Freeman (2002)

Literary analysis encompasses various forms depending on the critical approach employed.
There are three components of literature:
- The Writer: Focused on the biographical and psychoanalytical approaches.
- The Reader: Emphasized in Reader Response theories.
- The Text: Highlighted in formalist and structuralist approaches.
Critical theories range from those concentrating almost solely on the text to others focusing on the writer or reader, with many falling in between (historical, cultural, etc.).

Cognitive linguistics offers a method to reconcile insights from different literary theories.
It is concerned with how the embodied mind processes experiences, making it relevant from all three perspectives (writer, reader, text).
This approach reveals that the imaginative capabilities involved in creating and comprehending literary works mirror fundamental mental processes.
A key question:
- Claiborne Rice posits whether textual production and reception depend on similar cognitive integration networks.
Research by Joseph Grady suggests common cognitive structures exist among speakers and listeners, supporting the idea of shared cognitive networks as proposed by Fauconnier and Turner.
Norman Holland connects reader and writer cognitive processes in his analysis of Robert Frost's poetry.

This paper specifically examines the cognitive strategies used in the poetry of Emily Dickinson, demonstrating that these are consistent and significant in shaping conceptual reasoning.
Core assertion: Poets' thinking aligns with the cognitive processes of readers.

Understanding a speaker's sentence transcends mere word comprehension; context within knowledge domains or idealized cognitive models (ICMs) is crucial.
Cultural Determinism of Knowledge Domains:
- Dickinson's references to “God” and “Heaven” are rooted in a Protestant, nineteenth-century Puritan New England context.
- ICMs inform how thoughts and language are articulated through dynamic and contextual mental spaces.
As noted by Fauconnier, mappings across mental spaces are essential for semantic understanding and interpretation.

Attribute Mapping:
- Recognizing similarities between objects.
- Example: Identifying elements describing the same concept or individual across different contexts.
Relational Mapping:
- Tracking relationships rather than objects solely, noting different similarities and differences.
- Example: Dickinson’s comparisons in a poem, like sifting snow as akin to powdered flour.
Systems Mapping:
- More abstract, recognizing patterns and generalizations across structures which are utilized in critical analyses.

Attribute Mapping Example: Dickinson’s use of metaphors, such as “the clouds-like listless Elephants,” illustrates base cognitive skills.
Relational Mapping Example: Comparisons of different entities, like describing a dog as “the noblest work of Art.”
Systems Mapping Example: Analyzing multiple elements and how they interrelate in broader structures to derive meaning in literary interpretation.

This section ties cognitive projections from concrete ideas into abstract cognition.
It highlights the grammatically constructed markers that label shifts within mental spaces conducive to creating complex concepts.
Example Analysis: Dickinson’s poem about the flower and mistletoe illustrates multiple mental spaces and identity exchanges in metaphorical expressions.

CMT posits that metaphor is a cognitive operation fundamental to human thought rather than merely a linguistic figure.
Metaphors facilitate understanding abstract thoughts through concrete experiences.
Common metaphors emerge in Dickinson’s work across various themes (e.g., life as a journey, physical states as containers).
Container Metaphor: Seen in Dickinson’s use of body imagery as a foundational element of her association with life and existence.

Blending builds on previous theories, establishing multiple dynamic spaces that create new meanings through compressive relations.
Dickinson’s letter where she entwines her identity with Judith and the nuances of metaphor showcases the complex layering and blending process.

A discussion of interpretations from Dickinson’s poetry illustrates variances in readers' cognitive mapping diversity.
Each reader relies on their own knowledge, cultural context, and cognitive strategies for interpretations, leading to varying yet plausible readings of the text.
- Example Analysis: Comments analyzing a poem’s themes of Heaven, happiness, and sin demonstrate diverse interpretations based on individual readers’ mappings.

The cognitive approach to literary analysis strengthens the bond between literature and human cognitive processes, enhancing creativity and interpretations.
It facilitates a broadened understanding of how multiple readings can exist, correlating closely with a poet's overarching world view and the further implications of literary cognitive mapping strategies.