Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is divided into two sections that represent via positiva and via negativa. Develop an argument for one of these theological philosophies. Use Dillard’s work to support your reasoning.

How does the narrator grapple with cruelty in nature? How does she reconcile her ideas about cruelty with the beauty that she observes?

How does the author’s use of figurative language contribute to the meaning of the work?

Compare Dillard’s work to contemporary nature writers. Do you see her influence at play in these more recent works?

Some scholars criticize Dillard for deceiving her readers by omitting details of her life as a suburban housewife. However, Dillard makes references that indicate that she lives in civilization. Did Dillard conceal the urbanity of her experiences? Do her omissions alter the validity of her work?

Compare Pilgrim at Tinker Creek to works by transcendentalist authors of the 19th century. How do the religious themes of the book align with or deviate from the core ideas of the American transcendentalist movement?

What biblical allusions does the book employ, especially in the natural observations detailed by the narrator? What purpose do these allusions serve?

How does Pilgrim at Tinker Creek reflect the cultural and socio-political contexts of the 1970s? How does the book fit into the environmental writing of the decade?