Emily Dickinson was growing into an interesting woman.
She mentioned in letters to her old Amherst Academy school friends
that she was disappointed in her stick-straight figure, but she
did have beautiful auburn curls, translucent skin, and large brown
eyes. In 1848, the daguerreotype craze was in full swing–photography
was a new and exciting invention–and Dickinson had her photograph
taken. The likeness she saw disappointed her deeply. This photograph
is one of the only ones of Dickinson in existence. Because of her
posthumous fame, the photograph is one of the most famous of an American
author.
At school, Dickinson was coming into her own. She enjoyed
her studies and excelled at them. Although she still missed her
family terribly, she had adjusted well to life away from home.
Mount Holyoke's headmistress, Mary Lyon, felt religion was an important part
of the girls' education, and she made it clear that she expected a
public declaration of Christian faith from each of her pupils. Dickinson
did not feel prepared to make such a declaration. One morning,
Lyon stood in front of the entire school at devotions and said:
"All young ladies who wish to share that inestimable privilege of
becoming Christians will please rise." Every girl in the school stood
up except Dickinson, who remained quietly in her seat. Her refusal
to stand was an act of bravery, and she fully expected a reprimand.
She did not receive one, but for the rest of her time at Mount
Holyoke, the other girls thought her very peculiar. Dickinson was
labeled an impenitent or a "no-hoper," for there was no hope for
her soul. Although everyone in Dickinson's family–including Dickinson
herself–went to church, only Dickinson's mother had officially
joined the church as a member.
Dickinson's philosophical differences with Mary Lyon were
not over. Around Christmastime at Mount Holyoke, Mary Lyon asked that
each student fast and meditate in observance of the Christian holiday.
Dickinson was unwilling to go along with such a plan. The Dickinson
family believed Christmas was a pagan holiday, with its Santa Claus
and its materialism. At another school wide gathering, Lyon made
another announcement, this time asking all girls in favor of the
fasting and meditation to stand. Again, Dickinson was the only resister.
She was given permission to go home, but she was not punished.
The Dickinsons were slightly perplexed by Emily Dickinson's behavior
at school. They had not told her to object to the school's fasting
and meditation dictate, and they did wish Dickinson were more religious,
but they were not angry with her. The Mount Holyoke administration,
though slightly scandalized, welcomed Dickinson back to school
despite her steadfast objections.
Dickinson was still sickly much of the time, and by March
of 1848, she had developed a severe cough. One day, Dickinson's
parents entertained a visitor who had just returned from South
Hadley. The visitor had seen Dickinson while there, and told Dickinson's parents
that their daughter seemed ill. Edward Dickinson sent for Emily
Dickinson immediately and although she pleaded with him to allow
her to stay and complete the school year, he insisted that she return
home at once. After resting at home for a few weeks Dickinson did
finish her term at Mount Holyoke, but she never returned for another
school year. Edward Dickinson preferred that Emily stay in Amherst
and, if she wanted, take classes at Amherst College.
Once back at home, Dickinson's health improved. Dickinson was
very social as a young woman, despite her later reputation as a recluse.
When she resettled at the family home in Amherst, Dickinson regularly
attended parties and usually found herself the center of a group
of people who were dazzled by her intelligence and wit. She often
kept her friends laughing for hours on end. She outraged her parents
by pulling pranks such as leaving the funeral of a family friend
with her wild cousin Willie in his fast horse and buggy. Dickinson's
father was deeply angered by this breach of propriety.
Dickinson's father introduced her to a young man from
his law office named Benjamin Franklin Newton. Newton had joined
the office in 1847 when Dickinson was away at school. He was a
frequent visitor to the Dickinson house, often talking about Transcendentalism
in the Dickinsons' parlor. Benjamin and Dickinson hit it off at
once and began spending a great deal of time together. They took
long walks, admired and identified rare flora, and discussed and
debated literature. Dickinson even consented to show Benjamin some
of her poetry. Benjamin was impressed by Dickinson's work, but
told her she would have to work extremely hard to become great.
This encouraged her and she came to think of Newton as a tutor
of sorts. He recommended authors to her and she read nearly every
book he suggested. At this time, Dickinson particularly enjoyed
Dickens and Longfellow, whom she tended to quote in conversation.
