1. Metaphor:
- "My life had stood - a Loaded Gun - "
- "Then some One pressed the Trigger - "
In these lines, Dickinson uses the metaphor of a loaded gun to represent her life. She compares the sudden and unexpected change in her life to the trigger of a gun being pressed.
2. Personification:
- "Death came - without a Scare - "
In this line, the abstract concept of death is personified as a person who comes without warning or fear.
3. Simile:
- "I, like the Train, ran further - "
Dickinson uses the simile "like the Train" to compare the momentum of her life continuing forward, even after the profound event that occurred.
4. Symbolism:
- The hound may symbolize an inescapable force or presence in the speaker's life that she cannot escape or control.
5. Alliteration:
- "... stood - stood -"
- "Trigger - Trigger -"
The repetition of the "st" and "tr" sounds in these lines creates a sense of emphasis and urgency.
6. Imagery:
- "In Chambers - still the Dust remains - "
Dickinson uses the vivid image of dust in chambers to suggest a sense of stillness, neglect, and decay.
7. Parallel Structure:
- "I thought - and Frost - "
- "I could not see to see -"
- "Nor hear - nor wink -"
The use of parallel structures in these lines adds rhythm and emphasis to the speaker's experience of feeling numb and disconnected from her surroundings.
8. Paradox:
- "When it occurred, that I was I, "
This oxymoronic statement implies a moment of self-realization or introspection that occurred amidst the overwhelming experience.
By employing these literary devices, Emily Dickinson creates a rich and complex poetic narrative that explores themes of death, loss, and the transformative power of unexpected events in life.