Many of Emily Dickinson's poems include a reference to the
color purple. A few of the poems are "There is a flower that bees prefer", "Wait Till
the Majesty of Death", and "We like March", and "It will be Summer--Eventually." The
poem "Me, change! Me, alter!"
The use of the color purple
is based upon the meaning of the color. The color
purple
is the
color of good judgment. It is the color of people seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is
said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. Purple is a good
color to use in
meditation.
Therefore, the
use of purple in the poem refers to the fact that the speaker is altering them self. By
altering, or changing, the speaker is able to end their day on a superior
note:
At Day's superior
close!
It takes good
judgement to recognize the fact that one needs to change them
self.
Another interpretation of the use of the color purple
is the tie to spring:
Purple has a special, almost sacred place in
nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered
precious.
Based upon this
understanding of the use of the color purple, purple could reflect images of springtime
given flowers are known to bloom during this season. This being said, with spring comes
new life--new flowers and new life. The poem's speaker is talking about creating a new
life for them self- something similar in spring. This can be interpreted from the
line:
A Smaller Purple
grows.
The small purple can
refer to a small purple flower which accompanies spring.
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