Tuesday, August 26, 2014
The Lines We Love and Give Us the Most Insight in Annie Dillard's "The Chase"
In class today, we discussed Annie Dillard's noted narrative essay "The Chase." We looked at it from many different angles trying to make some sense of what on the surface looks short and simple, but then also seems to offer something more. At one point, we stopped to think about our conversation and to identify the passages and points that we found most important for insight. Please actually write the quote or line that you find most important after considering this essay again. Then, in a thoughtful passage of about 10 sentences, explain your reasoning. There's not a right or wrong answer on this and we're not looking for a perfect essay. The key is for you to take some time to offer your own personal reflections in a more formal way.
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When Dillard writes, "You stupid kids," it shows childhood imagination. The kids in the story are expecting something much worse than just getting talked to. I think that as we grow up, we lose that childhood imagination. When I was younger, getting my head chopped of seemed like a possible punishment for throwing a snowball at someone's car. Now I realize that that is a very extreme and unlikely punishment. I think that this is the most important part of the story because it is showing us the freeness and imagination that we used to have, and don't have anymore. Dillard talks about playing football, throwing snowballs at people's cars, and running through random yards. I doubt she would do that today. Adults are much less free and have less imagination than kids. This can be a good thing (knowing you probably aren't going to get that harsh of a punishment) or a bad thing (not being able to come up with certain ideas). In order to combat this, adults need to try to keep their minds as open as possible.
ReplyDelete"If in that snowy backyard the driver of the black Buick had cut our heads off, Mikey's and mine, I would've died happy, for nothing has required so much of me since as being chased all over Pittsburgh in the middle of winter– running terrified, exhausted..."
ReplyDeleteI like this line because you can see the main points of the essay tied together. The first one being doing something with everything you have be it with football, being chased, or chasing. The other being that this is a happy memory for her. So, it explains how going for something with everything makes you happy. The fact that she was terrified and exhausted didn't ruin it for her. They added to it because she had to put more effort in. She said that nothing has required so much of her cents which shows why she has never been happier. I also like this passage because it's mildly humorous and definitely charming.
"If in that snowy backyard the driver of the black Buick had cut off our heads, Mikey's and mine, I would have died happy"
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very important line and a great way to finish the story. This line shows how great of a time she had during this whole ordeal. She really enjoyed the chase because of the adrenaline rush, the fact that she had to commit to it, and the fact that she had to fully participate in it. If she hadn't given 100% she would have been caught earlier in a less exciting way, which probably would have ruined the experience for her. This idea also ties back to the beginning of the story and how she talked about committing in football. I thought this was a great way to end it because it showed that her happiness did not come from her mischievous deed. Instead, this showed that she was happy about the fact that she was able to use everything she could and try her hardest. The fact that she gave it her all and that she had such a worthy opponent who did the same is really what made her happy. I think she would have been happy having her head cut off by this man because he was a hero to her. He was able to give it his all, as an adult, and do better then she could.
In the Annie Dillard's article she says, " Any Adult would have quit, having sprung us to flight and made his point. This man was ganging up on us. He was a thin man. All of a sudden we were running for our lives. After I read this part of the article I was really shocked and surprised at how much time and energy this man wasted chasing those kids,and when he finally caught them he only told them not to throw snowball at his car again. I think that he should of taken the kids' to their parents house and the their parents know what the two kids did instead of he just letting them go
ReplyDelete“It was an immense discovery, pounding into my hot head with every sliding, joyous step, that this ordinary adult evidently knew what I thought only children who tained at football knew: that you have to fling yourself at what you’re doing, you have to point yourself, forget yourself, aim, dive.” Dillard talks about football in this quote, but it also relates to the chase, and putting effort in everything you do. Throughout the essay Dillard tells us (readers) that she tries really hard in football, not only because she is the only girl, but also because she has dedication. She is only seven in this essay and has not quite figured out that her level of dedication towards football should not only be shown in sports, but in everything she does. When the man is chasing them he has a lot of dedication and determination, also known as “aiming and diving”. Why else would a grown man chase kids ten blocks to say only three words? If Dillard had not had determination then she would not have run ten blocks. Also if the chaser did not want to waste his time chasing kids ten blocks, he wouldn't have either. Clearly he was as single minded and determined as the kids, as well as able to forget himself and point in the direction of the goal.
ReplyDelete"I don't know how he found his way back to his car."
ReplyDeleteThis finishes the piece off wonderfully by showing us how this moment existed entirely on it's own. Nothing else mattered during the chase. As soon as the man left his car he paid no heed to anything but chasing these kids. He left his car door wide open and ran off, not looking behind, only ahead. He threw himself at them, not checking where he came from. However, once he caught them, that spell was broken, and he had to scold them and leave. This shows what Annie loved about the experience, the thrill of the present. All that mattered was running.
