These Precious Days: Essays

Nonfiction | Essay Collection | Adult | Published in 2021

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Introduction-Essay 6

Essays 7-13

Essays 14-19

Essay 20-Epilogue

Key Figures

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

“Precious Days”

The phrase “precious days,” which appears in the collection's title, is an important, recurring motif. It first partially appears in the Introduction: Patchett describes how, as she began to write during the pandemic, she came back to the same themes that revolve around the important things in this “precarious and precious life” (5). The phrase serves as an umbrella term, hinting at the ideas and themes Patchett explores in the collection.

In the title essay, Patchett uses the phrase “precious days” when she feels appreciative of the time she is able to spend with Sooki. Thinking about how so many of Sooki’s loved ones would have been thrilled to have such time with her, a grateful Patchett hums “these precious days” to herself. This is a poignant moment because of the accompanying reflection. Sooki’s illness, which she is battling within the isolation of the pandemic, brings into focus the preciousness of her time in all its meaning: These days are all the more valuable, irreplaceable, and to be cherished deeply.

Patchett also uses this phrase in the Epilogue, which again features Sooki. Patchett rejoices in the additional “precious days” she unexpectedly receives with Sooki, once again a reminder of how limited they are. Now, the end is inevitable; Patchett and Sooki’s friends acknowledge and accept this. Thus, the phrase works as a motif for the theme of Life, Death, and Letting Go: Through the title and the eponymous essay, Patchett works out that one of the most valuable things in life is time spent with loved ones. This goes on to inform a second theme in the book, The Value of Relationships and Community.

Sparky

Patchett’s dog, Sparky, is an important recurring figure in the book. Sparky appears in a couple of essays but most prominently in “To the Doghouse,” when Patchett explains how her love for dogs and writing is intertwined because of Snoopy from the Peanuts comics. This is an integral part of who she is and one of the things she identifies with most. Her dogs, her bookstore, and her family are the three things she names in “There Are No Children Here” when acknowledging that these are not replacements for not having children of her own.

Sparky, in particular, is special. The book jacket carries a painting of Sparky by Patchett’s dear friend, Sooki Raphael. The painting was done at a time when Sooki was battling cancer. Although Sooki had accomplished multiple things in her life, painting had remained a lifelong but unfulfilled dream. When Sooki lives with Patchett, she finally has the time to paint and creates an outpouring of vibrant, bold, and uninhibited paintings—all the things Sooki hoped for in her life after her diagnosis. The painting of Sparky represents this time in Patchett’s life when she bore witness to Sooki’s experience; it is a tribute to Sooki’s memory and points to the title of the book and the eponymous essay. Thus, the painting of Sparky is an important symbol connected to the book’s theme of Life, Death, and Letting Go.

Parnassus

Parnassus is a bookstore in Nashville founded and co-owned by Patchett. It is named after the sacred mountain of Apollo, which was the home of the Muses; in mythology, it represents the home of poetry, literature, and learning. The store is an important entity in her life and the site of much learning and many experiences. In “A Talk to the Association of Graduate School Deans in the Humanities,” Patchett describes the bookstore as her “truest destiny.” Reflecting on her graduate school experience, Patchett asserts that her MFA degree experience taught her more about the importance of community than anything literary.

Parnassus is born from a combination of Patchett’s love for reading and writing and an understanding of the need for such a space for introverted readers and writers. Thus, it functions as a place where Patchett practices the values of community and service that she holds dear, pointing to the themes of Life, Death, and Letting Go and The Value of Relationships and Community.

Parnassus is also one of the reasons why Patchett has a continuing relationship with Tom Hanks, which eventually leads her to Sooki. Hanks visits the store a couple of times, leading Patchett to stay in touch with him and eventually request that he record the audiobook for The Dutch House. Coordinating this project is what initiates Patchett’s correspondence with Sooki.

Finally, Parnassus helps Patchett round out her relationship with books. Previously a reader and a writer, opening the bookstore additionally prompts Patchett to notice and think about aspects of a book beyond its content, such as the paper, typeface, and so on. This helps Patchett better understand what she might want from her own books, cover art and all, and is a step toward taking more accountability for what she creates as a writer.