Oak Island's Mysterious Money Pit Analysis

The article “Oak Island’s Mysterious “Money Pit” “is an abridged version of The Strange Case of the “Money Pit” written by David MacDonald and published in The Rotarian, an International Magazine in January 1965. The article raises the eye brows of the readers with awe and astonishment as it narrates the mystery of a treasure buried deep in a pit on Oak Island. The author was the son of a Nova Scotian judge and the place “Money Pit” he refers to in the article is the place where he grew up. He was an associate Editor of the Reader’s Digest and contributed a range of articles on various themes for Canadian and U.S. magazines. The story is situated around a shore in the southern part of Nova Scotia, Canada. The article runs into five pages

It fulfills the essential features of a short story, which makes it an ideal discourse. The author’s intention is not only to inform and entertain but also motivate the readers to strive, persevere and not to yield. It has a powerful beginning, finely narrated body paragraphs and a fitting ending. The author very clearly tells the readers how various explorers in the past fought against all odds and challenges in the pursuit of finding a treasure, though all the enormous wealth, time and labour invested in the venture had gone in vain. The article not only presents events from history but also conveys a meaning that is so symbolic, metaphorical and allegorical. The author meticulously gives details of the characters in the story. The phrase “island shaped somewhat like a question mark” gives a fitting opening to the story and aptly justifies the mysterious nature of the events in the writing. The language used is extremely lucid, interesting and flawless, which is intended for a learned audience. The narrative style keeps the awe, curiosity and amazement of the readers alive throughout the story. Dramatization of events with fine diction and imagery makes the article a rendition par excellence. Carefully chosen expressions like ‘torrents of water’, ‘drown their hopes’ , ‘long parade of searchers’ , ‘undeterred’ etc. make a powerful appeal to the intellect and emotions of readers. The events in the writing are chronologically arranged and well-presented. Though the language is lucid, ordinary readers might have difficulty understanding the text. The author could have ended the story with a positive and encouraging note, which is missing in the