Question

read the quotation from \some keep the sabbath going to church.\

and instead of tolling the bell, for church,
our little sexton - sings.

what is the most likely reason for the poet to oppose the phrases \tolling the bell\ and \sings\ in these lines?

• the poet is expressing her belief that the second, more natural option is far more desirable than the first option.
• the poet is hinting that religious worship should be considered a gloomy and serious activity.
• the poet is suggesting that those who worship in nature are more formal than those who worship in church.
• the poet is contrasting her attitude about religion with her feelings about the natural world, which remains largely unappreciated.

Explanation:

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

Step 1: Analyze the Quotation

The lines from Emily Dickinson's poem "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" are:

"And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,

Our little Sexton – sings."

In this poem, the speaker contrasts traditional church practices with her own way of worshiping through nature.

• "Tolling the Bell" represents the formal, structured, and often somber ritual of a traditional church service.
• "Our little Sexton – sings" refers to a songbird (the "Sexton" in her natural setting) singing freely.

Step 2: Evaluate the Options

• Option 1: "The poet is expressing her belief that the second, more natural option is far more desirable than the first option."

This is correct. By contrasting the mechanical, solemn "tolling" of a church bell with the joyful, natural singing of a bird, the poet highlights her preference for finding spiritual connection directly in nature rather than through rigid church rituals.

• Option 2: "The poet is hinting that religious worship should be considered a gloomy and serious activity."

This is incorrect. The poet is advocating for a joyful, natural form of worship, not arguing that worship should be gloomy.

• Option 3: "The poet is suggesting that those who worship in nature are more formal than those who worship in church."

This is incorrect. Worshiping in nature is presented as spontaneous and informal, whereas church is formal.

• Option 4: "The poet is contrasting her attitude about religion with her feelings about the natural world, which remains largely unappreciated."

This is incorrect. The focus of the poem is not on the natural world being "unappreciated" by others, but rather on her personal preference for nature as her place of worship.

Answer:

The poet is expressing her belief that the second, more natural option is far more desirable than the first option.