Invisible Beast Figurative Language

Fear is a painful emotion experienced in the presence of the expectation of danger. In the poem, The Invisible Beast, author Jack Prelutsky paints the picture of a ,”Beast that is invisible” ( Prelutsky 1). All throughout the writing of the poem, he perceives that the person has not yet noticed the fear, but the feeling still lurks. His interpretation of fear as the “beast”( Prelutsky 1) is similar to the fear that Reuben, the protagonist in Peace Like A River, encounters. In one scene of the book, Enger writes that Reubens’,”Lungs shrank with expectation” (Enger 49) as he notes Israel Finch and Tommy Basca in his home. Reuben is experiencing fear, because both antagonists have found their way into his house that holds his sleeping family. In both literary texts, the author expresses a form of fear, and how the trait develops. In Peace Like A River and The Invisible Beast, each author uses imagery and figurative language to convey the idea that fear is an aspect in life that can steer you in the wrong direction.

The Invisible Beast personifies that fear,”Cannot (be seen), (but) it can see you”( Prelutsky 6,7). This signifies that although you might be in denial about your feelings, your reactions will come across as someone who withholds fear. In the book, Reuben and his father are sent to the afterlife. When his father begins to leave, Reuben,” seized his arm” (Enger 304). He reacts in the moment without thinking about the consequences. His mind has not processed the idea that he is going to be left without his father, who has guided him through most of his young life. This shows that fear might not be perceptible in human nature. Without acknowledging fear, a person can’t take a step forward in conquering