Writing is a Caged Lion

Dillard uses a wide variety of imagery to paint a picture for the readers the true hardships an author faces when she sits down to write a novel. This can be a daunting task for many. Dillard says, "I do not so much write a book as sit up with it, as a dying friend." (p.12) Even just the thought of visiting a dying friend causes the heart to plummet to the stomach. Can writing a book really be such a horrible experience? With this example, Dillard proves how emotionally riveting writing can be. Words do not simply fill in the blank spaces of a paper. An author must go through a process in which they are nearly sick to their stomachs, or on the verge of depression to create a piece which they may throw in the trash and completely change anyway. These visits must also continue regularly, or the work will "turn on you." (p.12)

Dillard quickly moves from describing writing as a heart wrenching experience to a rather frightening experience. A work left unattended to for quite some time turns into "a lion caged in your study." (p.12) If the author does not work to please the lion and visit it daily, the lion will grow unsettled. After just a few days of negligence the author is too fearful to return to the study, or rather to return to the writing.

Dillard is very successful at describing the challenges of writing. She uses great examples and imagery to illustrate the hardships of writing. As with a dying friend, authors experience emotions that are unimaginable. Writing is time consuming and is no light task. To take care of a friend, one must be committed. One's friend must always be the number one priority. The same goes for the caged lion. One must be willing to care for and tend to the lion without question. It must be the number one priority if one does not want to lion violently turning on him. Writing too much be done by a committed person who will place nothing above their work. It is a much harder task than viewed by many and should be taken on with caution and courage.