The Power Of Words
Kyle – Blue
Some people say words are stronger then violence, if you’re not afraid to use them wisely. Figurative language helps bring out every character’s individual traits and personality. In Don’t Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer, it is clear that Ishmael’s low self-esteem and James Scobie’s debating skills are constantly emphasized by Bauer’s use of similes and metaphors. The author uses figurative language to develop Ishmael’s alarmingly low self-esteem, together with James Scobie’s dazzling debating skills.
The author uses a great deal of figurative language to expose Ishmael’s critically low self-esteem. Whilst talking about how amazingly smart her sister is, Ishmael compares himself to her by using this …show more content…
Coming into the final round of debate, Scobie steps up to the podium. “The difference again was Scobie, it was like having Ian Thorpe swimming the final leg for you in the under sevens floaties relay” (143). Bauer uses this simile to compare having James Scobie in the last leg of a debate, to having an Olympic swimmer in the last leg of a youth swimming race. Ian Thorpe is the best swimmer on the team, he is so good, no one can even come close to him. This emphasizes just how good a debater James Scobie is. He blows everyone else straight out of the water. Likewise, Bauer shows just how good a debater Scobie is by writing, “When Scobie spoke, it was like someone turned on a light in a darkened room.” (142). After all the debaters who didn’t manage to spark a light when they talked, Scobie comes in and manages to turn that light on. This simile used by the author is comparing James Scobie debating, to someone flipping a light switch in a dark room. When Scobie starts speaking, everyone can finally see and everything is clear. Scobie is able to wake everyone by simply using his powerful and meaningful words. The many similes used by Bauer in Don’t Call Me Ishmael emphasizes how good James Scobie is at debate as well as how he is much more then just a stereotypical
Kyle – Blue
Some people say words are stronger then violence, if you’re not afraid to use them wisely. Figurative language helps bring out every character’s individual traits and personality. In Don’t Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer, it is clear that Ishmael’s low self-esteem and James Scobie’s debating skills are constantly emphasized by Bauer’s use of similes and metaphors. The author uses figurative language to develop Ishmael’s alarmingly low self-esteem, together with James Scobie’s dazzling debating skills.
The author uses a great deal of figurative language to expose Ishmael’s critically low self-esteem. Whilst talking about how amazingly smart her sister is, Ishmael compares himself to her by using this …show more content…
Coming into the final round of debate, Scobie steps up to the podium. “The difference again was Scobie, it was like having Ian Thorpe swimming the final leg for you in the under sevens floaties relay” (143). Bauer uses this simile to compare having James Scobie in the last leg of a debate, to having an Olympic swimmer in the last leg of a youth swimming race. Ian Thorpe is the best swimmer on the team, he is so good, no one can even come close to him. This emphasizes just how good a debater James Scobie is. He blows everyone else straight out of the water. Likewise, Bauer shows just how good a debater Scobie is by writing, “When Scobie spoke, it was like someone turned on a light in a darkened room.” (142). After all the debaters who didn’t manage to spark a light when they talked, Scobie comes in and manages to turn that light on. This simile used by the author is comparing James Scobie debating, to someone flipping a light switch in a dark room. When Scobie starts speaking, everyone can finally see and everything is clear. Scobie is able to wake everyone by simply using his powerful and meaningful words. The many similes used by Bauer in Don’t Call Me Ishmael emphasizes how good James Scobie is at debate as well as how he is much more then just a stereotypical