"I got in trouble throwing snowballs, and have seldom been happier since." I like this line and think it's important because it basically describes the moral of the story and the basis of it. It describes how the story isn't really about being chased by a man and suit because of hitting his car with a snowball. It's about the exhilaration of getting in trouble and how happy it made the girl. Also like this line because even though it's been altered to fit the story, it applies to real life in general. Sure, sometimes getting trouble is just not fun. However, sometimes it can be really exciting and can, in the end, make you happy. For instance, some of people who commit crimes probably do it because it's exhilarating and fun in the moment. I always enjoy getting in trouble whenever I'm really mad a someone and they're really mad at me, the only way I can satisfy that anger and make myself happier is usually to get in trouble with them. Another reason this represented by this line is why this particular time when they were throwing snowballs was the one the story was about. She had fun in the other events but she didn't actually get in trouble the other times, the cars just drove away and then she went onto the next car. In this one it was more exhilarating because she was in trouble and was being chased. This is also kind of the reason why if she had been killed by the man, she would've been happy. She would've been happy because she would've ended her life with a happy event and that would be the one remembered the best.
ReplyDeleteI thought the most important quote in "The Chase" was, "Any normal adult would have quit, having sprung us into flight and made his point." I thought this was important because it suggests that he isn't a normal adult. As we were saying in class today, we thought it was strange for the man to take this as far as chasing the children all the way around town. One thought that I pointed out was that since he is a young man who is leaving the memories of childhood behind, it could have been a glimpse into his past of being a kid to him. This ties to the quote because it shows that he isn't a normal adult. He is theoretically a minor in a man's body. I don't know much about this man based off of the information that the author gave us. For all we know, he could be an angry man in general and he was holding onto his last thread of sanity. But from what I picture in reality, as you grow up and go to the same job every day, you may want to take every excuse to go out and feel free again. I say this because I am fourteen, and it already miss being seven. So basically I think that we don't know enough about this man to make a complete judgement, but my initial judgement of him is that he wants to take every opportunity to be free again.
ReplyDeleteI thought that "If in that snowy backyard the driver of the black Buick had cut off our heads, Mikey's and mine, I would have died happy, for nothing has required so much of me since as being chased..." was the most important quote. It showed how exhilarated she was during the chase, and how much this whole experience meant to her. Being terrified and exhausted added to the exhilaration and fun of the chase. Nothing else really mattered to her after the chase, and it was all she could have wished for. She gave it her all, as explained in the football metaphor, and it didn't matter what the consequences were. This quote also showed her admiration of the driver and how she thought of him as her "hero"- that she would willingly give him her life because of the experience he had given her and Mikey. It also described the driver with almost childlike adjectives and outlined the strangeness of the situation. This quote was a great way to summarize and conclude the narrative
ReplyDeleteI thought that the line 'We three stood staggering, half blinded, coughing, in an obscure hilltop backyard: a man in his twenties, a boy, a girl.' I felt that this line just describes exactly how strange this situation is. It accurately portrays the nonsensical union of the three in a snowy morning, all tired and bent out of shape. It puts a picture in your mind of a young girl, a young boy, and an young man in a suit all sitting around huffing and puffing in the middle of the snow. I think that this line is important because it brings into context how absolutely mad their position is. A man got out of his car and chased a couple of children for ten blocks worth in the snow for no reason other than that they threw a snowball at his car. Plus, the kids have also just relinquished themselves to whatever punishment or tirade this skinny young man sees fit to give them. I still just love the image that line puts into my head. Imagine it, a small suburban backyard covered in tramped up snow, with a red headed man with his hands on his knees puffing and the cuffs of his pants soaking wet, with two young children by his side also puffing. The air around them is clouded with their foggy breath, and all of their faces red, noses runny and eyes watery. That is why that line is the most important, because of the picture it paints in your mind's eye.
ReplyDeleteI really like the line, "Our tracks multiplied in the backyard's new snow. We had been breaking new snow all morning." (bottom of page 30) This is a great line because it's the moment where the chase has just finished, and she's taking a second to breathe and think about what she just experienced. She then looks at the snow and realizes that all morning, her, Mikey, and the man, have been breaking new snow. I took breaking new snow as a metaphor for breaking the rules, trying something new, and taking a risk. She was breaking the rules right before the chase by throwing snowballs, she was trying something new by choosing to run with Mikey, and she was taking a risk because she knew when she threw the snowballs that she would probably get in trouble. All morning she was out of her comfort zone, breaking new snow, and in the end when she stopped and thought about it, she was happy and proud of what she and Mikey had done.
