Anecdote of the Jar Themes
Man and the Natural World
"Anecdote of the Jar" is the story of a jar placed in the wilderness and the effects that jar has on the wilderness. The jar becomes a symbol of civilization, all that is man-made, which stands up...
Life, Consciousness, and Existence
Wrapped up in the conflict between the natural and the man-made, there is significant debate in "Anecdote of the Jar" about life, consciousness, and existence—the whole shebang. First, we've got...
Transformation
It's funny how a jar, which can't really transform itself, can have such a transformative effect on the environment around it, at least in the point of view of our speaker. In "Anecdote of the Jar,...
Visions of America
Though "Anecdote of the Jar" focuses on Tennessee, Tennessee is, after all, one of the United States. (At least, the last time we brought up Google Maps it was.) The mention of the name of a partic...