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody looking to read some great poetry.

[Keann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok. I am just now glad I have finished this book. I wish I understand poetry a little better because I did not get most of these poems. If you can understand poetry, and you like poetry books you might like this book. This is what I thought about I'm Nobody! Who Are You?

[Amaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm nobody
Who are you?
Are you nobody too?

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

But were it told to me, to-day,
That I might have the sky
For mine, I tell you that my heart
Would split, for size of me.

The meadows mine, the mountains mine, –
All forests, stintless stars,
As much of noon as I could take
Between my finite eyes.

she gets it

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild nights! Wild nights!
Were I with thee,
Wild nights should be
Our luxury.

Futile the winds
To a heart in port,-
Done with the compass.
Done with the chart.

Rowing in Eden!
Ah! The sea!
Might I but moor
Tonight in thee!

Love, love, love Emily Dickinson. I didn't realize how much till I started reading this book. I read it once in high school, but I don't think I really understood her at all then. Even still, I don't understand everything she says, but there is such a beautiful cadence to her writing. I feel like she gets right to the heart of things. The whole book is full of all my little notes and underlinings. I feel like her poetry is a beautiful mystery, waiting to be discovered. This is another book that is going to live right by my bed so I can pull it out frequently.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book made me a fan of Emily Dickinson. I'm glad I picked it up from the library discard shelf. (Poetry is something I'm just coming around to, now in my late thirties.) The illustrations are not amazing but still drew me in more than plain words on a page would have. And the glossary in the back is helpful; without it I never would have taken the time to look up the more archaic words.

[maša · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Nada je pernato stvornje -
Koje u dušu sleće -
I pesmu bez reči peva
I baš nikad - stati neće -"

[Jowayria Rahal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book proved that Emily Dickinson being on the top of my 5 favourite poets of All Time was well-deserved ! Though some may consider her style as depressing and cheerless , I find the way she combines her thoughts to be mighty beautiful !

I adore this stanza , I couldn't get it out of my mind for days after reading the book

" I wonder if it hurts to live,
And if They have to try,
And whether, could They choose between,
It would not be, to die. "

<3

[marko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vodi nas je naučila žeđ,
Zemlji - negdašnji Okeani.
Zanosu - agonije steg -
Miru - opevana bitka -
Ljubavi - humka spomenika -
Pticama, sneg.

[Preston Weatherbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didnt really like this book because I got really bored of reading poetry. Some of the poems were alright but others were hard to understand. If you like poetry then you might like this book and i would recommend it to you.

[Andrew Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Emily Dickinson’s poem, “I’m Nobody! Who Are You?” is written from the perspective of an unknown speaker, who claims that they’re a “Nobody”. In contrast to being a “Nobody”, the speaker mentions why it would be boring to be “Somebody”, questioning individuals' need for attention. Being a “Nobody” is the speaker's desire, because it highlights the benefits of isolation and anonymity.

Connection: Similar to the connection made to identity with Julio Noboa’s poem, this short poem by Emily Dickinson approaches the concept in a similar fashion. This poem takes a creative approach to addressing the incessant need for people to be noticed, liked and desired by the people around them. This poem argues that it’s much better to be a “Nobody” than a “Somebody” because there is far more benefit in being anonymous and isolated as opposed to being the center of attention. When you’re a “Nobody”, you’re free to be who you’re truly meant to be without the constraints of societal expectations. In regards to MS students, this would have an immense impact on their experiences as they transition towards high school. Student’s will oftentimes place their own value into the hands of their peers, which inevitably results in people consistently tweaking their actions and beliefs to fit in as best they can. Teacher’s can address this by asking students if they want to be sheep for the rest of their lives, because if they don’t realize that being a “Nobody” is the key to unlocking their true identity, they’ll continue to live their lives in hopes of being a “Somebody” and will never be who they’re truly meant to be.

This very short poem manages to say so much with such little space, and that being said is often used to help students improve their comprehension and interpretation skills. Although, this could easily be applied to student writing using the “My Favorite Words” activity from chapter three of Gallagher’s Write Like This. In this particular case, I wouldn’t use this activity the same way Gallagher does; I would instruct students to create a list of words that describes an aspect or their identity as a whole. Once this list has been created, have students write a sentence next to each word explaining why it describes their identity. This would be useful to spark student-writing, especially since most people enjoy writing about themselves and it will provide a purpose for thinking introspectively about yourself.

[Natalie Zakel]

I’m Nobody! Who are you? is one of Dickinson’s most famous poems, which in two stanzas she explores the nature of public versus private identity and how she distinguishes herself as a "nobody" among the “croaking” of “somebodies”.

