“You only shroud yourself in the fiery mist and I cannot reach you, but only rejoice in the rare sparks of light,” said Thomas Higginson; highlighting how difficult it was to capture one of America's best poets, Emily Dickinson. Dickinson has proven herself to be an elusive subject time and time again with her unique writing style (Blooms 1). But why did she write like that? Throughout her life, Dickinson encountered many things that affected her poetry, whether it was her family, famous poets, or traumatic events. At 5 a.m. on December 10, 1830, Emily Dickinson was born in Homestead, a brick mansion built by her grandfather (Blooms 1). She was born and raised in Amherst, Massachusetts, and resided there until her death on May 15, 1886. She graduated from Amherst Academy in 1847 and enrolled in a private school for girls, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. She was struck by illness during her first year and was forced to leave school. Her life after her illness became very narrow and she became more eccentric over time (Huffstutler 1-2). As a child, she often only spoke to people behind closed doors and her sister Lavinia served as her buffer from the outside world (Huffstutler 3). As Dickinson turned to herself, she also turned to writing poetry. Emily Dickinson faced many tragedies throughout her life. After her father's death in 1874, Dickinson seemed constantly preoccupied with death. A year later, her mother had a stroke that left her disabled for the rest of her life. Two of Dickinson's closest friends died in 1877 and 1882. She also lost her favorite nephew, aged just eight. As a result, Dickinson suffered a nervous breakdown in 1884 and was soon confined to bed. Two more of his friends die... middle of paper... because of Emerson (Blooms 1). Different critics view Dickinson in different ways, but she was best known as a regionalist. She wrote about her native New England, and her poems reflected its Puritan tradition, Yankee humor, and spiritual troubles (Huffstutler 2-3). His work encouraged modern poets to experiment with their language and form due to the modification of traditional form and thought (Huffstutler 3). Emily Dickinson has proven time and time again that she deserves her title as one of the best poets in American history. It not only contains all the essential qualities of a good poet, but it also contains rare qualities that set it apart. Dickinson played an important role in earning her title, but she didn't get it alone. Dickinson's life, from great tragedies to loving family members and famous poets, greatly inspired her poetry..