Life is full of decisions that could literally force people to choose between life or death. In the Rattler, a man makes this decision for an innocent snake. He has to kill it in order for those around him to be safe. The snake, however, is not willing to die without a fight. When the man does eventually kill it, he is deeply affected by its death.
The author attempts to persuade the reader to empathize with the man and sympathize with the snake by giving the snake a personality, narrating the story from his point of view, and creating a calm setting.
The snake’s intelligence, fair treatment of the man, and gruesome death evoke sympathy from the reader.
Upon seeing the man for the first time, the snake wisely “[holds] his ground in calm watchfulness.”
The author attempts to persuade the reader to empathize with the man and sympathize with the snake by giving the snake a personality, narrating the story from his point of view, and creating a calm setting.
The snake’s intelligence, fair treatment of the man, and gruesome death evoke sympathy from the reader.
Upon seeing the man for the first time, the snake wisely “[holds] his ground in calm watchfulness.”