ipl-logo

Analysis Of Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood Of 1927 And How It Changed America

720 Words3 Pages

In the passage from Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America, writer John M. Barry details the many complexities of the Mississippi river and juxtaposes its characteristics with many other well known rivers in order to communicate and share his fascination with the river to the audience. One of the most stand out ways in which writer John Barry conveys his fascination with the river to others is through intense description of the many complexities of the Mississippi river. Rather than simply stating the flow of the river, Barry opts to incorporate words such as “extraordinarily dynamic combination” and “tremendous turbulence” to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s minds. Barry’s word choice in describing …show more content…

Barry communicates his fascination of the Mississippi through his intensely detailed sequences of the river, stand out word choice and use of juxtaposition with other rivers. If we were to imagine Barry’s passage without the use of these rhetorical devices, this enthusiasm would be largely dimmed and unable to convey to the readers. It is only through Barry’s use of words such as “radically alters”, “like an uncoiling rope” and as if it was trying to “devour itself” would the intense fascination that we get as readers of his writing be conveyed. The descriptions of the river flow, which could have just been described using words such as “fast” or “slow” has been granted with detailed complexity from Barry’s word choice. His decision to provide readers with almost a visual of the river through metaphors like “uncoiling a rope” and “snapping like a whip” allow us to envision the scene. Lastly, Barry’s incorporation of juxtaposition provides a unique way to justify and provide the audience with a reason to share and understand his fascination with the river. Coming in the middle of his description of the unique characteristics of the river, Barry’s comparisons drawn to other rivers tell the readers that the Mississippi is truly a creation of nature not able to be found elsewhere. This comparison places an almost pause on the intense description as a different method for Barry to communicate his fascination to the

Show More
Related

Atchafalaya River Research Paper

3137 Words | 13 Pages

Another was James B. Eads, probably the most brilliant engineer who has ever addressed his attention to the Mississippi River. As a young man, he had walked around on its bottom under a device of his own invention that he called a submarine. As a naval architect in the Civil War, he had designed the first American ironclads. Later, at St. Louis, he had built the first permanent bridge across the main stem of the river south of the Missouri. Every atom that moves onward in the river, from the moment it leaves its home among the crystal springs or mountain snows, throughout the fifteen hundred leagues of its devious pathway, until it is finally lost in the vast waters of the Gulf, is controlled by laws as fixed and certain as those which direct the majestic march of the heavenly spheres.

Read More

Use Of Symbols And Motifs In A Separate Peace By John Knowles

630 Words | 3 Pages

The Naguamsett River represents Gene and his traits as the river is described as “ugly, saline, fringed with marsh, mud and seaweed” (Knowles 76). The author’s use of diction unveils the comparison of Gene’s negative and introverted traits to the river. Similar to being fringed with marsh, mud and seaweed, Gene holds a weight of obligation without Finny. He is always doubting friendship and insecure with him being a reliable friend to Phineas. Knowles also creates an aura of ungratefulness as Gene says “I didn’t need to feel any tremendous rush of gratitude toward Phineas” (Knowles 33) after Finny saving his life.

Read More

Comparing Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglas And Solomon Northup

1377 Words | 6 Pages

In Northup’s account of being denied the basic human right of water, lips parched, he could think of “nothing but water—of lakes and flowing rivers, of brooks where I [Northup] had stopped to drink, and of the dripping bucket, rising with its cool and overflowing nectar, from the bottom of the well” (Northup 36). He describes the agony of being deprived of any form of hydration and the intense craving his body develops as time passes. By painting such a romanticized image of thirst, Northup effectively conveys the desperation that overwhelmed him while being punished for defying his slavemaster. Northup builds up the figurative language describing water, and appeals to the readers’ visual, sensory, and gustatory senses. Through imagery of the flowing rivers and the cold, overflowing nectar of water, he effectively appeals to the emotional response of fellow black americans and sympathetic white citizens who can relate to the fundamental human need for water.

Read More

The Atchafalaya Analysis

636 Words | 3 Pages

“The Atchafalaya” is an article by John McPhee, concerning the flow of the Mississippi River into the Atchafalaya region. McPhee interviews several people who have jobs related to the river and the maintenance of the Atchafalaya’s water flow. The location of the Mississippi River is crucial because if it moves, it could potentially destroy all of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and, subsequently, their status as major shipping channels. Reading this article, I gained more insight on the importance of the river for the state of Louisiana and New Orleans. A quote in the article summarizes the reoccurring theme of society versus Mother Nature: “Man against nature.

Read More

The Significance Of The Path Of Water In Anthem By Ayn Rand

519 Words | 3 Pages

Water spans over approximately seventy-one percent of the Earth’s surface. It is vital to the survival of every species, and serves as a passage way between societies. Likewise, “The Path of Water”, in the novel, The Seven Paths, can meaningfully connect to other texts, today’s world, and my life. For instance, this passage can correlate to the community within Anthem. The narrator of The Seven Paths hunts for water.

