Entry 53: Slanted Truth

Refer to p. 396 of your text and read Dickinson’s “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant.” The title of this poem may reveal Dickinson’s method of survival as well as the essence of her own poetry. What do you think it means to tell the truth “slant”? Is it the same as telling a lie? Also, examine the poem and look for its literal meaning, as well as figures of speech, rhyme, and other poetic devices.

• The title of the poem "Tell all the Truth but tell it Slant" reveals the methods of survival as well as the essence of Emily Dickinson's poetry by twisting and distorting the whole, complete truth to make it fit certain purposed and circumstances. To tell the truth slanted means to twist  and distort the truth that that it is acceptable by others. Sometimes people do this to prevent further chaos from occurring, because sometimes the truth hurts. Telling the truth slanted may also mean that the person is omitting some crucial information, which is another way of twisting and distorting the whole, complete truth.
• Telling the truth slanted is similar to lying, in some ways. Both of them mean that one does not tell the complete, whole truth. However, lying usually means to create and tell someone else a completely false version of what the "truth" is. Telling the truth slanted, however, means that one tells it in a version based on the real version of "truth", changing some messages and meanings of the original truth.
• I believe that telling the truth slanted is always better than telling a lie. This is because even if people found out that you didn't tell the complete, whole truth, you told them the basis of the truth. Another reason is that maybe the person might understand why you didn't tell the whole truth.