““The Chase”The Chase”

Annie DillardAnnie Dillard

About the SelectionAbout the SelectionThe portrait of childhood beautifully The portrait of childhood beautifully captures the energy and idealism of captures the energy and idealism of youth.youth.It originally appeared as a chapter in It originally appeared as a chapter in An American ChildhoodAn American Childhood (1987), which (1987), which one reviewer described as being one reviewer described as being “less about a coming-to-age than “less about a coming-to-age than about a coming-to-consciousness…” about a coming-to-consciousness…”

About the SelectionAbout the Selection

The narration of the chase itself The narration of the chase itself (paras. 10-15) is an excellent model (paras. 10-15) is an excellent model for narrative writing. for narrative writing.

Dillard uses rhetorical devices, such Dillard uses rhetorical devices, such as asyndeton, repetition, and use of as asyndeton, repetition, and use of the plural in paragraph 13, to vary the plural in paragraph 13, to vary the narration and to make the chase the narration and to make the chase seem endless.seem endless.

AsyndetonAsyndeton

AsyndetonAsyndeton – the omission of – the omission of conjunctions between related conjunctions between related clauses, for example “I came, I saw, I clauses, for example “I came, I saw, I conquered.”conquered.”

About the SelectionAbout the SelectionThe story is also a good example of The story is also a good example of how narration can be used in the how narration can be used in the service of a larger theme, with service of a larger theme, with implications that go beyond the implications that go beyond the event recounted.event recounted.Dillard does more than simply tell a Dillard does more than simply tell a story; she makes an interesting story; she makes an interesting observation about the death of observation about the death of enthusiasm.enthusiasm.

MeaningMeaning What is Dillard’s purpose in her What is Dillard’s purpose in her

essay? essay? Dillard wants to show (inform) how Dillard wants to show (inform) how

a harmless chase can take on epic a harmless chase can take on epic proportions in the mind of a child. proportions in the mind of a child. She wants to point out valuable She wants to point out valuable qualities of childhood lost in qualities of childhood lost in adulthood: energy and adulthood: energy and wholeheartedness.wholeheartedness.

MeaningMeaning Does the persistence of the pursuer Does the persistence of the pursuer

seem reasonable to you, given the seem reasonable to you, given the children’s prank?children’s prank?

No, this driver is exceptional, the No, this driver is exceptional, the only one who has ever left his car only one who has ever left his car (par. 9).(par. 9).

MeaningMeaning What does the pursuer represent for the What does the pursuer represent for the

narrator? narrator? The pursuer is the only adult the narrator The pursuer is the only adult the narrator

has encountered who “knew what I has encountered who “knew what I thought only children who trained at thought only children who trained at football knew; that you have to fling football knew; that you have to fling yourself at what you’re doing, you have yourself at what you’re doing, you have to point yourself, forget yourself, aim, to point yourself, forget yourself, aim, dive” (par. 13).dive” (par. 13).

MeaningMeaning How do her feelings about him change How do her feelings about him change

after the chase is over, and why?after the chase is over, and why? At the end of the chase, he comes “down At the end of the chase, he comes “down

to earth” (par. 19), addressing the to earth” (par. 19), addressing the children in the banal, perfunctory tones children in the banal, perfunctory tones of an ordinary adult. Dillard is of an ordinary adult. Dillard is disillusioned because of the gap between disillusioned because of the gap between her ideals and reality.her ideals and reality.

MeaningMeaning Why does Dillard describe the “chewing Why does Dillard describe the “chewing

out,” seemingly the object of the chase, out,” seemingly the object of the chase, as “redundant, a mere formality, and as “redundant, a mere formality, and beside the point” (par. 19)?beside the point” (par. 19)?

Nothing can live up to the glorious Nothing can live up to the glorious moment that was the chase. The pursuer moment that was the chase. The pursuer had resumed the role of just another had resumed the role of just another adult, parroting the words all adults are adult, parroting the words all adults are required to say at that moment.required to say at that moment.

