The main theme of the memoir explores the central idea that individuals must develop their inner worlds or their inner consciousness to be fully awakened to the possibilities of the world and of themselves. People awaken, in this theory, by noticing the details of the natural world around them and by absorbing these details into their conscious lives. Dillard’s memoir begins when she is 5 years old. At that age, she first becomes conscious of herself as a being separate from other beings and objects in the world. She terms this state of being “awakened.” She reports that she “awakes” for little bits of time, falls back into unawareness, then awakens again, according to the rhythm of her intellectual curiosity, attention, and focus.

The three major parts of the autobiography represent the significant points of Dillard’s growth and awareness. The first part introduces Dillard’s initial awareness and the beginning of her intellectual life, independent of her parents, though her parents are significant figures in her life. However, her private pursuits, such as rock collecting and reading, are her own individual business. In the second part, Dillard enters her prime years of development, fully engaged in the world and in her own studies, including studies with a microscope after reading the influential Field Book of Ponds and Streams, and reading novels, along with any non-fiction that strikes her as interesting.