For the Time Being Motif Dialectical Journal
Quote
MLA Citation and page number
required
“The six-year-old’s back, no longer Metaphor comparing the size of
than the doctor’s open hand, is only the infants to a deck of cards
slightly wider than a deck of cards”
(Dillard 4-5).
“...He burned their books: In fact,
he burned every book in the empire
except those in his own library…”
(Dillard 56).
“Christians killed the wellborn lady
Hypatia, according to Gibbon, in a
church; they stripped her flesh with
oyster shells, and threw the
shellfuls of flesh, ‘quivering’, in a
fire” (Dillard 139).
“It [evil] can exist, because
entrapped deep inside the force of
evil there is a spark of goodness”
(Dillard 139).
“So evil can exist, can continue to
live: The sparks of goodness within
things, the Gnostic-like spark that
Commentary
WHAT is the context of the quote?
What does the quote say?
Emperor Qin ordered for the
murder of Confucian scholars and
burning of all Confucian books.
A story of a tendency to murder is
being represented through
Christianity.
Dillard is explaining how both evil
and good can coexist in a world
created by God.
Metaphor of how sparks of light
are ‘good’ and darkness is evil.
Motif: Fire
HOW are the ideas conveyed
(devices/techniques)?
What does the device mean?
A deck of cards has cards that are
slightly unique in face value, yet
identical in the backed foundation
where all are printed with the
same design.
A third person observant
perspective is used in this quote,
as the author is disconnected
from the situation and instead
describing what had occurred as
fact. This shows Dillard to be
valuing the factual side of history.
The intense diction used to
describe a brutal death by using
fire is significant of a presence of
evil. Fire in this quote is symbolic
of evil.
The word “spark” is symbolic of
‘goodness’ or salvation that lies
deep within evil. This juxtaposes
or contradicts itself on the same
page, as fire had previously been
used to convey evil.
“Spark” is associated with a
religious appeal to be something
holy, as even God can possess
WHY does this matter (both to the
context and the text as a whole)?
Why does the device matter?
Conveys the idea that we are
collectively similar, yet individually
unique.
It shows how one can be
interested in the gruesome
aspects of history, however be
emotionally disconnected from the
past. Fire is associated with
negativity.
Portrays fire as solely evil and
used to harm others. As a whole,
fire being symbolic of evil is also
later portrayed as ‘good’ by being
associated with sparks.
This quote matters because
Dillard is able to use the motif of
fire to be symbolic of ‘good’ and
‘evil’, being that both exist within
one another. On the same page, it
is used to describe both death
and salvation.
The presence of sparks is
important as it can represent the
fulfilment to life which it brings, as
even the most evil tendency
encloses, lends evil its being”
(Dillard 50-51).
“The elder rose up in reply and
stretched out his hands to heaven,
and his fingers became like ten
lamps of fire. He said: Why not be
totally changed into fire?” (Dillard
180).
“...this ocean of humanity whose
slow monotonous wave-flows
trouble the hearts even of those
whose flame is most firm” (Dillard
131).
“...you could fit into the airport
parking lot all the corpses from the
firestorm bombing of Tokyo…”
(Dillard 131-132).
“...they are purified and become a
holy fire in you” (Dillard 137).
“When you walk across the field
with your mind pure and holy...and
all growing things...the sparks of
their souls come out and cling to
you…” (Dillard 137).
Dillard describes a story from a
Christian deserter. The Christian
fulfilled all he thought needed to
be done to achieve heaven,
however still saw flames.
Reciting the teachings of Teilhard.
This discusses several stories of
tragedy and death.
This is a quote from one of the
Baal Shem Tov’s spiritual heirs.
This is a continuation of a quote
from one of the Baal Shem Tov’s
spiritual heirs.
such a characteristic.
This story is representative of how
being ‘good’ does not let you
achieve your desires. It may also
portray fire as originally negative
and evil, however something that
must be accepted and embraced.
This is a metaphor for the way in
which humans are able to view
the troublesome aspects of
society and disregard them.
This setting is described to portray
fire with negativity and forms of
evil as it is associated with death.
Despite ‘fire’ having been
depicted as evil throughout the
book, this quote shows fire to
represent holiness.
‘Sparks’ are symbolic of purity and
connection to oneself and nature,
and are the ultimate goal to
achieve.
it is able to eradicate all evils. Fire
in this sense is portrayed as holy
and valuable.
This matters as fire is now
portrayed, by the end, as
something neutral. Being neither
evil nor good allows someone to
achieve peace of mind and be
content with their fate, as no
matter what they do to prevent an
ill fate, they will never be able to
change the future. This alludes
further to the idea of valuing ‘living
for today’ in the present.
This conveys the idea that even
those who have a ‘firm flame’
potentially representing a strong
connection to oneself and nature,
can fall victim to the ‘evil’ or
material aspects of life.
Portrays fire with a negative
connotation to further push the
idea that it is evil and should be
avoided.
Contrasts the rest of the text in
describing fire to instead be holy.
Perhaps we must accept fire
before achieving sparks (embrace
evil to attain good).
Conveys the idea that sparks are
holy and the ultimate goal---as
achieving sparks means we are
rejecting material items and
embracing the present.