Writing StrategyWriting StrategyWhy does Dillard open her story Why does Dillard open her story with a discussion of football?with a discussion of football?Football is a metaphor for life in the Football is a metaphor for life in the story.story.From football to baseball to From football to baseball to snowball throwing---baseball is a snowball throwing---baseball is a logical link between football and logical link between football and snowball throwing, in which the snowball throwing, in which the throwing arm is all-important.throwing arm is all-important.

Writing StrategyWriting Strategy

In what way does the game serve In what way does the game serve as a metaphor in the story? as a metaphor in the story?

The football metaphor indicates the The football metaphor indicates the life lesson that Dillard learned from life lesson that Dillard learned from playing sports.playing sports.

Everything you do, you have to Everything you do, you have to tackle, giving 100 percent of tackle, giving 100 percent of yourself.yourself.

Writing StrategyWriting Strategy

Why does Dillard interrupt the story Why does Dillard interrupt the story of the chase with an “immense of the chase with an “immense discovery” (par. 13)?discovery” (par. 13)?

This is the story’s epiphany, where This is the story’s epiphany, where Dillard explains the larger meaning Dillard explains the larger meaning the chase was to take on. the chase was to take on.

Writing StrategyWriting StrategyIs Dillard’s point of view that of a Is Dillard’s point of view that of a seven-year-old girl, or that of an seven-year-old girl, or that of an adult writer reflecting on her adult writer reflecting on her childhood experience?childhood experience?Dillard’s seamless narration Dillard’s seamless narration combines the articulateness and combines the articulateness and sophistication of an adult sophistication of an adult interpreter with a child’s view of interpreter with a child’s view of events taking place.events taking place.

Writing StrategyWriting StrategyDillard’s story implicitly compares Dillard’s story implicitly compares and contrasts a child’s and an and contrasts a child’s and an adult’s way of looking at life. What adult’s way of looking at life. What are some of the differences that are some of the differences that Dillard implies?Dillard implies?Adults are lazy and take shortcuts.Adults are lazy and take shortcuts.““Any normal adult would have quit, Any normal adult would have quit, having sprung us into flight and having sprung us into flight and made his point” (par. 10).made his point” (par. 10).

Cont’dCont’d

Unlike children playing football, Unlike children playing football, adults are unwilling to fling adults are unwilling to fling themselves “wholeheartedly” (par. 1) themselves “wholeheartedly” (par. 1) into things.into things.

With their normal “righteous anger” With their normal “righteous anger” and “usual common sense” (par. 20), and “usual common sense” (par. 20), they are victims of habit and they are victims of habit and routine.routine.

Cont’dCont’d

Children are willing to go all out; they Children are willing to go all out; they know that life is “all or nothing” (par. know that life is “all or nothing” (par. 1).1).

LanguageLanguage

Explain the contradiction: “I got in Explain the contradiction: “I got in trouble throwing snowballs, and trouble throwing snowballs, and have seldom been happier since” have seldom been happier since” (par. 2).(par. 2).

Dillard portrays childhood as a time Dillard portrays childhood as a time of confusion and contradiction.of confusion and contradiction.

LanguageLanguageWhat are some other examples of What are some other examples of paradox in paragraphs 5, 14, and paradox in paragraphs 5, 14, and 16?16?The children, though playing The children, though playing together, exhibit a “natural together, exhibit a “natural solitude” (par. 5).solitude” (par. 5).While being chased, they are at While being chased, they are at once “exhilarated” and “dismayed” once “exhilarated” and “dismayed” (par. 14).(par. 14).

Cont’dCont’d

The man chasing them is referred to The man chasing them is referred to as “our pursuer, our captor,” and as “our pursuer, our captor,” and “our hero” (par. 16).“our hero” (par. 16).

LanguageLanguageWhat is the effect of the last sentence of What is the effect of the last sentence of the essay?the essay?

It indicates how long and complicated the It indicates how long and complicated the chase was, and helps bring the pursuer chase was, and helps bring the pursuer back to earth.back to earth.

It is also anticlimactic after the It is also anticlimactic after the imaginative tale about the Panama Canal.imaginative tale about the Panama Canal.

It is a typical, banal “adult” question.It is a typical, banal “adult” question.