Ride. Jump. Any difference?

Comparison:

Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane. Although the one experience precedes the other, it in no way prepares you for it.

Annie Dillard creates an analogy for celestial dynamics that allow us to quickly sort out the impact of a partial eclipse compared to experiencing a total eclipse. Kissing and falling from an airplane step up to foster insight for her readers. Many thanks to Dan C. for re-discovering this Dillard gem.

Context:

A partial eclipse is very interesting. It bears almost no relation to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane. Although the one experience precedes the other, it in no way prepares you for it. During a partial eclipse the sky does not darken—not even when 94 percent of the sun is hidden. Nor does the sun, seen colorless through protective devices, seem terribly strange. We have all seen a sliver of light in the sky; we have all seen the crescent moon by day. However, during a partial eclipse the air does indeed get cold, precisely as if someone were standing between you and the fire. And blackbirds do fly back to their roosts. I had seen a partial eclipse before, and here was another.

Citation:

Dillard, Annie. “Total Eclipse.” Rpt. in The Atlantic, 8 August 2017. Web.

(Graphic image design by Lee Aigue base image courtesy of ChatGPT Sept. 2026.)