Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction, Living like Weasels

The title that can be used for this study may include the following:

“Efficient use of God gifted powers”.

“Never give up on whatever you feel you are meant to do.”

Introduction of Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction, Living like Weasels

             Annie Dillard wrote this piece intending to encourage the readers. One can live the way one wants to live. Everyone has some defined goals and objectives. To achieve these goals one should be determined and consistent and should never give up even for hard circumstances. There will always be varying situations, along with ups & downs in life. To achieve something, one should use God-gifted powers and skills efficiently. This is the only thing that makes someone to make himself distinguished from the others (by proving himself).

Summary of Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction, Living like Weasels

Following is the summary for Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction: Living like Weasels.  Annie Dillard narrated everything so beautifully by linking it with human beings:

    This story is having a start with some historical data for the weasel, which is then linked with a human being’s interaction with the weasel. It is then having its flow towards an eagle that had a weasel’s skull attached with the eagle. The main context behind this all to end up the story with a strong conclusion. As it is started from a weasel’s story but end up with a human being. So, indirectly it is tried to link both of these creatures somehow.

        “I should have lunged for that streak of white under the weasel’s chin and held on, held on through mud and into the wild rose, held on for a dearer life” is one of the noteworthy quotes. The word “held on” is used twice which depicts regret for the un-saved life of a weasel.

        A sentence, “He had two black eyes I didn’t see, any more than you see a window,” is of immense significance. This sentence determines the significance of interactivity with a creature (i.e., Weasel for this discussion). She has humanized the Weasel noticeably which serves as an eye-catcher for the story-teller.

            There is a great saying that “For the soul, the eyes serve as a window”. This concept applies to human beings. It is the only God’s creature who is considered as “animals with the souls”. For this piece of work, Annie Dillard indirectly means that she has seen the Weasel’s soul.

        Many times, when we meet with someone, it is only perceived as a meet-up. But Annie Dillard discussed that she had a meet-up with the weasel. This meet-up was not only about looking at each other but it was about looking into each other’s eyes. There is a saying that “to know someone, these are the eyes which explain everything”. So the writer is of the view that she not only had an interaction with the weasel but also they had developed a great understanding.

One of the quotes of the story helps us to learn from the life of the weasel by first observing a distant goal and then making a try o achieve it. First, define a goal and then focus on it desperately just like it is the only thing in your life that you have (K. Blaine Lawlor).

Argument (to include this story as an educational syllabus)

             This story “Living like Weasels” by Annie Dillard should be considered as a part of the syllabus because it motivates a human being. It makes a human being to learn from the life of weasel. Human beings will better learn to define their life goals. They will desperately focus on these goals after they have identified the skills required for this specific goal. It will  help them to achieve their life goals.Criticism of Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction, Living like Weasels 

            Annie Dillard discussed human beings by illustrating through the story of a weasel. She presents the view that freedom of choice has made human beings distracted and away from their goals. Also, rather than freedom to choose, a complete and simple life is mandatory, and it is not reality. A human being is if provided with a variety of options to consider, then he or she can perform better in hard situations. If he or she has the freedom to decide on, then he or she remains more committed towards his goals and objectives (Dowding). This thing would make them successful one day.

Conclusion on Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction, Living like Weasels

                 The end of this story provides us with a meaningful message. It is concluded that there is a lack of human’s ability that they cannot focus on a thing with strong determination and passion. This thing makes the human beings not deserving for the company of some brilliant creature, i.e. the weasels for this story. For this story, the writer has varying tones from start to the end. It varies from curiosity to confirmation. The end of the story is the most significant part where the writer narrates that a human being should get the experience of his life from the life of weasels. Before trying to achieve something, there is a need to observe it from a distance continuously. It will help to maintain whether we have the required skills and expertise to achieve a specific goal. After doing this, we will be better able to achieve what we want in a desirable way.

References of Work Cited of Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction, Living like Weasels