LIVING LIKE WEASELS ANNIE DILLARD
Annie Dillard’s essay “Living Like Weasels” first appeared in her collection Teaching a Stone to Talk (1982). The essay combines nature writing, personal reflection, philosophy, and memoir. Like much of Dillard’s work, it begins with careful observation of the natural world but gradually expands into a meditation on how human beings ought to live. The essay is often categorized as a lyric essay because it blends narrative, description, and philosophical reflection rather than following a traditional argumentative structure. PLOT SUMMARY The essay begins with Dillard describing a small pond called Hollins Pond in Virginia. She reflects on the natural life surrounding the pond and recalls a remarkable story she once heard about a weasel. According to the story, an eagle was shot by a hunter. When the eagle fell to the ground, people discovered that a weasel was still attached to its neck. The weasel had apparently bitten the eagle and refused to let go, even as the eagle flew high into the sky. The weasel died still locked onto its prey. This story fascinates Dillard because it seems to demonstrate an extraordinary intensity of purpose. The weasel acted according to its instincts with complete commitment.