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Dickinson's "The parasol is the umbrella's daughter." (Emily Dickinson)

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From: The Explicator
Date: 19960101
Author:Guthrie, James

Emily Dickinson's poem "The parasol is the umbrellas's daughter" is light and almost trivial at the first reading. However, it presents her sharp wit and writing signature. It gives the reader a glimpse of the relationship between the poet's father, Edward Dickinson, and his daughters, Emily and Lavinia, said to be an accomplished flirt. Descriptions of Edward Dickinson present a portrait that resembles an umbrella, austere and dignified, civic minded thus utilitarian and a subtle tyrant.

The parasol is the umbrella's daughter, And associates with a fan While her father abuts the tempest ...

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