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Syntax, Imagery And Other Literary Devices Used In The Devil's Highway

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Jackson Messling MannyBrown English 12 5 April 2024 Power, Persuasion and Beauty Response The use of specific syntax, imagery and other literary devices is what pulls together a well written story and turns it into a more refined piece of text that allows the author to separate their piece of writing from others that may share a similar plot. Luis Alberto Urrea, did a great job of using these tools of writing to his advantage to make The Devil's Highway a much more enjoyable way to learn of the struggles many face when attempting to cross the United States border. Knowing how and when to use a literary device is crucial to creating flow in one’s writing, something which certainly isn't missed on in The Devil’s Highway. Urrea uses a spectrum …show more content…

Proteins peel off your dying muscles. Chunks of cooked meat fall out of your organs, clogging your other organs. The system closes down in a series. Your kidneys, your bladder, your heart. They jam shut down. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Your brain sparks a lot. Out. I am a snob. You’re going to be gone. And the men headed deeper into the desert” (128). Something this passage does well is it takes what is a very gruesome and somewhat hard to stomach piece of writing, and smoothly ties it into the story. What helps create this flawless transition is the structure of the paragraph itself. It begins by describing the brutal reality of what happens to your body when making the journey across the desert. Through strong imagery and descriptions, the thought of the severity of the situation continues to build in your mind until it eventually sets in. Directly following these strong descriptions comes a short yet equally powerful conclusion, ”And the men headed deeper into the desert”. Due to syntax, this sentence is pushed to the end to show that this is a common fate that many meet when attempting to cross the desert and that there is nothing the walkers can do but continue

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