Question

in \some keep the sabbath going to church,\ why does the speaker say that she has \an orchard, for a dome\ in the first stanza?

• she is suggesting that she has made her house into a church.
• she is suggesting that one can appreciate god only through nature.
• she is suggesting that nature can serve the same purpose as a church.
• she is suggesting that only she is able to view the natural world as sacred.

Explanation:

⚡ Using what you learned: close reading methods for poetic texts

Step 1: Analyze the metaphor

In Emily Dickinson's poem "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church," the speaker compares elements of a traditional church service to elements of nature.

The phrase "an Orchard, for a Dome" uses a metaphor to compare the open sky and trees of an orchard to the physical dome or ceiling of a church building.

Step 2: Determine the speaker's intent

By substituting a church's architectural dome with a natural orchard, the speaker is showing that she does not need to go to a physical church building to worship or experience the sacred. Instead, nature itself serves as her place of worship.

• Option 1 is incorrect because she is talking about her garden/nature, not remodeling her physical house.
• Option 2 is incorrect because the word "only" is too restrictive; she does not claim nature is the only way to appreciate God, just that it is her preferred way.
• Option 3 is correct because she directly substitutes church features with natural ones to show nature serves the same spiritual purpose.
• Option 4 is incorrect because she does not claim to be the only person capable of finding nature sacred.

Answer:

She is suggesting that nature can serve the same purpose as a church.