What is Emily Dickinsons poem “a word dropped carelessly on a page” about?
Keep in mind that during Dickinson’s time, the main form of communication between people, aside from in person conversation, was the written word. So Dickinson is writing about the power of the word, even a single word, and the impact these words can have on people. She compares a “careless” word – one written without thought – to malaria, a disease that spreads and ravages. She also points out that such words live on well after they have been put to page and may have consequences far beyond the original intent. So, it is at some level a caution to take care in how one expresses themselves. The fact that we are still reading Dickinson today, well past her lifetime, serves to illustrate the power and endurance of the written word.
