Spoon River Anthology · Chapter
Dillard Sissman explained
Dillard Sissman lies in a pasture, watching his kite fly against a sky where buzzards circle.
What happens
Dillard Sissman lies in a pasture, watching his kite fly against a sky where buzzards circle. The scene is peaceful yet unsettling, as the kite wobbles and the buzzards loom overhead. A sudden spurt of flame dazzles him, shaking him like a banner, suggesting a moment of violent disruption or epiphany.
Themes in this chapter
Illusion vs. Reality
The peaceful scene of kite-flying is disrupted by a spurt of flame, blurring the line between idyllic nature and sudden, violent reality.
The Search for Meaning
Dillard's focus on the kite and the approaching moon suggests a search for order or transcendence, shattered by the unexpected flame.
Characters to notice
- Dillard Sissman
The speaker and protagonist, lying in a pasture flying a kite, experiencing a sudden, dazzling disruption.
Key passages
“The buzzards wheel slowly / In wide circles, in a sky / Faintly hazed as from dust from the road.”
Vultures circle lazily in a sky that looks dusty, like the road below.
Sets a somber, watchful atmosphere.
“A spurt of flame like a water-dragon / Dazzles my eyes— / I am shaken as a banner!”
A sudden burst of flame, like a mythical water-dragon, blinds me and shakes me violently.
Climactic moment of disruption and awe.