Methodology

The methodology class on Wednesday kind of messed me up. I appreciated Dr. Christie going around to help everyone figure out this part of their proposal. I'm still not sure what my methodology is. My methodology is informed by my ultimate goal, isn't it? If my goal is to argue similarities between two texts, I would compare the texts to one another. Sure. My goal isn't so concrete as that, though. At this point, all I really want to do is bring a certain aspect of Emily Dickinson's prayer poems to attention. That's it. How do I do that? By analyzing the poems, I guess? By deconstructing the poems? I'm not sure, but isn't that the same exact thing as just doing a close reading? Is that seriously what I'm trying to do? If so... ugh. It doesn't feel like that is what I'm trying to do. What I think I'm trying to do is push against the standard criticisms of Dickinson's relationship to God and religion. I feel like they are missing something, something that would enhance our understanding of Dickinson as a poet. How would it enhance it? That's the part I'm afraid I'm gonna botch. I'm not sure. So if I can't even explain what it is I'm doing, how in the world can I actually try to explain how it is I'm going to do what I'm going to do? It's aggravating.