In the morosely reluctant passage, “The Rattler,” the author depicts a conflict between a man’s consciousness and his duty to kill the snake. With the detailed images of the scene, the reader comes to understand the man’s internal conflict. He must decide whether or not it is necessary to kill an innocent rattlesnake; however, when the obligation to protect others is greater than the life of the snake, the man has no other choice but to kill the snake. Throughout the passage, “The Rattler” brilliantly utilizes diction, detail, syntax and overall organization to convey his message. In the very first paragraph, the reader encounters the use of many literary devices. As the narrator “…walked out into the desert…” one begins to understand the setting. The ellipsis gives a carefree feeling, as one nonchalantly carries throughout their evening stroll. Then, he encounters “savory odors” that “were sweet on the cooler air.” The “savory …show more content…
As the snake “drew back his head and [the man] raised [his] weapon” they both were ready for their last fight. Both felt threatened by each other; thus, both felt the necessity to become defensive. However, neither one saw the situation as an immediate threat, so they did not immediately strike. When the narrator “made an unprovoked attack,” the snake performed “a little song of death.” The reader’s sympathy for the snake once again returns because the snake did nothing wrong. The “little song of death” depicts an image of the snake’s last effort to live. However, there is nothing “little” in death, but rather displays the snake’s submissiveness to the man. The “ominous” situation with “poison dripping from [the snake’s] fangs” is reminiscent of the tragedy that just occurred. The author reminds the reader of the necessity to rid the world of the danger from a snake. It lessens the reader’s grief towards the snake, bringing a more neutral tone to the
2. It has a neutral connotation which enhances the tense tone created by the exchange between the man and snake. Its neutrality implies that the man and snake have an equal chance in their fight for survival.
It is apparent from the first line of the poem that author is in a state of overriding fear travelling through the unknown: likening the road to an “old snake shedding its skin.” A snake is a clear representation of childhood fear and youthful paranoia, due to its intimidating nature. Walcott compares the path to a snake because he fears it just like a snake, to him the path is daunting and potentially deadly at first. The author not only compares the road to a snake but a snake shedding its skin. This paints a grotesque image for readers and illustrates how he views his initial journey with anything but enthusiasm. The author is in the unfamiliar wilderness searching for not only the storyteller’s house but himself. His state of childhood terror is only counterbalanced by his encounter with the storyteller.
In " The Rattler ", the author uses both connotative and denotative middle writings which seem to have made the syntax more interesting. The author uses a mixture of poetic work, and with the neutral level of formality, creates an easy descriptive scene in the reader's mind, making it seem brighter than if it was only in connotative style. The syntax, working along with the diction, emphasizes the abrupt changes in the man's relieving walk, allowing the reader to feel the shock and the contemplation to walk away or confront the rattlesnake for the good of others. The brief introduction emphasizes this point while the author goes a bit more into detail about the confrontation with the rattlesnake. The word choice adds a more clear description
In the novel, The Pearl, John Steinbeck uses symbolism to convey the ubiquitous theme that evil can manifest itself in many forms. In the beginning of the parable, Kino and Juana encounter a deadly scorpion threatening their young son, Coyotito. Kino “begins to approach the hanging box, the ‘Song of Evil’... in his ears”. This scorpion is the first of many hosts of evil throughout the book. It represents an endangerment of family and destruction of security.
The passage The Great American Desert, an excerpt from The Journey Home, published in 1977, written by Edward Abbey uses rhetorical strategies in attempt to emphasize his argument against the desert. The excerpt is from an environmental book and is meant to argue against desertification using repetition, alliteration, personification, and rhetorical questions to show what a desert actually is and it's true lack of beauty. The first section starts with two rhetorical questions, “Why go into the desert? Really, why do it?”
“It says to oblivion: not me!” (Oliver 20) “The Black Snake”. Summarize what happens in your poem here (2 sentences). The poem brings death and the thought of life and death into a brighter light. Preview what poetic elements you will be analyzing in your poem. The deeper meaning of the poem is that death is harsh and we should cherish our lives this is developed using (fill in your three poetic elements.).
When in times of danger, people must often take the actions they see best fit. In "The Rattler," the author depicts a vivid story of a man who has to make a difficult choice while facing a rattlesnake in the desert. Despite the man seeing a threat in the snake, it is him that becomes a threat to the other. By using the descriptions of the man, the snake and the specific setting, the author affects the reader by creating a sense of empathy for the narrator and sympathy for the snake. With such a connection, it adds a greater depth to the story for the reader to analyze.
