Annie Dillard In her essay, “An Expedition to the Pole,” Annie Dillard approaches the tricky technique of symbolism and metaphysical images to portray her thoughts on religion, while avoiding the dangers of making it too confusing, or too preachy. Descriptions combined with the narration of the absurd are effectively used even without informing the reader that her material departs from their own expectations of what is real. Her writing is filled with specific, memorable, seemingly …showed first 75 words of 916 total…

…showed last 75 words of 916 total…dignity is evidently what makes them fail in the end. They seem to act under a completists’ religious checklist, rather than on true and sincere faith in God. Perhaps Dillard knows she is one of them, even if she does not want to see it. Imagine God looking down at all of us. Would he find us lovable in our stupidity, lack of perfection, and blind ambition ? Perhaps Dillard thinks this does not seem likely.