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When Grizzlies Walked Upright

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What’s your favorite book? Think about what draws you to it. Is it the wording that appeals to you, or is it the theme? Each person has different opinions on various pieces of writing depending on the personality of the reader. Equally so, the attitude of the writer and the time period it was written shows in the overall theme of the piece. Literature is greatly influenced by the ideals and background of the writer, in which the appeal of the piece may vary depending on the reader. Having a creative and visual mind, the Indian folk tale When Grizzlies Walked Upright intrigued me. The tale uses descriptive words to describe the scenes which create a clear picture in the reader’s mind. Already setting the tone for the entire story in the first paragraph, the writer says, “...the air was …show more content…

They looked so fierce that the Sky Spirit sent them away from him to live in the forest at the base of the mountain.” (Modoc 24) The creative word choices Modoc set up in his story do a superb job of expressing the power of both the Chief of the Sky and Wind Spirits. For example, he gives the reader a perspective specifically on the power of the Sky Spirit by saying, “He made a big fire in the center of the mountain and a hole in the top so that the smoke and sparks could fly out. When he put a big log on the fire, sparks would fly up and the earth would tremble.” (Modoc 25) The Wind God made a brief, but an influential appearance in the tale when he unintentionally changed the fate of the Sky Spirit’s daughter. “...the Wind Spirit sent a great storm that shook the top of the mountain.” “...as his daughter started up, [the mountain] her father said, ‘Be careful not to stick your head out at the top. If you do, the wind may catch you by the hair and blow you away.’”

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