Something that really caught my eye while reading this essay was how descriptive Dillard is. She does not only describe nature in a very detailed way but she manages to describe actions that other people do in a way that she paints a picture inside your head, where it is impossible for the reader to not have a clear image of what is going on. For example, when she talks to the little boy, she mentions that he “looked at [her] through meeting eyebrows; his dark lips made a projecting circle”. These are the types of movements and actions that a very detailed and aware person can perceive, and Dillard definitely proves that she is like that. I believe that this shows her love for nature since she needs to be aware in order to perceive and appreciate it; and that is something that she clearly does with both nature and human beings! -Mariale
The story starts in Virginia. The author narrates what happened one day when she decided to take a short walk. While she walks, she encounters a little boy who called her attention. Soon, there is a dialogue between her and the little boy, which at the beginning is very strange because there is no clear communication between them. At the beginning of the dialogue, each of them are talking and thinking about different things but progressively she starts understanding why the boy talks the way he does it. She is impressed by the formal conversation the little boy had with her. Also, the physical appearance of the boy called her attention “His dark lips made a projecting a circle. He looked like a nineteen century cartoon of an Earnest Child.” (78-79), in reality, she was judging him too fast and superficially as she also mentions “that kid was a fraud” simply because he referred to his father as Father. For a moment she thought that she was loosing her mind when talking to the kid instead of being reading. Concluding, the author portrays her message of not prejudicing people when not met because people may appear a way but turn out to be different.Felipe
Something in the essay “On a Hill Far Away” that caught my eye was the importance of Christianity to the boy’s mother and when looking at the bigger picture, the importance of religion to most people. When Dillard had just met the boy’s mother, she appeared to be awkward and unwelcoming after she finally asked “do you know the Lord as your personal savior” (80)? Once Dillard had answered yes, the mother’s attitude changes completely and she lights up and becomes somewhat cheerful since she starts talking about “her church” and “Reverend Jerry” (80). Something that I did not necessarily like about this was that this was a question that the mother had to “ask everyone, absolutely everyone she” meets (80). On one hand, this shows how important religion is to her and once she breaks her shell, she can communicate freely. On the other hand, it shows close mindedness since it is in a way sad, to see that a person cannot talk to another one who does not share her same beliefs. -Mariale
Continuing with my idea, the author, during her time with the kid, without knowing him much, is still prejudice. She keeps on questioning the boy and making her own conclusion inside her mind, “How old are you? Eight? Nine? How could you not play at the creek? Or: Why am I trying to force this child to play at the creek?” (81) this quote show her own contradiction, making problems inside her head. She demonstrates that she knows too much but at the same time too little. She caries on, telling to him that “you’re cold” (81) only because he doesn’t speak that much. This shows her naïve thought because she expects an eight year old boy to be speaking with a stranger from the other side of a fence like as if she was familiar to him. Obviously, not all boys will be totally open with any outsider.Felipe
I felt you guys didn't get quite as deep with this essay as past ones. One thing to consider is the symbolic meanings of the snake and the fence. In the bible it is the snake which temps eve with wisdom. Perhaps the kid's fear of snakes connects with his isolated religious life and his fear of the outside world the religion has created. I also found it interesting that Dillard is forced to talk to the kid through the fence, with the fence perpetually between them, like religion separating them. I think this essay comments on the isolating effect of strict religion. The boy is clearly lonely and maybe so is the mother. The author does not directly condemn their religion but she does seem to critique its isolating byproduct.
Something that really caught my eye while reading this essay was how descriptive Dillard is. She does not only describe nature in a very detailed way but she manages to describe actions that other people do in a way that she paints a picture inside your head, where it is impossible for the reader to not have a clear image of what is going on. For example, when she talks to the little boy, she mentions that he “looked at [her] through meeting eyebrows; his dark lips made a projecting circle”. These are the types of movements and actions that a very detailed and aware person can perceive, and Dillard definitely proves that she is like that. I believe that this shows her love for nature since she needs to be aware in order to perceive and appreciate it; and that is something that she clearly does with both nature and human beings!
ReplyDelete-Mariale
The story starts in Virginia. The author narrates what happened one day when she decided to take a short walk. While she walks, she encounters a little boy who called her attention. Soon, there is a dialogue between her and the little boy, which at the beginning is very strange because there is no clear communication between them. At the beginning of the dialogue, each of them are talking and thinking about different things but progressively she starts understanding why the boy talks the way he does it. She is impressed by the formal conversation the little boy had with her. Also, the physical appearance of the boy called her attention “His dark lips made a projecting a circle. He looked like a nineteen century cartoon of an Earnest Child.” (78-79), in reality, she was judging him too fast and superficially as she also mentions “that kid was a fraud” simply because he referred to his father as Father. For a moment she thought that she was loosing her mind when talking to the kid instead of being reading. Concluding, the author portrays her message of not prejudicing people when not met because people may appear a way but turn out to be different.Felipe
ReplyDeleteSomething in the essay “On a Hill Far Away” that caught my eye was the importance of Christianity to the boy’s mother and when looking at the bigger picture, the importance of religion to most people. When Dillard had just met the boy’s mother, she appeared to be awkward and unwelcoming after she finally asked “do you know the Lord as your personal savior” (80)? Once Dillard had answered yes, the mother’s attitude changes completely and she lights up and becomes somewhat cheerful since she starts talking about “her church” and “Reverend Jerry” (80). Something that I did not necessarily like about this was that this was a question that the mother had to “ask everyone, absolutely everyone she” meets (80). On one hand, this shows how important religion is to her and once she breaks her shell, she can communicate freely. On the other hand, it shows close mindedness since it is in a way sad, to see that a person cannot talk to another one who does not share her same beliefs.
ReplyDelete-Mariale
Continuing with my idea, the author, during her time with the kid, without knowing him much, is still prejudice. She keeps on questioning the boy and making her own conclusion inside her mind, “How old are you? Eight? Nine? How could you not play at the creek? Or: Why am I trying to force this child to play at the creek?” (81) this quote show her own contradiction, making problems inside her head. She demonstrates that she knows too much but at the same time too little. She caries on, telling to him that “you’re cold” (81) only because he doesn’t speak that much. This shows her naïve thought because she expects an eight year old boy to be speaking with a stranger from the other side of a fence like as if she was familiar to him. Obviously, not all boys will be totally open with any outsider.Felipe
ReplyDeleteI felt you guys didn't get quite as deep with this essay as past ones.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to consider is the symbolic meanings of the snake and the fence. In the bible it is the snake which temps eve with wisdom. Perhaps the kid's fear of snakes connects with his isolated religious life and his fear of the outside world the religion has created.
I also found it interesting that Dillard is forced to talk to the kid through the fence, with the fence perpetually between them, like religion separating them.
I think this essay comments on the isolating effect of strict religion. The boy is clearly lonely and maybe so is the mother. The author does not directly condemn their religion but she does seem to critique its isolating byproduct.