NOT YOUR AVERAGE BOBOLINK: AWARENESS IN "SOME KEEP THE SABBATH GOING TO CHURCH" AND THE ROUND TABLE 

            In my capstone paper I analyze “Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church,” by Emily Dickinson, through the outlet in which it was first introduced to the public. On 12 March 1864 The Round Table published Dickinson's poem. Over the entirety of the semester, I have come to the conclusion that the editors of The Round Table overwhelmingly turn such a peaceful commentary on religion into a major political tool. I argue that both the poem and the publication work tirelessly and rather vocally in order to subvert the current social situations. In Dickinson’s Transcendental-esque poem, she speaks out against the inner workings of heavily institutionalized Christianity, putting forth ideas of a more personal outlook on religion. On the other hand, The Round Table is pushing back against the strife and polarization the North and South have created in Civil War America . From looking at both of these literary entities through the lens of social subversion, I analyze the heightened themes of awareness of their position in a truly chaotic time in American history. Having the similar theme of awareness and mindfulness, staunchly opposed to the majority, both works prove to stand strong amongst a sea of opposition.