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Figurative Language In 'The Dark Prophecy'

Decent Essays

“Go West. Capture Apollo before he can find the next oracle. If you cannot bring him to me alive, kill him.” (Inside Cover). Everyone needs the experience to enjoy an action packed book with many battle scenes. This information will be based off a book with fascinating details within battles. Throughout this fantasy, the main character, Apollo, constantly battles the antagonist, Commodus, along with Commodus’ minions. These detailed battles create a framework for the plot line, since they are constantly appearing in the text. In The Dark Prophecy, Rick Riordan uses the craft moves of symbolism, building the conflict, and figurative language to accomplish the purpose of describing key battle scenes of the story. Throughout the novel, Riordan …show more content…

Similes are the main focus that the author uses. These comparisons help readers create a movie in their mind of the action packed battle scenes. For example, the author uses the simile, “The fight between the blemmyae and Leo was like a battle between a cat and mouse. Unfortunately, Leo was the mouse.” (Page 33). This compares the characters actions to a struggle between a ferocious cat and a tiny mouse. Within the comparisons, greater ideas are added to the depth idea of the story’s battles. A simile is once again hidden, “He spun his blade like pete Townshend windmilling his guitar.” (Page 154). This describes one of the characters fighting tactics to a simple, worldly object, also adding value to the actions of bloodshed. Besides these obvious examples of figurative language, more hidden examples are added by the author. It could be the simile, “The dislodged section wobbled on the floor like a giant transparent coin.” (Page 218), or the use of personification, “Thalia’s short spiky hair rippled in the wind, as if reacting to her uneasiness.” (Page 394). With these items of figurative language, one can see how these items constantly appear in the text. Figurative language helps add a special touch to the key battle scenes in The Dark …show more content…

Characters often find themselves in a struggle during combat, which of course, raises the stakes, adding to the action. However, the craft move of raising the stakes is caused by battle scenes, where the other craft moves add to the purpose of explaining battles. For example, every time Apollo is in battle, he or his friends are always in a situation when they could die. It’s even written on page 313, “I was hit with the potion from the blemmyae clear bottle. My legs wouldn’t move and the ostriches approached me.” This example shows how suspense is created from the battle scenes, whereas, the other craft moves add to the combat. Therefore, the craft move of raising the stakes is formed from battles, instead of the overall purpose of describing the battle scenes that occur over and over again. Furthermore, raising the stakes isn’t as great of a fit for the purpose of explaining battle scenes because it doesn’t appear as much throughout the text. There are only a few examples that are widespread throughout the story. The reader has to look very closely to find examples of raising the stakes. Little illustrations are stated, such as, “The griffin came closer to me. I couldn’t read its expression. Was it going to attack? Will, I didn’t know.” This example may put readers on the edge of their seats. However, the

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