Okefenokee Swamp Analysis

The Okefenokee Swamp is located between Southeast Georgia and Northern Florida. It is known for its large diversity of animals and vivid scenery that make the swamp very unique with its primitive nature. Two passages were written in the late 20th century that described the swamp and it most notable features. Although the two passages discuss the Okefenokee Swamp, they possess different styles through Passage One’s intention to educate the reader on the swamp, and Passage Two’s intention to inform the reader on the dangers of the swamp; all through the use of diction, imagery, and syntax. Through the use of diction, Passage One follows a word choice that is serene and scientific, while Passage Two follows a word choice that is endangering …show more content…
The word “refuge” in Passage One refers to a place that is very safe in its nature, and it allowed for the reader to recreate an image of the swamp that is harmonious and filled with different plants and animals. The description of Passage One seemed to avoid words that provided a negative connotation towards the swamp, and this was able to create the harmonious image of the swamp that the author hoped for. Passage Two was much more horrifying than it was harmonious. The horrifying nature of Passage Two came from its word choice that includes words such as, “deliquesce, ” “unfathomable, ”“unconquerable,” and “misery,” which all contributed to a description that was surrounded by negative connotations. Another example of the two passages difference in word choice is when the location of the swamp was being discussed. Passage One utilized a word choice that was very scientific with the way it described the location of the swamp, “ . . . in a shallow, saucer-shaped depression approximately 25 mi wide and 40 mi long and covers …show more content…
Analyzing each passage’s details then envisioning the swamp would portray two different views of the swamp; one view that is serene, and another view that is filled with horror. The two passages were able to create these views of the swamp by describing the different parts of the swamp and how they evoke a particular mood. In Passage One, the list of plants and channels of water create the image of an exotic environment, “Meandering channels of open water form an intricate maze. Exotic flowers, among them floating hearts, lilies and rare orchids, abound” (Lines 18-21). The description of different plants in the swamp and channels of water provide additional support for educating the reader, as these vivid descriptions help the audience understand why the swamp is serene and what factors make it serene. Compared to Passage Two, Passage One’s description of the swamp is much less horrific. The two passages use diction to convey the feeling of horror, as the audience might take these feelings of horror and create an imagination based off of it. The description used to describe the wildlife in Passage Two was significantly gore compared to Passage