Rhetorical Analysis The Weasel
I don’t want to live like a beast, but I want to learn (or, perhaps, remember?) how to live like a wild animal – the weasel. This creature doesn’t know about the luxury of choice, only life or death. Could I live a life of necessity and instinct? Or are humans too evolved to return to that primal desire? I wish to dictate my life with the purest need of survival and simplicity, rather than with human bias and greed. By discarding our material needs, we can pass with our treasures, instead of worrying whether death will steal them away.
Structure
1. Paragraphs one to two contrasts the unpredictable weasel that acts according to instinct and necessity, while humans act according to their own will and pride. It establishes the bestiality and …show more content…
Dillard asks questions eight times throughout the piece. She asks rhetorical questions to evoke the human mind to inquire about existential issues. She isn’t forcing her beliefs upon the reader, but rather discreetly asks the reader to consider her perspective. Dillard isn’t looking for an answer, but rather, she is trying to prove a point.
6. In paragraph 15, Dillard states “I could very calmly go wild,” as well as in paragraph 7, “I was looking down at the weasel, who was looking up at me,” which echoes the reflexive style. It portrays the contrast between human and animal – sane and insane. Also, it creates a vivid and clearer image of both characters, and it provides more insight into her experience.
7. The repetition is used to highlight the main point Dillard tries to convey. It further emphasizes the raw characteristics of the weasel Dillard wants to mimic. Plus, it creates a dramatic effect and adds cadence to her sentences.
Diction
8. Comparisons, in this case, further illustrate the kind of animal Dillard wants to portray. This way, the reader can put themselves in Dillard’s shoes and see what she saw. By comparing its features to other objects – window, lizard, arrowhead, for instance – it connects the writer’s feelings toward the weasel for a more dramatic and sentimental effect. The reader can now relate to the writer, which causes a better understanding and clearer picture of what Dillard is
Structure
1. Paragraphs one to two contrasts the unpredictable weasel that acts according to instinct and necessity, while humans act according to their own will and pride. It establishes the bestiality and …show more content…
Dillard asks questions eight times throughout the piece. She asks rhetorical questions to evoke the human mind to inquire about existential issues. She isn’t forcing her beliefs upon the reader, but rather discreetly asks the reader to consider her perspective. Dillard isn’t looking for an answer, but rather, she is trying to prove a point.
6. In paragraph 15, Dillard states “I could very calmly go wild,” as well as in paragraph 7, “I was looking down at the weasel, who was looking up at me,” which echoes the reflexive style. It portrays the contrast between human and animal – sane and insane. Also, it creates a vivid and clearer image of both characters, and it provides more insight into her experience.
7. The repetition is used to highlight the main point Dillard tries to convey. It further emphasizes the raw characteristics of the weasel Dillard wants to mimic. Plus, it creates a dramatic effect and adds cadence to her sentences.
Diction
8. Comparisons, in this case, further illustrate the kind of animal Dillard wants to portray. This way, the reader can put themselves in Dillard’s shoes and see what she saw. By comparing its features to other objects – window, lizard, arrowhead, for instance – it connects the writer’s feelings toward the weasel for a more dramatic and sentimental effect. The reader can now relate to the writer, which causes a better understanding and clearer picture of what Dillard is