English Literature

By Annie Dillard
Images can hold multiple meanings in the eyes of an author, both real and metaphorical. This is clearly demonstrated in Annie Dillards short story For the Time Being. This story focuses mainly on a trip taken by the main character, to visit the Terracotta Army in Xian China. The primary image that Dillard utilizes in this story is that of the statue or the body. Specifically, Dillard uses the image of the numerous terracotta statues in Emperor Qins tomb throughout the story. Dillard relies upon this specific image both as a means of explaining the long history of the people of China, and in the metaphorical sense to explain the birth of Chinese culture. Dillard uses the images of these eternal terracotta soldiers to explore the meanings of life and eternity.

In the first paragraph Dillard states Who would not weep from shock I seemed to see our lives from the aspect of eternity. This phrasing is used in relation to the image of the thousands of terracotta soldiers as they first appeared- looking up out of the tomb, to the main character of Dillards story. Dillard frequently discusses the statues both in terms of birth and death. For instance, she discusses how the statues erupt from the earth, and how they emerge a piece at a time, like an infant during the birth process.

These images of the terracotta statues erupting from the earth and of statues being revealed a piece at a time may be seen as a metaphor for the process of birth. She describes the archaeologists as being as meticulous as midwives during the birthing process. Dillard also discusses the connection that the statues have to the earth. Her vivid descriptions of the clay statues jutting from the earth essentially seem to state that all human beings are born from the earth.

Death also plays a role in how she uses the images in this story. For instance, she talks of the images of broken bodies and limbs, and of blackbirds sitting on exposed statues. These can be seen as symbolic of death because when one thinks of the more violent images of death, broken bodies and limbs are one of the images what may come to mind. Blackbirds or ravens are also typically associated with death. She also uses the connection of the clay images of the terracotta soldiers in this case as well. They are depicted as being broken in pieces, and as dissolving into the earth. This metaphor could be used to suggest that human beings are born from the earth, and when they die they return to the earth as well.

There are many reasons that Dillard may be using the images of the terracotta statues in order to explore birth, and death and how each human being is connected to the earth. The main reason for this may be that the Emperor Qin created these very lifelike statues as substitute for the soldiers, and animals that he was leaving behind. These statues also serve as metaphor for the idea that everyone leaves something behind when they die. Whether it is the memories of people they love, or the terracotta statues of Emperor Qin everyone leaves something behind.

The fundamental questions that Dillard addresses,  include why we are born, why we die, how we live, and what we leave behind. She states The sight of a cleaned clay soldier upright in a museum case is unremarkable, and this is all the future generation will see. No one will display those men crushed beyond repair no one will display their loose parts no one will display them crawling from the walls. Future generations will miss the crucial sight of ourselves as rammed earth. This phrase can be interpreted to state that while birth is a messy process, all anyone sees of death is what happens after a body has been cleaned up and prepared for the funeral. The other inevitable fact explored by that is demonstrated by these statues is that sometimes what people leave behind is found to be historically important.

There are several major reasons why the use of the image of the Terracotta Soldiers of Emperor Qin can be viewed as useful in exploring themes of birth, death and what people leave behind. First, this is what Emperor Qin left behind, rather than taking his soldiers and servants with him in the literal sense as many monarchs have done historically, he created these statues to replace them. These statues were left behind for future generations to find so that the history of Emperor Qins reign over China could be more complete. The second major way in which the metaphor of the Terracotta Statue supports Dillards exploration of birth, death and what is left behind is that these statues are often  described by Dillard as if they were either in the process of being born (erupting from the earth, being revealed piece by piece), or dying (broken pieces, dissolving)..

The image of the Terracotta Soldiers fits into Dillards main themes and helps the reader to understand her meanings more clearly because, the reader can see themselves in these elaborate statues that mimic human life so well. In their discovery, and their destruction people can see their own births and deaths. They also help the reader to develop a clearer understanding of what we leave behind when we die.

It can be concluded, that the images of the Terracotta Soldiers express the themes of birth, death and what people leave behind in the truest sense of the word. They stand as true metaphors for the major questions that Dillard addresses in this story. These events, birth, death and what is left behind, affect all human beings equally. We all are born, we all die, and if we have done what we are supposed to do in-between, we will leave behind something as significant as the Terracotta Soldiers.  These metaphors make complex subject matter seem simple, even to the least comprehending of minds. Dillards use of metaphor gives the reader an image that they can relate to in terms of the questions that affect all humankind.