Whether one realizes it or not, literary canons permeate society on many levels and have undoubtedly shaped the worldview of each. The term "literary canon" refers to a body of books, stories, and other texts considered to be the most important and influential of a particular period or place. Emily Dickinson – one of the greatest poets in English literature and perhaps the most famous female poet – is well known for her unusual use of form and syntax and for being "the poet of paradox". His poem, I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain, depicts mental problems still apparent in today's society; she was truly ahead of her time. Like his poem, the song They Know My Name by Big Little Lions also addresses the same issue. Analyzing both texts in depth, their employment of textual features such as metaphors produced profound and complex masterpieces, deserving of being part of the Western literary canon. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayEmily Dickinson, during her life, was known to be eccentric and only a few people knew of her immense talent. It was only after his death that his nearly 1,800 poems were revealed. Initially, his poetry received mixed reactions, with some praising his "rare individuality and originality", while others disapproving of his unusual and non-traditional style. Interest in Dickinson's poetry became widespread in the early 20th century, and critics realized that the irregularities in her poems were self-consciously artistic. His poem, I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain, was one of them. I felt a funeral, in my brain tracing the speaker's descent into madness. Dickinson uses the metaphor of a funeral to represent the speaker's feeling that a part of themselves is dying, that is, their reason is being overwhelmed by the irrationality of unconsciousness. The funeral is an appropriate image for this ordeal. The most important connotation of funerals is death. The mourners evident throughout the poem are a metaphor for expressing one's pain. Their trampling indicates pressure pushing it downward. The speaker has the momentary impression that reason or its “meaning” is escaping or being lost. The pressure of the step is reaffirmed with the repetition “beat, beat”. This time, his mind, the source of reasoning, becomes numb, which marks a further deterioration in his condition. Stanzas three and four are the process of the speaker losing his rationality. The last two lines of the fourth stanza assess his condition. Her descent into irrationality separates her from other human beings, making her a member of a “strange race.” Her alienation and inability to communicate is indicated by the fact that she is surrounded by silence. In the final stanza, Dickinson uses another metaphor of standing on a plank to once again describe the speaker's descent into irrationality. When they go beyond the worlds, it indicates that they lose their connections with reality. Additionally, his descent is described as "diving," suggesting the speed and force of his fall into psychological chaos. Through the use of metaphorical language, I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson is an excellent literary work belonging to the Western literary canon. The Big Little Lions are Helen Austin and Paul Otten. Both artists have their share of awards, with Helen and Paul individually winning the.