In “God in the Doorway,” Annie Dillard conveys a shift in her perception of God by associating fearful childhood experiences with her current interpersonal relationship with God. Santa Claus appears at Dillard’s doorway on Christmas Eve and as a young girl Dillard reacts in fear of a powerful, omniscient god-like figure and runs away. (M.S. 1) Dillard later realizes Miss White, her elderly neighbor, dressed-up as Santa Claus intending to shape a loving relationship with Dillard. Miss White attempts to form a bond with Dillard again and focuses a ray of sunlight on her hand with a magnifying glass and burns her causing Dillard to run from her again. Dillard associates the actions of Miss White to her perception of God as wrathful ready
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Although, Dillard as an adult recognizes God’s love for her, she still perceives God as wrathful and continues to prolong a faithful relationship with him. (M.S. 6) Dillard’s tone, repetition, and juxtaposition convey the shift in her perception of God as a God of wrath to a God of love. Dillard’s apologetic and perplex tone portrays her enlightenment regarding Miss White and God’s action as actions of love and no longer of fear. Dillard initially conveys her perception of them by expressing, “Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus, thinking he was God” (Dillard, 1982, p. 71). Associating her perception of Santa Claus, to her perception of God because of their similar condemnatory authority and omnipotence. (M.S. 8) Dillard’s tone recognizes her fear of God’s power to punish her and she therefore perceives him as wrathful. As Dillard begins to understand God’s love, she questions his mercy, “Even now I wonder: if I meet God, will he take and hold my bare hand in his, and focus …show more content…
Santa Claus visits Dillard as a young girl intending to delight Dillard, yet Dillard reacts by running away in fear of a threatening all-knowing old man. (M.S. 3) Dillard implies, “Santa Claus was an old man whom you never saw, but who nevertheless saw you; he knew when you’d been bad or good. He knew when you’d been bad or good” (Dillard, 1982, p. 71). Dillard repeats Santa Claus’ omniscient powers to stress her fear of his knowledge of her. Her repetition conveys her initial perception of Santa Claus, a godlike figure, as powerful and disciplinary. Dillard associates Santa with the omnipotent presence of God. Dillard reacts in fear of Santa’s knowledge of her and runs away to escape his threatening wrath. Dillard’s reacts to Santa Claus in the same manner she reacts to God as an adult; she runs away. (M.S. 5) Miss White desires a relationship with Dillard, as God does, and Dillard correlates the repetition of similar actions of God and Miss White to portray the shift in her perception. On a hot summer day, Miss White presents a magnifying glass to Dillard and focuses a ray of sunlight on her hand accidentally burning her. (M.S. 7) Dillard recalls, “It burned; I was burned; I ripped my hand away and ran home crying” (Dillard, 1982, p. 72). Dillard emphasizes burning to convey that even though Miss White loves her, she still harms her. Dillard relates this childhood memory to her
Although, Dillard as an adult recognizes God’s love for her, she still perceives God as wrathful and continues to prolong a faithful relationship with him. (M.S. 6) Dillard’s tone, repetition, and juxtaposition convey the shift in her perception of God as a God of wrath to a God of love. Dillard’s apologetic and perplex tone portrays her enlightenment regarding Miss White and God’s action as actions of love and no longer of fear. Dillard initially conveys her perception of them by expressing, “Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus, thinking he was God” (Dillard, 1982, p. 71). Associating her perception of Santa Claus, to her perception of God because of their similar condemnatory authority and omnipotence. (M.S. 8) Dillard’s tone recognizes her fear of God’s power to punish her and she therefore perceives him as wrathful. As Dillard begins to understand God’s love, she questions his mercy, “Even now I wonder: if I meet God, will he take and hold my bare hand in his, and focus …show more content…
Santa Claus visits Dillard as a young girl intending to delight Dillard, yet Dillard reacts by running away in fear of a threatening all-knowing old man. (M.S. 3) Dillard implies, “Santa Claus was an old man whom you never saw, but who nevertheless saw you; he knew when you’d been bad or good. He knew when you’d been bad or good” (Dillard, 1982, p. 71). Dillard repeats Santa Claus’ omniscient powers to stress her fear of his knowledge of her. Her repetition conveys her initial perception of Santa Claus, a godlike figure, as powerful and disciplinary. Dillard associates Santa with the omnipotent presence of God. Dillard reacts in fear of Santa’s knowledge of her and runs away to escape his threatening wrath. Dillard’s reacts to Santa Claus in the same manner she reacts to God as an adult; she runs away. (M.S. 5) Miss White desires a relationship with Dillard, as God does, and Dillard correlates the repetition of similar actions of God and Miss White to portray the shift in her perception. On a hot summer day, Miss White presents a magnifying glass to Dillard and focuses a ray of sunlight on her hand accidentally burning her. (M.S. 7) Dillard recalls, “It burned; I was burned; I ripped my hand away and ran home crying” (Dillard, 1982, p. 72). Dillard emphasizes burning to convey that even though Miss White loves her, she still harms her. Dillard relates this childhood memory to her