Living Like Weasels-annie Dillard, A Metaphor Study

“Living like Weasels” by Annie Dillard A metaphor study By Luis O. Victoria

Dillard’s work will be analyzed in terms of establishing linkages of images, words and metaphors among the six parts that divide its content. Part I At the beginning of this section we see two key ideas: “A weasel is wild” (a fact that the author has learned), and “Who knows what he thinks?” (She wonders what’s in his mind). Then she describes the weasel’s way of life and character, emphasizing the fact that when he bites his prey doesn’t let go, indicating a tremendous tenacity for a relatively small and apparently weak animal. On the second paragraph something very interesting happens, Dillard quotes an Author with a story depicting again, the tenacity of the weasel. In this case the story involves an eagle which has been shot out of the sky and is found with a weasel skull fixed by the jaws to his throat. Dillard expresses this image metaphorically with the phrase “a fur pendant”.

Part II The linkage with the first part is established here at the beginning of this section with the words, “I have been reading about weasels because I saw one last week”. Here we can relate to the idea that she’s been learning facts about weasels and the reason why. In the next paragraph, follows a description of the ambiance surrounding the circumstances of the encounter which is finally expressed in the metaphor, “It caught my eye; I swiveled around-and the next instant, inexplicably, I was looking down a weasel, who was looking up at me”. Here the idea of “seeing” is articulated again. Part III “Weasel! I’d never seen one before”. The beginning of part III reiterates the thoughts mentioned in part II, which is also reemphasized with the metaphor; “Our eyes locked, and someone threw away the key”. This one states the importance of the eye contact; not seeing as simple watching, but more as looking inside. By the beginning of this part the author describes the weasel itself pointing out his “…two black eyes…” and then she goes into expressing the sensations and feelings that flowed through her during the moments of the encounter, also in metaphoric terms; “It was also a bright blow to the brain, or a sudden beating of brains with all the charge and intimate grate of

rubber balloons…” and goes on until the moment when the enchantment is broken… “…I think I retrieved my brain from the weasel’s brain…” At this point the idea of brain/think/ mind/ time is presented as a link to the first part of the essay. “What goes on in his brain the rest of the time?” -she says, “What does a weasel think about?” There’s a great deal of figurative language in this part. Part IV From here on the author explores the concept of mind, mindlessness, and introduces the idea of wanting to learn to live like the weasel; in his state of mind with all his virtues, specifically translated into his power of will. With this we can go back to part I and to the idea of the tenacity/ will power of the weasel, “…choosing the given with a fierce and pointed will”. Part V “I should have gone for the throat. I should have lunged for that streak of white under the weasel’s chin and held on…” Another metaphor depicting the idea of lack of will and tenacity to claim a desired life. Thereon the Author goes back to part I and IV in describing herself (figuratively) in a new life similar to that one of the weasel in terms of physical and mental conditions; “I could very calmly go wild. I could live two days in the den, curled…”, “Time and events are merely

poured, unremarked, and ingested directly,” Here returns to the idea of mindlessness. Part VI In this part Dillard admonishes us “to grasp to one necessity and not let it go”, concluding with a simple statement of tenacity to achieve your calling in life. Finally, and I would say expressed beautifully in a figurative way; the Author ends the essay with an analogy of the weasel and the eagle story depicted as the way to approach our own death. In conclusion we can see that the author mainly utilizes metaphor to describe those concepts or experiences that are most difficult to depict in simple words. We can see this especially in part III, where the author describes her connection with the weasel’s mind in terms of an abundant use of figurative language. She also recourses to metaphor when describing the weasel’s state of mind, mindlessness, muteness, time and events as a way to make us understand an inner experience that goes beyond our daily life perceptions.