ReplyDelete"Nothing girls did could compare with it." I thought this was the most important quote from 'The Chase'. I think that this story is about the narrator breaking free of female stereotypes, in a way. She enjoys playing football because of the courage and determination needed to play it, and it is not commonly referred to as a girls' sport. Especially in the 1950s, it would be looked upon strangely by many members of our society for a young 7 year old girl to play football with older boys. Our narrator also says that she has what is "weirdly known as a boy's arm". She is not expected to have a strong throwing arm in the society she lives in. I think that the chase gives her such a thrill because she loves excitement and danger, things that a stereotypical girl would not be expected to like. I think that is why she rolled up the iceball even though she and her friends agreed that it was unfair. The narrator says she could have died happy because she is experiencing thrill and danger with one of her boy friends, which would definitely be looked upon strangely in the society that she lived in, which makes her happy.
ReplyDelete"Now he came down to earth" (paragraph 19) was the most important line for many reasons. First, it implies the man's thoughts were elsewhere and he was not thinking clearly. Did the chase bring back a feeling or memory of childhood? This could lead to discovering the man's motive. Was he craving the freeness and innocence associated with childhood? Second, it seems to bring the Dillard down to earth also. Before the chase is over, she is living in the moment blissfully. However, when the man "comes down to earth" she begins asking more questions and starts to see more of reality (Ex."I don't know how he found his way back to his car"). She later says she thought of this moment years into the future. Could this be because she realized she had lost her innocence during the chase?
ReplyDeleteAnnie builds up the game of football a lot during the beginning of the story. She goes as far as saying that "Your fate and your teams score relies on your concentration and commitment." Her statement is true (at least about the score portion), but it's phrased like something you would read in some kind of religious proverb. Her words and their context really stuck out to me, because it amazed me how serious she made a simple game of football. Usually I find it funny when people take things too seriously but the idea of this little girl thinking deeply on football and how to defeat her opponents was impressive and almost unnerving. Her commitment to doing well in a game of backyard football represented a fundamental part of her character, a part that (funnily enough) was dedicated towards fully doing something and doing it well, regardless of how serious it is. Without her commitment she wouldn't have realized how to succeed in her game, even if she was taking it too seriously. In the same way the man who chased her wouldn't have done so unless he was fully committed to teaching them a lesson, even if he was also taking things too seriously. I really liked the circular nature of this comment, how it led to Annie's personality and then to the man who chased them, and likewise back to the story.
ReplyDeleteIn the first paragraphs of The Chase, Annie Dillard writes, "If you gathered joined body and soul and pointed them diving fiercely- then you would likely stop the ball and not get hurt." In class, we discussed how one of the biggest themes of the story was putting everything into a goal. This quote demonstrates the theme, showing how goals are only really reached when one throws all of themselves into reaching said goal. This theme is demonstrated throughout the story. For example, when the man is chasing Annie and Mickey he doesn't stop, even though he is in a suit, he probably had somewhere to go and both Annie and Mickey are on their home turf, racing through backyards and alleyways. Any normal adult, as Annie states, would have stopped the moment the kids bolted, but this man decided to keep running after them. This quote demonstrates the motives of many of the main characters in the story.
ReplyDelete"if in that snowy backyard the driver of the black Buick had cut off our heads Mikey's and mine, I would have died happy, for nothing has required so much of me since as being chased all over Pittsburgh in the middle of winter,"
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this quote provides insight because it relates to her opinion about football and shows how danger exhilarates her. At the beginning she talks about how football is all or nothing and if you don't put all your effort into it you can't win. We can tell that she uses the same technique while running from the driver of the Buick because of her words "required so much of me". She also talks about how if the driver had cut off her head she would have died happy. This is because that's the only kind of adventurous ending she could have pictured. So when all he does is lecture them she finds it to be anti-climatic and it brings her back to reality. This makes me think that she is using the thrill and adventure as an escape. That is probably why she enjoys running from this man and football so much. I think that the more effort she puts into these things the more she can ignore whatever she is trying to escape. Altogether I think this quote describes the main emotions conveyed in this piece and really ties it together
This comment is Jordan's:
ReplyDeleteDillard writes,"Nothing girls did could compare with it. Boys welcomed me at baseball, too, for I had, through enthusiastic practice, what was weirdly known as a boy's arm." I this passage is very influential on the moral and base of the story. It plays on the stereotype of a typical girl, especially in the 1950's. Especially in the 1950's girls and little to none rights and were taught to be fragile and dependent human beings. You can also tell how sexism is already having an impact on her life when Dillard write about her having a "Boys arm". This shows how different the girl is from other girls. It can also have an affect on why she has never been happy since the incident. It could be possible that her parents didn't let her play outside again after the chase, and raised her as a "normal" girl in that society. If that had happened then she wouldn't be able to play sports, which was one of her passions, and would have to learn to cook and be dependent on men.
