Questions and Sources for Inter-disciplinary Discussion
High School (Grades 9 – 12) and College Level Beginning Course
References to Dirt in Science
For Discussion and Exploration: What is pigment? What is encaustic paint? What is clay? What are medicinal
earths and how are they used? What is the difference between Dirt and Soil? What are contemporary earth
dwellings or homes? How do various cultures use dirt in ritual practice, as beautification, in architecture?
How do animals, birds, and insects use dirt?
Reading:
Dirt, The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth by William Bryant Logan (Non- Fiction)
Dirt, The Erosion of Civilizations by David R. Montgomery (Non- Fiction)
References to Dirt in Literature :
Images of Dirt and Soil as a recurring subject and motif in literature:
Reference: Hamlet a play by William Shakespeare: Actual dirt and dirt as moral filth, decay, and corruption.
Kings caused thousands of deaths by fighting wars over land, thus, in the dirt
Reference: Go tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin: Here the dirt represents sin and corruption, and
no amount of soap and water can wash those away.
Reference: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck: Here the dust/dirt is symbolic and synonymous of the
people. The people like the soil are in ruin; degraded and displaced.
For Discussion and Exploration: What does it mean to be treated like dirt? How many literary tropes
regarding dirt and cleanliness can you list?
Reference: The Essays of Henry David Thoreau, Selected and edited by Lewis Hyde
“If you are ready to leave, if you have handled your debts and made your will and settled all your affairs and
are a free man then you are ready for a walk.”
“Those who never go to the holy land in their walk are mere idlers or vagabonds.”
• Sante terre -- A walker on “sacred earth,” a pilgrim.
• Sans terre -- A wanderer, wayfarer “without home.”
For Discussion and Exploration: Who is a pilgrim? Who is a wanderer? What is the nature and purpose of
walking for a pilgrim? What does it mean to walk upon the earth?
Reference: The Tao of Travel, a book of essays by Paul Theroux
From a chapter called “It is Solved by Walking,” a reference to St. Augustine solvitur ambulando
Walking to ease the mind is an objective of the pilgrim. There is a spiritual dimension. The walk itself is a
process of purification.
For Discussion and Exploration: How does the earth upon which we walk and the earth from which we come
relate? Are they one or two, the same or different? What is purified or “cleaned,” after all, when we are the
very nature of dirt, and hence “unclean”?
Reference: Pigpen in the Peanuts cartoon is always accompanied by a cloud of dust that he stirs up.
For Discussion and Exploration: What does it mean to be dirty or soiled? How important is it to always wash
behind the ears like our mothers tell us?
References to Dirt in Poetry
Reference: “Moles,” a Poem by Mary Oliver, from American Primitive
Under the leaves, under
the first loose
levels of earth
They’re there – quick
as beetles, blind
as bats, shy
as hares, but seen
less than these –
traveling
among the pale girders
of appleroot,
rockshelf, nests
of insects and black
pastures of bulbs
peppery and packed full
of the sweetest food:
spring flowers.
Field after field
you can see the traceries
of their long
lonely walks, then
the rains blur
even this frail
hint of them –
so excitable,
so plush,
so willing to continue
generation after generation
accomplishing nothing
but their brief physical lives
as they live and die,
pushing and shoving
with their stubborn muzzles against
the whole earth,
finding it
delicious.
Reference: Poems by Gary Snyder from Left Out in the Rain: New Poems, 1947-1985
There are those who love to get dirty?"
and fix things
They drink coffee at dawn,
beer after work.
And those who stay clean,
just appreciate things,
At breakfast they have milk
and juice at night.
There are those who do both,
they drink tea."
Reference: Poem by Nanao Sakaki, from “Break the Mirror”
“Every footprint is a song
the song of life
painted on the sand
painted in the air”
"These huge footprints are mine?”
“You forgot your footprint!"
Go With Muddy Feet
"When you hear dirty story
Wash your ears
When you see ugly stuff
Wash your eyes
When you get bad thoughts
Wash your mind
And Keep your feet muddy.”
For Discussion and Exploration: What is his goal for this poem? What kind of a reaction is he trying to get out
of readers? Why?” Try to identify the author’s purpose for writing. What is the theme or motif of the poem?
What tools did the poet use to convey the theme or main idea of the poem? How were they used?
References to Dirt in Religion
A. Christian References to Dirt:
Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it
'wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return .
Luke 8:4-21 - Parable of Soils) @
https://bible.org/seriespage/parable-soils-luke-84-21https://bible.org/seriespage/parable-soils-luke-84-21
(King James Version)
From Wikipedia: The "creation of man from clay, dust, dirt, earth" is a theme that recurs throughout world
religions and mythologies. Examples include: According to Genesis
Genesis 2:7 -- And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and man became a living soul.
“Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust”,
a phrase from the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer , Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
B. Islamic References to Dirt:
According to the Qur'an[23:12–15], God created man from clay.
C. Buddhist References to Dirt:
At Sāvatthī. Then the Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, what do you think, which is more: the little bit of soil that I have taken up in my fingernail or the
great earth?”
“Venerable sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail
is trifling. Compared to the great earth, it is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even
to a fraction.”
“So too, bhikkhus, those beings who are reborn among human beings are few. But those beings are more
numerous who are reborn elsewhere than among human beings. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train
yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell diligently. ’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
How does our return to the earth, through decay and dying, affect our living?
Reference: Living with the Devil by Stephen Bachelor
Buddhism and Open unfettered space
-- a path is a space where nothing gets in the way
-- freedom to move
--Space is the absence of resistance
-- Footpath
-- Emptiness is a path.
For Discussion and Exploration: “If we do not hold on to a form that cannot be held, ignore a process that is
our very nature, what are we? …Alive or Dead? “
D. Taoist Reference to Dirt:
“Since we are strangers in a strange land we should pay careful attention to the contents of our inner
attitude.”
Reference: A Guide to the I Ching by Carol K. Anthony
-in reference to hexagram 56 Lu- The Wanderer
“Don’t worry about the mote (of dust) in your neighbor’s eye when you have a log in your own.”
References to Dirt in Myths and Folklore:
References: Popular Culture: Graveyard Dirt is used in the casting of spells in witchcraft
References: Popular Culture: Vampires must return to their native soil before sunrise to take their rest
safely.
References: Jewish kabbalah mysticism: The Golem is a creature of soil or clay created by a rabbi to serve
the Jewish community and brought to life by the use of alchemical-like formulas described in holy texts.
References: Greek mythology Prometheus created man from clay, while Athena breathed life into them.
References: Chinese mythology (see Chu Ci and Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era), Nüwa molded
figures from the yellow earth, giving them life and the ability to bear children.
References: Egyptian mythology the god Khnum creates human children from clay before placing them
into their mother's womb.
References: First Nation People’s Mythology: The Earth Shaker formed the figures of many men and
women, which he dried in the sun, and into which he breathed life.