“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 re-

emphasized 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.