The details about how the man feels and thinks gives the reader a sense that he is a sensible man. The man does not take joy in the task of killing the snake given to him by himself. The man knows that “the sport in taking life is a satisfaction [he] can’t feel.” THe man wants to let the snake go and not kill it. It is a similar feeling to having to give something up despite wanting to keep it. The reader has some experience with a situation like this and can feel how the man wishes to let the snake go. The man feels that the job he has given himself is something that has to be done. He looked at it as “[his] duty, plainly, was to kill the snake.” The feeling of having to have to do something is not enjoyable. It comes with some kind of displeasure in what is going on. A similar feeling could be like having to go to the dentist to get teeth pulled. The situation
As the initial path of conflict between snake and man is developed, literary devices such as imagery allow the reader to more easily visualize and connect to the story. Descriptive imagery is the first literary device used in “The Rattler”. The use of “ Light was thinning; the scrub’s dry savory odors were sweet on the cooler air. In this, the first pleasant moment for a walk after long blazing hours” (The Rattler 1) in the opening of the piece encourages the reader to delve into the narrator’s life and experience what he feels. After the narrator abruptly sees the snake, the imagery changes from the peaceful rural life to a dark, intense description of the snake, “a six-foot black snake thick as my wrist, capable of long-range attack and armed with powerful fangs” (The Rattler 2), changing to the viewpoint of the snake for the reader. The switch in the use of imagery takes the reader through a completely different path and alters their emotional response to the story. The snake’s presence illustrates the narrator’s obvious fear and anxiety while allowing the reader to feel the same emotions
The detail increases the power the snake exudes in the perspective of the man. “Children, dogs, and horses…who weren’t as strong” compared to the snake, created panic and fear, because of its “six powerful fangs” and “little
The third stanza describes the snake as “cool and gleaming as a braided whip” (9-10). Describing the snake as a braided whip demonstrates the intricate woven pattern of the snake’s scales and the poet’s appreciation for nature and its’ beauty. The snake is not a useless piece of rubber, but a beautiful and vibrant part of nature. “He is as beautiful and quiet as a bead brother” (10-11). The snake is quiet, makes no sound, and snuggles into
“Piano” and “Snake” in D.H Lawrence’s representations express an inner conflict; the troubles they face are based upon distinct and similar reasons, they want an escape to their present state. “Piano” and “Snake” in D.H Lawrence’s representations express an inner conflict; the troubles they face are for distinct and similar reasons; they want an escape to their present state. The interpretation received when analyzing “Piano” was that the narrator himself was having a troublesome time because he aspired something that was nostalgically unreachable for him, his childhood. What caused this inclination to be unreachable was due to the time passing which resulted in him becoming an adult and conforming to the constitutional systems. Snake’s narrator’s inner distress came from the need to break down the structural voices and principles that educational systems had constructed upon him. Both narrators have heavily built up emotions for the want of liberation from the prisons that confine them to the structures meant for them; their desires although differing in context are similar in topic matter. There are in fact differences in what they long for, but there is no doubt that they do desire something different from what they presently have.
The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool."(Steinbeck 1). Steinbeck is not making just plain ordinary descriptions of this scene-setting, but is revealing a sense of freedom and joy before tragedy and hate that 's burred farther along the book from the sordid aspects of life.
She has interpreted the dream the same way Orestes did—the snake being Orestes coming to avenge for the murder of his father. So when the news came of his death, she was filled with relief and happy for her life, yet at the same time, sorrow for the loss of a loved one.
Kino has been ambushed during the night and has killed someone. Juan Tomas recommends him to get rid of it because it has caused a lot of trouble. “"I was attacked in the dark," said Kino. "And in the fight I have killed a man." "Who?", asked Juan Tomás quickly. "I do not know. It is all darkness – all darkness and shape of darkness." "It is the pearl," said Juan Tomás. "There is a devil in this pearl. You should have sold it and passed on the devil. Perhaps you can still sell it and buy peace for yourself."” (Steinbeck 64) Yet, Kino’s actions still don’t convince him to take Juan Tomas’s advice, as a result Kino faces the biggest tragedy he has experienced which is losing his son, Coyotito.