Jordan Wilson
Ms. Levine
AP Language and Composition
20 November 2014
In Debra Marquart’s 2006 memoir, The Horizontal World, Marquart tells about growing up in North Dakota. Through her use of allusions, descriptive language, and anecdotes in her memoir, Debra Marquart characterizes her beloved home of North Dakota as bland and ordinary, yet meaningful. Throughout the passage, Marquart frequently alludes to some of the upper Midwest’s assessors such as Sylvia Griffith Wheeler and Edwin James. She makes reference to a quote from Wheeler’s poem “Earthlings” that states, “We are the folks presidents talk to when times require.” Through her reference, Marquart demonstrates the significance that the upper Midwest has on the rest of the nation. …show more content…
She buttresses her characterization of the upper Midwest through her use of adjectival phrases and zeugma. Marquart starts by depicting a freeway in North Dakota that is “a road so lonely, treeless, and devoid of rises and curves.” She also states, “If your tires are in proper alignment, you’ll only need to tap your steering wheel to keep your car on a straight-ahead path.” Her detailed descriptions allow for her audience to picture a straight, long road, that contains practically nothing. This road is “treeless” and “devoid of rises and curves.” This detailed explanation of the freeway contributes to her depiction of the upper Midwest as uninteresting. Marquart uses zeugma when she says, “This is the way I recently heard a comedian describe the column of states that holds down the center of the country--the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma--a region that spawns both tornadoes and Republicans.” Her use of zeugma helps to reinforce the sentimentality that people bear with the upper Midwest. Though the region has occurrences with tornadoes, it is a region that produces Republicans. Often associated with the Republican party and their views of Conservatism, is the controversial topic of illegal immigration. Republicans are typically split on their beliefs on how to control illegal immigration, but often tend to lean towards eliminating illegal
Ms. Levine
AP Language and Composition
20 November 2014
In Debra Marquart’s 2006 memoir, The Horizontal World, Marquart tells about growing up in North Dakota. Through her use of allusions, descriptive language, and anecdotes in her memoir, Debra Marquart characterizes her beloved home of North Dakota as bland and ordinary, yet meaningful. Throughout the passage, Marquart frequently alludes to some of the upper Midwest’s assessors such as Sylvia Griffith Wheeler and Edwin James. She makes reference to a quote from Wheeler’s poem “Earthlings” that states, “We are the folks presidents talk to when times require.” Through her reference, Marquart demonstrates the significance that the upper Midwest has on the rest of the nation. …show more content…
She buttresses her characterization of the upper Midwest through her use of adjectival phrases and zeugma. Marquart starts by depicting a freeway in North Dakota that is “a road so lonely, treeless, and devoid of rises and curves.” She also states, “If your tires are in proper alignment, you’ll only need to tap your steering wheel to keep your car on a straight-ahead path.” Her detailed descriptions allow for her audience to picture a straight, long road, that contains practically nothing. This road is “treeless” and “devoid of rises and curves.” This detailed explanation of the freeway contributes to her depiction of the upper Midwest as uninteresting. Marquart uses zeugma when she says, “This is the way I recently heard a comedian describe the column of states that holds down the center of the country--the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma--a region that spawns both tornadoes and Republicans.” Her use of zeugma helps to reinforce the sentimentality that people bear with the upper Midwest. Though the region has occurrences with tornadoes, it is a region that produces Republicans. Often associated with the Republican party and their views of Conservatism, is the controversial topic of illegal immigration. Republicans are typically split on their beliefs on how to control illegal immigration, but often tend to lean towards eliminating illegal