# Dillard Sissman explained — Spoon River Anthology

> Chapter companion for Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### Dillard Sissman

The speaker and protagonist, lying in a pasture flying a kite, experiencing a sudden, dazzling disruption.

## Key lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters/dillard-sissman
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/spoon_river_anthology_se/chapters