Ms. Page

Annie Dillard claims that she writes in order to "learn things." (p.14) In order for her to learn she becomes educated by a teacher, and Dillard's teacher and source of knowledge, is the page.

"Who will teach me to write? a reader wanted to know. The page, the page, that eternal blankness, the blankness of eternity which you cover slowly, affirming time's scrawl as a right and your daring as necessity." (p. 18)

The page teaches Dillard not only how to write, but also about its connection and similarities to life. The blank page stands alone and untouched. There are many possibilities of what the page may become before the writer touches it. It may turn into a story, poem, picture, or song. Before any writing unfolds, the writer imagines her goal for the piece, understanding the risks and the dares necessary to take in order for the piece to become something. Then, when the writer slowly begins to release ideas onto the page, it transforms into something all its own. The page eventually becomes its destiny, its eternity, what it shall be forever. Just as the page gives the writer the ability to explore the art of writing, it also teaches Dillard and the audience about and explores the process of life. Like the page, a person can become anything. Birth is the untouched, blank page which allows for infinite exploration. The person, like the writer, creates an idea of what she wants to become, and over time, she takes necessary risks in order to explore the numerous possibilities of the world. Through this process the person becomes someone; someone unique and different from all the rest. After a time, this person discovers their fate, their eternity, and as a result, has made something of the blankness, the white page, that they once were. This blank page gives possibility to writing and meaning to life. Exploring the blank page, for Dillard or any audience, can teach about the life of writing and about the life of their own.