"Seraph on the Suwanee" Timed Write
In this passage from Seraph on the Suwanee, by Zora Neale Hurston, many different literary techniques are put to use. The author uses lots of imagery and detail, as well as some alliteration. The fluctuation of tones throughout the passage is a big part of what gives this passage a certain rhythm.
Throughout the whole passage, the narrator is describing life in the town of Sawley. The transition of tones from one paragraph to the next keeps the reader intrigued. At the beginning, the tone is admiring as she discusses the intricacy and beauty of nature in Sawley. As the reader reaches the second paragraph, there is a tone of doubtfulness as the narrator discusses the ignorance and poverty there. The third paragraph gives off a tone of bored, but accustomed because the narrator speaks of all of the ordinary things they have there, but how nobody wanted to leave. As the reader gets to the beginning of the last paragraph, a negative tone about the past arises, which leads to a content tone about the present and future. Finally, when the reader reaches the end of the last paragraph, it shifts to a simple tone when discussing the turtles, which shows the simplicity of their life in the town of Sawley.
The author uses extensive imagery and detail to describe Sawley and to characterize the people who live there. Due to all of the imagery about the cornfields, the forests, the growth of the town over time, and the turtles, the reader can see that imagery and detail in this passage show that Sawley is a farming town, and that the people who live there are content and traditional.
Zora Neale Hurston's passage contains literary techniques that come together and make a great passage. Due to Hurston's detail and imagery, the author is able to better understand the setting of the passage. Through her various transitions of tone, she is able to keep readers intrigued until the end of the passage, and left wanting to read more.
Throughout the whole passage, the narrator is describing life in the town of Sawley. The transition of tones from one paragraph to the next keeps the reader intrigued. At the beginning, the tone is admiring as she discusses the intricacy and beauty of nature in Sawley. As the reader reaches the second paragraph, there is a tone of doubtfulness as the narrator discusses the ignorance and poverty there. The third paragraph gives off a tone of bored, but accustomed because the narrator speaks of all of the ordinary things they have there, but how nobody wanted to leave. As the reader gets to the beginning of the last paragraph, a negative tone about the past arises, which leads to a content tone about the present and future. Finally, when the reader reaches the end of the last paragraph, it shifts to a simple tone when discussing the turtles, which shows the simplicity of their life in the town of Sawley.
The author uses extensive imagery and detail to describe Sawley and to characterize the people who live there. Due to all of the imagery about the cornfields, the forests, the growth of the town over time, and the turtles, the reader can see that imagery and detail in this passage show that Sawley is a farming town, and that the people who live there are content and traditional.
Zora Neale Hurston's passage contains literary techniques that come together and make a great passage. Due to Hurston's detail and imagery, the author is able to better understand the setting of the passage. Through her various transitions of tone, she is able to keep readers intrigued until the end of the passage, and left wanting to read more.
"The Mayor of Casterbridge" Timed Write
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy is a well written poem that contains lots of literary elements. It is about a girl, Elizabeth, and her father, Henchard, being reunited and having nearly opposite lifestyles. Through Hardy's use of tone, word choice, and selection of detail, the complex relationship of the two characters is portrayed in the poem.
This complex relationship is very one-sided, because now that Henchard is a wealthy mayor he thinks he is better than her. Hardy uses an overall ashamed and sad tone throughout the passage, using words like 'shame' and 'sadness' to easily get the tone across. With this tone and word choice, the reader can see that Henchard is criticizing of his own daughter, just so he feels like he is better than her.
Hardy also portrays this complex relationship well through his selection of detail. In line 52, Hardy says "She brought forward blotting-book, paper, and ink, and sat down". While this may not seem like important information, Hardy's decision to include this detail shows Elizabeth's obedience towards her father, and how she longs for his appreciation and approval. The selection of detail at the end of the passage portrays the difference between the two characters. While he was "reddening in angry shame for her" (69), she was still doing manual labor for herself. Despite her longing for approval from her greed-stricken father, she still had strong moral values, unlike him. She would go to the kitchen instead of ringing the bell, so the maid would not have to, and shoveled on her hands and knees for the cat. While the mayor, whom she knew as her father, frowned upon everything she did and overflowed with the evil that changed him when he took the title of mayor, she stayed moral and humble.
The tone, word choice, and selection of detail gives the reader a better sense of what the characters are feeling and the connection between them. Although Elizabeth longs for her father's appreciation and support and does everything she can to attain that, Henchard is too blinded by wealth and status to notice. All in all, Hardy portrays the complex relationship between the two characters well in this passage.
This complex relationship is very one-sided, because now that Henchard is a wealthy mayor he thinks he is better than her. Hardy uses an overall ashamed and sad tone throughout the passage, using words like 'shame' and 'sadness' to easily get the tone across. With this tone and word choice, the reader can see that Henchard is criticizing of his own daughter, just so he feels like he is better than her.
Hardy also portrays this complex relationship well through his selection of detail. In line 52, Hardy says "She brought forward blotting-book, paper, and ink, and sat down". While this may not seem like important information, Hardy's decision to include this detail shows Elizabeth's obedience towards her father, and how she longs for his appreciation and approval. The selection of detail at the end of the passage portrays the difference between the two characters. While he was "reddening in angry shame for her" (69), she was still doing manual labor for herself. Despite her longing for approval from her greed-stricken father, she still had strong moral values, unlike him. She would go to the kitchen instead of ringing the bell, so the maid would not have to, and shoveled on her hands and knees for the cat. While the mayor, whom she knew as her father, frowned upon everything she did and overflowed with the evil that changed him when he took the title of mayor, she stayed moral and humble.
The tone, word choice, and selection of detail gives the reader a better sense of what the characters are feeling and the connection between them. Although Elizabeth longs for her father's appreciation and support and does everything she can to attain that, Henchard is too blinded by wealth and status to notice. All in all, Hardy portrays the complex relationship between the two characters well in this passage.