Annie Dillard Discussion Questions

Annie Dillard Discussion Questions:

1)I, too, engage in some sort of physical rituals as I prepare to write. I usually prepare a cup of tea (although caffeine free, not much of stimulant to my mind, but it gives me a bit of comfort). In the past, I had to clean up the area surrounding my desk as if there must be nothing to distract me while I write. Now, I can write even, in my pajamas, on my bed.

2) Sometimes, I do feel writing or rewriting is like knocking down a bearing wall. As she mentioned " the line of words is a hammer." Sometimes just as I feel like I have a support structure, and start building on the bearing wall, one idea comes up, I have to knock the all down and start over. I know exactly what she means.

3)I have not given much thought about using a metapor to describe the process of writing simply because most of the things I wrote were facts and data. I simply describe facts. I do, however, think writing something like personal narrative is like playing a puzzle. I don't know what I am going to write, but as I put pieces down on the paper, they all seems to fit together nicely after I move them around and rearrange them.

4)I don't think I share her sense of mysticism when it comes to writing. Maybe just because I am not a professional writer, or someone writes for living. For my work, I write facts, data, and memo that is more informative and straightforward. I do enjoy the metaphor whenever I read a book. I think metaphor makes a book so much more interesting to read.

5)I agree with you when you said "Dillard's thick prose, mystical descriptions, and constant use of metaphors are meant more entertain and intrigue us than to say anything concrete about writing." I think by maintaining a certain vagueness when writing about writing leaves more room for readers to imagin things that are unsaid. I bet each of us take away different ideas when we read her writing. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong?