1. What does the expression slant the truth mean? Telling the slant truth means that you should lie a little bit if the truth is too much for some people and will do more bad than good.
2. What might tell all the truth slant mean? Everything you say should be a little slant.
3. What is the major difference between the two expressions? Telling the slant truth means only lying when it is absolutely necessary and telling all the truth slant could means that you always tell lies.
4. Explain the meaning of Circuit (line 2) in the context of the poem. What is "To bright for our infirm delight" (line 3)? Circuit means repetition. The truth is too revealing for some people.
5. Lines 5 and 6 provide an example to illustrate the poet's point about truth. As is typical of Dickinson's technique, she omits several words in these lines. How would you rephrase these lines to make a full sentence? As Lightning is explained to the Children in ease With an explanation kind.
6. What metaphor is implied in line 7? What things is truth being compared with? She is comparing truth to sunlight and the truth can blind. Truth is being compared to a strong light.