Pilgrim At Tinker Creek Summary

Sounds ranging from the constant, rhythmic waves to the loud wind wafting past my ears envelop me as I stand at the edge of the cliff in Croatia. There is chaos and serenity at this moment, much like nature, and when I took in all the information from the environment my senses were overwhelmed yet astounded at the same time highlighting the sheer power of nature and the effect it has on our lives. Much like this event, one of the biggest aspects that Dillard addresses and looks into, if not the main aspect, in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek specifically, the chapter The Present is whether or not the world and nature have a higher purpose and meaning in the everyday lives of people. This chapter specifically deals with the importance of the present and what it may add to the idea of life's meaning. Dillard describes numerous experiences she’s had in the past to portray the bond she obtains with nature and the various lessons she learnt regardless of whether she was aware or unaware of its effects in that particular moment. Dillard seems torn on whether or not self-conscious or conscious is a better state to experience the
This in term allows us to learn more aptly and obtain information about specific aspects of nature and the creatures by focusing on them and blocking everything else out. However, her main argument is based on the idea that self-consciousness obstructs the way we live and portrays the image that we would be too focused on the aspects that we generally are aware of and risk the loss of ability to take everything in and be one with nature. Throughout the text consciousness and innocence was emphasized as the optimal way of achieving the sense of taking in every moment through examples of others such as puppies and