Flood By Annie Dillard Analysis

Brandon Dendas
Mrs. Whittaker
Sophomore English
March 22, 2009
A Comparison Essay about “Flood” and “Flying” The purpose of a descriptive essay is to describe a person, place, or thing in much detail. The author’s purpose is to recreate their experience in a way in which the reader can visualize the actual event. An essayist and poet known for writing these types of descriptive essays is Annie Dillard. Her essays consist of various types of imagery, which applies to all the senses, like sight, sounds, smell etc. These words aid the reader in visualizing and experiencing what the author is describing about. Two examples of Dillard’s descriptive essays are “Flood” and “Flying,” which are similar, but different in many ways by recreating events in the reader’s mind, providing objective and subjective details, and developing themes.
The essay “Flood” is a descriptive essay because it recreates an actual event about a flood that caused a creek near Dillard’s house to overflow.
An example of her description of the flood is when Dillard says, “Right behind the road’s shoulder are waves, waves whipped in rhythmically peaking scallops, racing down stream” (“Flood” 512). This essay also uses objective details to refer to what actually happened, by using descriptive imagery. An example of an objective detail would be when Dillard says, “the snapper hisses very impressively,” (“Flood” 513) allowing the reader to hear the actual sound of the loud hiss. Another part of a descriptive essay is its subjective details, which refers to a familiar event. An example of this in “Flood” is when Dillard says, “Mark Spitz couldn’t live,” (“Flood” 511) relating the flood waters to an Olympic swimmer, and showing how powerful the water was flowing. The last important aspect of a descriptive essay is developing a theme. The overall theme of “Flood” is how natural disaster can lead to good and positive
changes. “Flying” by Annie Dillard is also a descriptive essay because it recreates an event in the reader’s mind and in this case it’s the air show that Dillard attended. An example of how she describes what she sees at the show is when she says, “The Bellingham airport was a wide clearing in a forest of tall Douglas firs; its runways suited small planes” (“Flying” 288). The second reason why “Flying” is a descriptive essay is because it uses objective details, which describes what actually happens. An example of this is when Dillard describes Rahm’s appearance saying, “I saw a medium-sized, rugged man dressed in brown leather, all begoggled, climb in a black biplane’s open cockpit” (“Flying” 289). The third reason “Flying” is a descriptive essay because it uses subjective details, which reminds the author of a previous event or experience. An example of this would be, “The plane looped the loop, seeming to arch its back like a gymnast…” (“Flying” 289-290). The last reason “Flying” is a descriptive essay because it develops a theme throughout the story. The theme of “Flying” is how beauty can be found in unusual places. “Flood” and “Flying” are both descriptive essays by Annie Dillard, and they both have similarities and some differences. These essays are similar because Dillard uses subjective details in order to relate the actual event with a past experience in both stories. Examples of these are “Mark Spitz couldn’t live,” (“Flood” 511) and “The plane looped the loop, seeming to arch its back like a gymnast…” (“Flying” 289-290). Another similarity between “Flood” and “Flying” is the themes of both stories. Both themes express how beauty can come from unusual places and bring about change, like how the flood brings the neighbors together or how the plane show turns into a breathtaking art show. One distinct difference between “Flood” and “Flying” is the use of objective details through Dillard’s imagery. In “Flood” the imagery is used to recreate a mental image, which applies to all the senses, like how the flood appeared, the sounds of animals, the texture of natural things, or the smell and taste of the air. While in “Flying” Dillard uses the same amount of objective details, but not all of the imagery applies to every sense. All of these reasons show how “Flood” and “Flying” are similar, but different by recreating events in the reader’s mind, providing objective and subjective details, and developing themes. “Flood” recreates a story about a flood and uses various objective details to explain what actually happens. This essay also uses many subjective details and allusions in order for Dillard to better express the situation. “Flood” also develops a theme about how change for the good can come from violence. “Flying” does all of the same, but recreates a story about an air show and develops a theme of how beauty can come from an unusual place. These essays both have similar themes and subjective details, but one essay uses more objective details than the other.