The words “reflective eyes of deer” cause the reader to anticipate dots of light appearing out of nowhere in the dark night (2). This is a stressful anticipation of light which causes the reader to become anxious themselves. Unlike the deer’s reflective eyes, the driver’s eyes are like steel, intently “drilling”, or focused, upon the unknown that is hidden by the blanket of darkness (12). The reader can feel the intense penetration of the
In his pom entitled “Evening Hawk”, Robert Penn Warren characterizes human nature by a transition between the flight of the hawk during the day and that of the bat, or the “Evening Hawk” during the night. The hawk, as it soars in daylight, portrays how humans appear in clear light of their peers, while the bat, cruising the night sky, symbolizes what humans hide within themselves. Warren effectively expresses the meaning of this poem and its serious mood by the use of diction and imagery to appeal to the reader’s perception of sight and sound. Throughout the first part of the poem, Warren describes the journey of the hawk in the daytime to symbolize how one’s character may seem to other beings.
The most prominent type of Imagery in An Occurrence at Owl Creek is visual imagery. Throughout the story the environment and characters are described in great detail using specific adjectives to allow the reader a sense of the space. The most effective and prominent usage of visual
Richard Wilbur’s “Death Of A Toad” successfully utilizes imagery, diction, and structure to describe the thoughts of the narrator who witnesses a toad’s death and begins to question life’s purpose for all creatures. The narrator describes the garden in which the toad spends its last moments of life with vivid and descriptive imagery to highlight the beauty of nature and signify the idea that even as life ends it is surrounded by more life. The lines, “the garden verge, and sanctuaried him, under the cineraria leaves, in the shade of the ashen and heartshaped leaves,” describe a beautiful sanctuary in which the toad will be able to take his last breath. When one life ends all other life goes on.
The story “The Dogs Could Teach Me”, used the best description compared to “The Flowers”, and “The Sniper”. There are many times throughout the story where Gary Paulsen shows great description in the setting and nature surrounding his characters. “Later I saw the beauty of it, the falling lobes of blue ice that had grown as the water froze and unfroze, layering on itself.” in this piece of text he paints a picture the reader's mind of a divine ice landscape, which shows his great description skills. Paulsen also uses figures of speech to help emphasize and help the reader visualize his writing.
It is during this troubling and stressful time in Billy’s life that he once again dreams of the landscape and wildlife to comfort him. He dreams about walking towards “a darkened house” where “wolves had followed him“ and Billy “knelt in the snow and reached out his arms to them and they touched his with their wild muzzles and drew away again and their breath was warm and it smelled of the earth and the heart of the earth” (Crossing 295). Billy dreams of a familiar scenario in his life and past memories, enjoyment of the outdoors, and specifically
In the story “Time of Wonder” the writer and illustrator Robert McCloskey creates a mesmerizing picture book. Throughout the book he relates his message to the reader of taking time to enjoy the weather and nature. Likewise, the reader is able to experience these events directly with phrases such as “IT’S RAINING ON YOU” (McCloskey 10). One event the reader is able to conjure up is the ocean in Maine with the taste of salt on their tongue. Moreover, the reader visualizes the calm sea on a sunny day and fears the roaring wind before a hurricane.
In “Helping,” by Robert Stone, he uses short phrases with powerful word usage to develop the story and the characters within. For instance, he says “In the white silences, Elliot could hear the boards of his house contract and feel a shrinking in his bones (Stone 410.)” In this sentence, we know that in his house it's very quiet. He could have just said silent, but using the description that it is white silent seems to emphasize just how quiet it really is and what Elliot was hearing. Stone also describes his characters subtly, by making it embedded in the story.
The narrator’s eyes are closed and he is being led by a blind man, yet he is able to see. Carver never explains what it is the narrator sees, but there is the sense that he has found a connection and is no longer detached or isolated. The narrator is faced with a stark realization and glimmer of hope. Hope for new views, new life and probably even new identity. Even the narrator’s wife is surprised by the fact that her husband and Robert really get along together.
In “The Murder Traveller” poet William Cullen Bryant employs a variety of literary devices such as juxtaposition, imagery, and tone to create an eerie atmosphere, with the continual thought being that life goes on with or without you. The poet begins by using imagery to create a cynical tone that makes the reader feel unimportant. By using strong imagery of how beautiful nature is even after a person has died, shows the death of the traveler didn 't affect anything around it. The nature continues to grow, people 's lives continue, and the world goes on. The contrast between the imagery of the beauty of nature with the bluntness of a dead traveler, creates this sense of unimportance, “And many a vernal blossom sprung, And nodded careless
In “Looking for a Lost Dog” by Gretel Ehrlich, the narrator starts her journey searching for her missing dog, Frenchy, however the hunt goes much deeper into context. The hunt for identity becomes prominent while the actual search for her pet is left behind. The narrator is struggling with her own conscience and emotions, hearing “lots of noise, but noise that’s hard to hear.” Dazed and confused, she has become lost in the idea of becoming and having more that a sort of tunnel vision clouds her reality.
In the crazy, bizarre story “Cool Air”, the ability to get inside the narrator’s head is an essential aspect of the plot. If the story were not set in first person, the narrator’s thoughts of confusion, fear, and dedication would cease to exist. Within the first few paragraphs of “Cool Air” the narrator wastes no time delving right into these emotions. To set the stage the narrator utters, “You ask me to explain why I am afraid of a draught of cool air; why I shiver more than others upon entering a cold room, and seem nauseated and repelled when the chill of evening creeps through the heat of a mild autumn day”(Lovecraft 486). The tone of the narrator is established here.
He used the tomb-like houses and empty streets as a form of symbolism. And repeatedly mentions the frosty air and cold november night in his story. He gets a clear message across when he shows how the world has become cold and hard. Each word or paragraph he uses and writes are there for a reason. Everything he does is intentional and nothing is a small detail you can overlook.
In “Acquainted with the Night”, poet Robert Frost examines the inner workings of a lonely, depressed mentality. Through his extensive use of symbolism, Frost demonstrates exactly how confined and flustered someone in that conditions feels. There are two specific symbols that, if analyzed, unravel the meaning behind the poem: the symbol of darkness, the symbol of walking, and the symbol of large distances. Darkness is a perpetually popular symbol, and in this poem, it is certainly prominent/ Historically, darkness has been used to symbolize malice, evil, sadness — generally, anything adverse.
I can see my breath when I breathe out. I can hear the snow crunching underneath my thick wool boots and fuzzy socks, and can hear the sound of my own breathing. The faint howling of the wind sounds like ghosts swarming the city on Halloween. I notice an old abandoned, dilapidated house far off in the distance, in desperate need for a new paint job. With it’s rickety old