I’m Nobody! Who are you? would be a great poem to analyze in a middle school classroom because even though given its brief and abrupt nature, Dickinson’s short stanzas hold immense depth and meaning to them and can be explored in a number of ways that gives middle school students a lot of freedom and creativity when working with this text. Middle school students can also relate to Dickinson’s mentions of the hierarchical systems of “nobodies” and “somebodies”, a social classification order dictates a lot of how adolescents portray themselves and their identities to their peers and the world around them. Adolescents can also relate to the exhaustion of keeping up appearances to try and be “somebodies”, and hopefully will take away from this text that being true to oneself and metaphorically being “nobody” is better than trying to be someone they are not.

For instructional use, I would pair this text with an expressive and reflective writing activity where students have the opportunity to gain insight into their own identities and how they want to reflect themselves to the world. Gallagher’s chapter two outlines the “Forgive My Guilt” writing prompt, in which students are asked to reflect on a regretful memory and respond as to how it made them feel about themselves and what they wish they would have done differently. For this writing activity, I would ask students to reflect on a time when they pretended to be someone they weren’t, why they did it, how it made them feel, and what they would have done differently if given the chance. Reflective writing like such where students can connect to the bigger ideas of a text but apply the knowledge to their own lives, to grow into more caring, meaningful, compassionate humans who aren’t afraid to express their true identities is a great way to promote self-acceptance in a middle school classroom.

[Enoch Gillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Emily Dickinson's writing style. The poems follow a case-by-case structure: instead of drawing out an idea for too long or desaturating a concept, the poems are set to a length that matches the material. I like poets who do this, along with experimenting with different structures and word patterns. I also like how the poems don't have a title. Complementing their abstract nature, I find the imagery of the poems is more vivid because I don't create a staple concept before even reading the poem. This edition has an introduction, which was pretty much just some writer's interpretations of Emily Dickinson. I did not read it for very long before skipping to the poems because it was pretty awkward; it does not affect my review because it is just irrelevant extra. I suggest this anthology to people who like poetry, specifically Dickinson's poetry. I particularly like the poem with the first line "No rack can torture me," as it exposes an interesting concept.

[Brigitte Lizarraga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brigitte Lizarraga
Book review #8
English 9, B1
05/17/17

I'm Nobody! Who Are You? is a short lyric poem by Emily Dickinson first published in 1991. It was one of Emily's popular poems. This poem opens with a literally impossible declaration that the speaker is “Nobody.” My first literary element is the narrator of the book. The narrator directly reflects the beliefs and feelings of the author herself. She knew how to turn little things into a big deal. She sounds like she passed through being a nobody.
My second literary element is protagonist. The claim that one is nobody may suggest that one is disregarded by others, but it may also be a way of asserting one’s humility or self-centeredness. The way she says "i'm nobody" I think is more because others ignore her, is a way of making sure that she is indeed noticed. She calls herself as nobody, because she wants us to relay to her. I recommend this book if you feel sometimes alone or invisible. When I was reading this book I felt like it was me, but sometimes I couldn't understanted.

[Kay ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book and also bought 2 more Emily Dickinson poetry books for the wrong reason. The tv show.

The poetry itself? Kinda boring.

[Mohammad Heydari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!

[Natasha]

I’m really not a poetry fan - didn’t like it in University- and unfortunately still don’t like it now. But at least I tried.

[Kitkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this and its simplicity in her words.

[Davita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily I miss you

[Anne Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Emily Dickinson volume ever read. I found the forward helpful, written by Virginia Euwer Wolff but by in large I wasn't inspired by many of Dickinson's poems entire. Parts, not whole, caught my attention. The other thing I noticed, obviously I need to read more about the port's style, is that most poems were very, very similar in style. Unfortunately the volume I read had not returned to the style Dickinson preferred with lots of dashes and odd capitalization.

[Rachel Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of poetry, but these were thought-provoking and interesting. I have learned I am an Emily Dickinson fan thanks to this short book.

[Kristina Sofronić · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jako je teško napisati bilo šta o pročitanim pesmama zbog snažnog utiska koje ostavljaju. Neke su kao pesnica u stomak, neke se kao prvi prolećni dan. Ali, svakako bih sve sumirala sledećim njenim stihom:

"Pre no što mi iskopaše oko
I ja sam volela da gledam"

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book! Each time I read it, it delights me more. I used many of the poems from this book to my goal to memorize 52 poems. Memorizing them made them even more delightful. Really love the illustrations. Excited to find more books that uses this illustrator, Rex Schneider.

December 9, 2019: So many poems that touch my heart! I never tire of reading this book again and again.

June 29, 2019 LOVE this book!--More each time I read it!

February 13, 2019 Each time I read this book, I love it more. Excited to read it again.

December 27, 2018 This book continues to delight me!!! I plan to start reading it again.


February 23, 2018: DELIGHTFUL poems and the illustrations are beautiful and unique.

[Rah]

Brillant ! Brillant ! Brillant!
It helped me with my Feelings-collapsing-period .. Deep poems where one's can feel Home .. her poetry is a Refuge ! it's a great special feeling to find out that someone experieced similar feelings as yours Years and years ago, it's like you've a friend from the past, i've always loved Emily and her poetry, and Virginia's Introduction was PERFECT ! <3