Summary: In “Living Like Weasels” by Annie Dillard, the author reflects on a personal encounter with a weasel and contemplates the nature of living. She describes the weasel’s behavior and instinctual hunting techniques, highlighting the contrast between the weasel’s simple existence and the complexity of human life. Dillard ponders the idea of living without bias or motive, embracing the present moment and accepting the inevitability of death. The narrative explores the tension between human civilization and the natural world, ultimately suggesting that there is wisdom to be found in the simplicity and instinctual nature of wild animals.
Weasel! I’d never seen one wild before. He was ten inches long, thin as a curve, a muscled ribbon, brown as fruitwood, soft-furred, alert. His face was fierce, small and pointed as a lizard’s; he would have made a good arrowhead. (View Highlight)
