28 pages • 56 minutes read
Annie DillardTotal Eclipse
Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1982A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Literary Devices
Contrast
Dillard employs contrast to create the emotional and philosophical tone of her narrative. As the eclipse juxtaposes day and night, Dillard juxtaposes the familiar with the unfamiliar, her and her husband’s respective emotional responses, the extraordinary spectacle of the eclipse with the mundanity of ordinary life, and the short nature of human existence with the vastness of the cosmos. Throughout the contrast in scenarios, she also contrasts the human search for meaning in life with the cosmic indifference of nature. Another point of contrast is the reaction of humans and nonhumans to the eclipse: From silent birds to closing flowers, she demonstrates nature’s instinctual reactions and their detachment from human emotions or interpretations.
Imagery
In “Total Eclipse,” Dillard uses visual imagery to convey details regarding both setting and tone. She frequently describes changes in light, color, behavior, and the environment, as well as the people in it. The eclipse itself is primarily portrayed through the imagery of the stark contrast between darkness and light, and the alterations in colors, which result in the appearance of distinct shapes and sizes due to the darkness; this not only serves to help readers grasp her perspective visually but to establish the sensations of disorientation and unfamiliarity she feels. Dillard devotes a considerable amount of time in the description of the eclipse to describe the alteration of her senses and the apparent alteration of her own reality.
Metaphor
The eclipse is a catalyst for a moment of profound insight and transformation for Dillard. As a metaphor, the eclipse can be interpreted beyond its literal significance, as Dillard utilizes the moment of the astronomical phenomenon to symbolize her profound realizations about the significance of life and humans’ relationship with the universe. The experience of witnessing such a profound event prompts her to contemplate the fleeting nature of existence, the vastness of the universe, and the transient nature of human existence. In addition to coping with changes and the associated emotions, the sudden darkness experienced on a Monday morning can be interpreted as confronting the unpredictable nature of life.
Allusion
During the peak of the eclipse, as she confronts the disappearance of the sun, Dillard invokes cultural, historical, and philosophical notions, as if the eclipse had displaced her from her reality, disrupting the linearity of time and the order of existence. She references ancient civilizations, specifically mentioning the Zagros Mountains and Euphrates River, evoking the sensation of being detached from the present and transported to the origins of civilization, evoking a shared human experience across time and cultures. Further, she alludes to a ninth-century emperor, Louis the Pious—a son of Charlemagne—who died after witnessing an eclipse in the year 840. These allusions provide a broader context for her reflections and link the personal experience of the eclipse to universal human themes and reactions.
Tone
Dillard employs a layered approach to the narrative, varying the tone in different sections of the essay to enhance the articulation of her emotions and perspectives. Her tone is sometimes descriptive and straightforward, such as in her description of the hotel, the article about the miners, and the clown painting. During the eclipse, her tone becomes fearful and disoriented as her diction shifts to darker language; words such as “devastation” and “obliterated” contribute to this tone in Part 3. In the aftermath of the eclipse, her tone becomes somber and contemplative as she processes her experience and reflects on the enormity of the universe. The tonal variation amplifies the sense of disturbance experienced by Dillard in the midst of the total eclipse.
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By Annie Dillard