Read More

Symbolism In A Separate Peace

1032 Words | 5 Pages

The Devon River is a clear and clean river that the boys enjoy swimming in, which represents their exuberant and jovial innocence. However, the Naguamsett River is a dirty and repugnant river, which the adolescents avoid. “We had never used the lower river, the Naguamsett, during the summer. It was ugly, saline, fringed with marsh, mud, and seaweed,” (76). This river represents the harsh conditions the boys must accept in the real world and adulthood.

Read More

Diction And Imagery In Ask Me By William Stafford

990 Words | 4 Pages

The speaker is going through his life as if he was going with the current of the river. Stafford uses diction and imagery to convey that the river represents the speaker’s “go with the flow” attitude about life. Stafford uses compelling diction in order to convey that the river symbolizes the speaker’s nonchalant attitude towards life’s uncertainties. In the beginning of the poem the river has a literal meaning, “Some time when the river is ice. ”(Line

Read More

Imagery In Mark Twain's Life On The Mississippi

659 Words | 3 Pages

Within the excerpt Life on the Mississippi, the author Mark Twain, applies imagery in order to portray how his perspective towards his surrounding environment gradually altered as he began to truly contemplate and identify the Mississippi River. By first scrutinizing his surroundings the author emphasizes the magnificence of the river as this was his initial outlook towards the river. This perspective ultimately diminishes as a result of the speaker comprehending the true connotation of the Mississippi River. Nonetheless, the author questions whether acquiring knowledge can truly benefit an individual or impede one from being open-minded to their surroundings. Twains initial depiction of the Mississippi River is quite positive as conveys

Read More

How The Mississippi River And The New Deal Have Affected Emergency Management

722 Words | 3 Pages

Homework 7 Gaven D. Crosby Pennsylvania College of Technology Homework 7 This paper will discuss the way that the Mississippi River, and the New Deal have affected emergency management. The Mississippi River is a river that floods quite often, almost every year. The lower portion floods more than the upper portions, and affects more people. This is due to the terrain of the areas surrounding the lower Mississippi.

Read More

What American Author Use Regional Details In A White Heron

680 Words | 3 Pages

An American author that creates a great connection between the story and readers is Mark Twain and his story is called Life on the Mississippi. The story can extract the fact that the Mississippi River held a special place in his memory since he was a young boy. The description of the setting affects his character, the village, the dreams of young kids, and admiration of those with important jobs. In paragraph 3 of Life from Mississippi, details such as “After all these

Read More

Mississippi Flood Dbq

1414 Words | 6 Pages

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was of the most powerful natural disasters of the 1900’s in 11 states along the Mississippi River from Illinois to Louisiana. The flood lasted from the beginning of April, through May, June and July and finally ended in August. During the flood, the river got to be as wide as 80 miles in some places and submerged residential areas in as much as 30 feet of water. The flood affected multiple states and the country in countless ways. Some of the ways it changed the country was in a social and political way.

Read More

The Great Influenza Rhetorical Analysis Essay

436 Words | 2 Pages

The passage has many significant words such as creativity, courage, confidence, passion, strength and ambition that could move the reader, or make the reader think and second guess their opinion. Using diction can help with ethos, logos, and pathos. By Barry using diction, he helps escalate and increase the readers emotion. Barry believes that science can be altered at any moment, that is why he bases science off of uncertainty. Experiments are shaped based off of any one scientist's thoughts, therefor it will constantly change.

Read More

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Analysis

1409 Words | 6 Pages

The Congo river was a river the speaker lived by while in Africa. The way the speaker talks about the Congo gives it the image of a bedtime remedy. Its waters flowing over rocks, waves crashing smoothly with each other, and short crescendoing waves washing up onto the beach soothe the speaker and lull him to sleep. The way Hughes uses imagery in these poems to describe his the surroundings enhances his literature to a whole new

Read More

Mark Twain's Life On The Mississippi

462 Words | 2 Pages

In “Life on the Mississippi” Mark Twain provides readers a journey through the famous Mississippi river giving them specific details and experiences throughout his journey. During the story Twain gives the reader an inside as to how his emotions change throughout the journey,But his perspective changes as the story goes on due to his encounters along the Mississippi which ultimately changes his entire perspective on the Mississippi river. In the beginning of the story Twain tells his views and describes the river and everytime he describes it he becomes more and more fascinated with the river. The first thing that was amazing to him was the reflection off the water and the steamboats that rode past him.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Edward Abbey's Essay 'Down The River'

651 Words | 3 Pages

Down the River Rhetorical Analysis In his collection of essays entitled Down the River, American author Edward Abbey shares many of his experiences and conclusions from exploring the world. Abbey’s writing demonstrates his adventurous side and his willingness to go out into the wilderness. From his adventures, he learns more about the world than most people, which he shares with his readers. Edwards Abbey uses rhetorical strategies such as anecdotes, diction, and hyperboles to achieve his overall purpose of how much knowing and experiencing the true beauty of nature is mostly unknown by most people living their busy lives.

Read More

More about Analysis Of Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood Of 1927 And How It Changed America

Open Document