Holy the Firm

Dillard’s use of repetition contributes to the meditative quality of Holy the Firm’s prose. Repetition, in a literary work, is simply the name for when an author repeats certain phrases, words, or ideas at various points in the text. Dillard uses all of these forms of repetition, and much of this guide’s analysis of the work focuses on the way that certain words or images recur over large swaths of text. This effect is particularly noticeable in the repetition of the phrase “I read” whenever Dillard introduces ideas from another text.

On a smaller scale, Dillard will often repeat phrases with small variations, such as the opening line, “Every day is a god, each day is a god” (11). This creates the impression that her ideas are being modified or refined in real time: Dillard seems to be still figuring out the best way to articulate her thoughts as the reader experiences the words. Dillard also uses repetition to drive home certain points, as when she repeats “There is no one but us […] there is no one but us. There never has been” (56-57). In all cases, the use of repetition has an incantatory effect similar to ritual prayer, underscoring Dillard’s claims about the spiritual role of the artist.