Craft In Between The Shades Of Gray

Author’s Craft Essay: Between the Shade of Gray

In any given book, there is something about it that makes fantastic writing, okay writing, or horrible writing. But what is the difference? What makes them so distinct? The answer lies in the craft in which the author uses. In the book, Between the Shades of Gray, the author, Ruta Sepetys, showed her writing abilities by using many author’s craft moves, most effectively her use of imagery.

Along with Sepetys’ symbolism and letters showing the character’s past life, one craft move that had the most impact on me would be her vivid imagery. Because the lives of so many innocent people were taken and turned upside down from a dream life to a nightmare, Sepetys was able to use vivid imagery to show the hardships that these unfortunate people experienced. The beginning of the horror story began for young Lina and her family on a train on the way to an unknown far away location. Sepetys took this opportunity to include imagery that will stick with you forever. “The sun rose and the temperature in the car climbed quickly. The wet smell of feces and urine hovered over us like a filthy blanket” (Sepetys 50). From these two sentences, the reader can only

For example, the fear of the NKVD and the struggles to get through daily life were clearly portrayed.The NKVD were forcing people into signing contracts that signed away most of their basic human rights, essentially turning them into innocent prisoners. On page 147, Lina expresses how she feels the night they are told what these contracts do to them, along with the fear of the intimidating NKVD. “I couldn’t pull a deep breath. The room began to fold in around me. I was sliding, tangled in panic’s undertow” (Sepetys 147). This leaves the reader thinking about the fear and panic this young girl, who was not more than sixteen, is feeling. It leaves one to question, Would I be able to stay strong through