Why Does Place Matter?

Annie Dillard's work Writing From the Center was truly interesting in the way that it demonstrated the author's veiws of writing. Clearly, writing is not a peaceful, enjoyable profession, for it demands a person to be isolated, tormented and rarely pleased with the finishing product or the process. In comparing Dillard's work and Sander's, there is a unique take on what role placement takes in the writers' life. Both authors assume that great writing is done in solitude. Only when one is removed from what is familiar and placed in a location that is physically/ emotionally detached from most of civilization can great writing take place. Sanders' seeks his writing success across the world in Europe, while Dillard chooses to work in a remote cabin. In both cases, the author expresses an immense distain for their profession and the prision-like vibe that comes with being a dedicated writer. However, through their journeys, they both come to the conclusion that such placements may bring good writing (or may not) but it comes at a high cost. For Sanders, he discovers that his place is with his family. And for Dillards, I like to think of it this way:
the only time in which she is warm (and I take this to mean figuritively and literally) is when she is OUTSIDE the cabin, chopping the wood. It may be out in the cold, but because she is not isolated to the cabin, she is warm because her soul is warm. Also, during such times she is observed by the islanders-she exists to the world. When she finally learns how to quickly chop wood, even the fire she can produce with it cannot keep her warm.
Place really does matter because it plays a role in our moods, our experiences, our level of comfort and so many other aspects of our lives. Nobody wishes to be in a place that causes unhappiness for them. And for Sanders and Dillard, the importance of place in their lives overlaps into the importance of living.