Literature Study GuidesAn American Childhood

An American Childhood | Study Guide

Annie Dillard

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Study Guide
Contents
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MLA

Bibliography

Course Hero. "An American Childhood Study Guide." Course Hero. 1 Mar. 2019. Web. 4 July 2022. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/An-American-Childhood/>.

In text

(Course Hero)

APA

Bibliography

Course Hero. (2019, March 1). An American Childhood Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved July 4, 2022, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/An-American-Childhood/

In text

(Course Hero, 2019)

Chicago

Bibliography

Course Hero. "An American Childhood Study Guide." March 1, 2019. Accessed July 4, 2022. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/An-American-Childhood/.

Footnote

Course Hero, "An American Childhood Study Guide," March 1, 2019, accessed July 4, 2022, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/An-American-Childhood/.

Overview

Author

Annie Dillard

Year Published

1987

Type

Nonfiction

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction

Perspective and Narrator

An American Childhood is narrated in the first person from the author's perspective.

Tense

The past tense is used for stories from the author's past, and the author uses present tense when addressing the reader.

About the Title

An American Childhood refers to the author's childhood growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and her growing awareness of social, economic, and political aspects of being an American girl.

Diagrams

Annie Vibrant, bookish, and adventurous girl Father Spouses Spouses Siblings Grandmother Grandfather Friends Mother Father Musical, intelligent young executive; jokes a lot Mother Fun-loving young housewife; deep sense of justice Judy Schoyer Thin and shy girl; comes from a Unitarian family Grandfather Calm and tolerant elderly banker Oma Imposing but loving elderly woman Amy Talented young girl; does everything well
Character Map
timeline
Timeline

Summary

This study guide for Annie Dillard's An American Childhood offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Explore Course Hero's library of literature materials, including documents and Q&A pairs.

Characters

Annie Mother Father

Symbols

The Field Book of Ponds and Streams Church Annie's Baseball The Polyphemus Moth

Themes

Gender Roles and Personal Freedom Class, Segregation, and Racism Self-Awareness and Separateness Memories and Sensations Humor and Joy
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Context
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