When teaching poetry, it is often helpful to front-load poetry terms as an introduction, or refresher, for your students. “Metaphor”, “simile”, “stanza”, “alliteration”, “personification”, “rhyme scheme”, and “onomatopoeia” are a few common terms that might be helpful.
After you have read the poem, ask your students to create a scavenger hunt using the storyboard creator. Give them the list of terms again, and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each literary element in the poem. They will have an absolute blast and master the words as they do.
| DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Personification | Giving human-like characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas | "Death…He kindly stopped for me - " Making Death seem like a person, stopping to pick her up. |
| Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words in a sentence or line | "Dews” & “Drew”, “Gossamer” & “Gown”, “Tippet” & “Tulle" |
| End Rhyme | Words at the end of a line that rhyme with words at the end of other lines. | "me” & “Immortality” |
| Metaphor | An implied comparison between two things | In the poem, Dickinson states that they pass the “Setting Sun”. This is a common symbol to describe the end of a person’s life. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows four examples of literary elements in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death".
Explain to the students right away what personification is and how it occurs when non-human entities or objects are given human characteristics. Making a flower "dance" in the wind, for instance, or claiming the sun "smiles." It is a simple concept that can be explained in many interesting ways.
Give a few clear, concrete personification instances. For instance, "The sky cried through the night" or "The stars made fun of the Moon." Teachers can also give examples from children’s cartoons where this concept is widely used. For example, in the movie “The Beauty and the Beast”, inanimate objects like candles and cupboards are speaking and showing human like traits.
Show the students a picture or personify an object or animal while describing it to the class. Ask them to make a guess. As in, "The tall and fragrant friend who burns itself to show the light." (Response: a candle). Teachers can use multiple riddles to help students get a gist of the concept.
Once the students are already well aware of the concept, ask them to use it in creative writing or describe different still objects using personification in their own sentences. For instance, all the objects in the class such as tables, chairs, markers, pencils, pens, etc.
Teachers can give students assignments or practice at home to reinforce the concept. Exercising the brain to guess the objects also encourages critical thinking and creativity.
Dickinson describes the events that took place during the carriage journey with Death using vivid imagery. Examples of such elements are "Gazing Grain," "Setting Sun," and "Dew," which let the reader have a visual and visceral experience. Students can reflect on the impact of this imagery on the minds of readers and their feelings regarding death before and after reading the poem.
The speaker's portrayal of Death as a gentleman who graciously pauses for him gives a fresh viewpoint. It humanizes death as a buddy, implying a kind and patient attitude as opposed to a frightened or hasty one. It also gives readers a sense that death is not scary rather it's something that will guide you towards the afterlife or eternity.
There are many instances of symbolism. Each stop on the carriage ride represents a distinct stage of life, illustrating the journey from life to death. The school represents youth and the passage of time.