"He chased us silently, block after block. He chased us silently over picket fences, through thorny hedges, between houses, around garbage cans, and across streets. Every time I glanced back, choking for breath, I expected he would have quit." I thought that these lines helped to show how long the Chase must have seemed for Annie and Mikey. As 7-10 year old kids they were running as fast as they could for a while, expecting the red haired man to give up. However, he didn't, and that probably made the kids think that he was going to "fried them in boiling oil", or "dismembered us like piecemeal". They were most likely thinking this when they were caught by him, so they probably got a big thrill during this. That, I think, is why Dillard said, "I got in trouble throwing snowballs, and I have seldom been happier since." They were probably pretty giddy afterwards. They thought about how thrilling and dangerous that chase was, and probably went back and told it to the rest of their gang, in a slightly modified way. This probably made her happy and apparently very happy, if she has "seldom been happier since."
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ReplyDeleteI liked the line, "It was all or nothing. If you hesitated in fear,
ReplyDeleteyou would miss and get hurt: you would take a hard fall while the kid
got away, or you would get kicked in the face while the kid got away."
(first paragraph) If taken out of context, this could be Annie's
thinking in the game of football, or it could be the man's thinking
when chasing the kids. This mentality is what got them a good half a
mile away from where they started. Later in the text it also mentions
that Mikey and Annie could have run all the way to Panama without
stopping and the fact that the man chased them as far as he did, he
could probably do the same. The man did not hesitate in fear to run
after the kids and he did not get hurt, he go his poiny across, gave
his lecture, and left, probably feeling justified. The kids did the
same. The didn't hesitate to jump through bushed or even to catch a
breath, they just ran and ran and ran as long as they could, and they
too also weren't hurt. They weren't dismembered, staked to anthills,
or boiled in oil. In fact they were happy, or at least Annie was that
she had such a grand chase and for all the right reasons.
Dillard writes,"Nothing girls did could compare with it. Boys welcomed me at baseball, too, for I had, through enthusiastic practice, what was weirdly known as a boy's arm." I this passage is very influential on the moral and base of the story. It plays on the stereotype of a typical girl, especially in the 1950's. Especially in the 1950's girls and little to none rights and were taught to be fragile and dependent human beings. You can also tell how sexism is already having an impact on her life when Dillard write about her having a "Boys arm". This shows how different the girl is from other girls. It can also have an affect on why she has never been happy since the incident. It could be possible that her parents didn't let her play outside again after the chase, and raised her as a "normal" girl in that society. If that had happened then she wouldn't be able to play sports, which was one of her passions, and would have to learn to cook and be dependent on men.
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ReplyDelete"It was all or nothing. If you hesitated and fear, you would miss and get hurt: you would take a hard fall of the kid got away, or you will get kicked in the face while the kid got away. But if you fling yourself wholeheartedly at the back of his knee-if you join body and soul and pointed them diving in fearlessly-you likely wouldn't get hurt, and you'd stop the ball." This sets up the theme for the whole passage. Without this the Chase would have meant nothing to the reader. This is exemplified when the adult chases the kids, wholeheartedly specifically, over 10 blocks. It shows that when you actually commit to doing something it's more likely that you'll succeed. It's easier for me to relate because, as I'm a guy, Ive played football before. I know the feeling of chasing after someone and having to dive for their legs, and I can honestly say the speaker is completely correct. This makes this quote important on a personal level and most likely to all other readers. This quote is an integral part to the story.
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ReplyDeletethe last paragraph- "if in that snowy backyard the driver of the black buick had cut off our heads, mikey's and mine, i would have died happy, for nothing has required so much of me since being chased all over pittsburgh in the middle of winter - running terrified, exhausted - by this sainted, skinny, furious, red-headed man who wished to have a word with us." i like it because it pulls back to look at the big picture after being zoomed in on the details of that afternoon, and it sounds almost like poetry instead of an essay.
ReplyDeleteThis is a quote from the beginning of the book: "Either you brought him down or you hit the ground flat on your chin, with your arms empty before. It was all or nothing." The quote is really simple, but it underlines the whole theme of the essay. You have to do everything you're passionate about with wholeheartedness. Anyone who is dedicated or passionate about something, like sports, you can relate to it easily. The narrator could only succeed depending on the amount of passion you had.
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