Journal #41: DIckinson "A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest"

Emily Dickinson composed "A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest," which speaks of experience in relation to a deer and various other aspects throughout the poem (Dickinson). She uses multiple concepts to convey the overall theme. With this structure, she uses much more support as opposed to another poem which lacks that. Her use of rocks, deer, and "trampled steel" are adequate examples of these aspects that were previously described (Dickinson). Because of Dickinson's effective language and style, a basis of relative and inspirational writing is established. A catalyst for the remainder of the poem, "A wounded deer leaps highest," the first line and title of the piece, conveys the theme. This single line depicts the purpose and idea of the piece itself, the remaining pieces of the poem only further support this theme.


"The smitten rock that gushes,
The trampled steel that springs:
A cheek is always redder
Just where the hectic stings!" (Dickinson)

This stanza in the poem allows for much support, as described earlier in the previous paragraph. Dickinson uses a rock and "trampled steel" to depict this overall piece (Dickinson). When referring to smitten, Dickinson is speaking of the density or roughness of the rock. When it "gushes," it is retaining a developed or established new density; possibly correlating with the poems initial line, "a wounded deer leaps highest" (Dickinson). Throughout this stanza, many aspects seem to convey the overall theme Dickinson is speaking of. Her intentions, I believe, are to describe human nature and recovery. The second line in this stanza also refers to experience or development. Possibly the idea of trampled steel "springing" can correlate with the idea of motivation and one's ability to recover against an illness, pain, or emotional disturbance. I believe Dickinson is effectively speaking of humanity or homeostasis throughout this literary piece. Her constant development on the idea of experience is consistently tested throughout the poem. Because of this, much support, understanding, and persuasion can be retained from "A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest."

Dickinson, Emily. "A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest." Bartleby. Online. March 22, 2011. http://www.bartleby.com/113/1008.html