http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/emily-dickinson Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:35:21 -0400 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:35:21 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/569/emily-dickinsons-my-life-had-stood-a-loaded-gun-revealing-the-power-of-a-womans-words By Kathleen E. Gilligan - At other times, Dickinson’s poetry can seem confusing or strange to even the most careful reader. In such instances it is necessary to sift through the clues she leaves in her words in order to decipher the hidden meaning. Her seemingly random capitalization, lack of punctuation or obsession with dashes, and incorrect use of grammar were all done deliberately, sometimes to highlight the message that would have otherwise gone unheeded. One such poem which has multiple meanings is “My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun—.” To the average reader, Emily Dickinson’s &ldquo... Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:01 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/569/emily-dickinsons-my-life-had-stood-a-loaded-gun-revealing-the-power-of-a-womans-words