Diction

An example of this precision is the sentence from "A Rose for Emily" discussed in Alice Hall Petry's article: "Thus she passed from generation to generation - dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse"(280). In this sentence Faulkner summarizes Emily Grierson's character and her relationship with her community in five adjectives. While probably overlooked by the casual reader, Petry explores how closer examination reveals Faulkner's organization and manipulation of language. Placed near the end of the fourth section just before the announcement of Emily's death, the adjectives are both a chronological summation of the previous four chapters and foreshadowing of surprise uncovered in the fifth. The first adjective is double-edged and pertains to opening section of the story. Just before her death, Emily may have indeed seemed "dear" to the people of Jefferson, because she stayed quietly in her decaying piece of antebellum which thankfully no longer smelled, but in Part I of the story Emily was "dear" to the city in that she refused to pay taxes and was a costly citizen. The second adjective, "inescapable," is a reference to the situation surrounding the stench described in Part II, and it is in Part III that Emily buys the rat poison, remaining "impervious" to the law. The tranquility of Emily's in the years before her death is discussed in Part IV and summed up in the fourth adjective. Petry describes the dual interpretation of the fifth adjective in this sentence…

will be money. This person decided that he would be happier overall with a boring job that paid well instead of something that he would enjoy that paid substantially less. So the real question is, does money buy happiness? Should someone give up a dream job for a stable financial future? In the research paper “Money and Happiness: Rank of Income, Not Income, Affects Life Satisfaction” by Christopher J. Boyce, Gordon D.A Brown, and Simon C. Moore, the question on whether does the amount of money…

weak and thin. In chapter 19, Holden is sitting at a bar waiting to meet up with an old friend from Whooton. A few years back Luce knew all the “flits and Lesbians.”(158). When Carl Luce came over to sit down, Holden states “hey, I got a flit for you… I’ve been saving him for ya.”(159). By Holden using this slang, children will think it is okay to use slang words to supposedly make fun of others for pure entertainment. Using such words can be justify the banning of this novel from schools and…

also often depicted wearing traditionally masculine clothing, such as “hopper shoes,” “a big corduroy apron,” “heavy leather gloves,” and a “man’s black hat.” Through this physical characterization, Steinbeck asserts the idea that Elisa is an empowered, liberated, and self-actualized woman, who realizes her capabilities and capacity to work in aspects of life outside the confines of the orthodox realm of femininity. This identity is solidified further when the narrator mentions Elisa’s eyes,…

Even a century long time after his death, Wilfred Owen is still famous for his war poetry written during World War 1. In his poem, Owen uses various language techniques to vividly illustrate the horrendous reality of the war. Hence, he communicates his own anti-war feelings implied beneath his techniques. However, although he is now known as an anti-war poet, for once, he had been a naive boy, who had volunteered to fight in war. At first, he was thrilled to fight for one’s country. But soon,…

For example, in her poem, “The Bustle in the House,” Dickinson writes “The Bustle in the House / The Morning after Death / Is solemnest of industries / Enacted upon Earth.” (Lines 1-4) Dickinson skillfully uses the word “Bustle” to convey two different meanings to the reader. She discerningly chose her diction in this passage and therefore, with a single word, is able to describe both the swift movements of people about the house as well as the bustling sound the womans’ dresses made as they…

concern for most people. This comes with good reason. William Hazlitt, a nineteenth-century author, writes about the relationship between humans and money in his text “On the Want of Money.” Hazlitt acknowledges that money is a necessity to get by in life. His overall purpose is to show how money determines the quality of one’s life. One who is constantly troubled by not having enough money is certainly less comfortable compared to someone who has a sufficient amount. Not only does financial…

Parker not only shows the immortality of the zombie in fictitious mediums, but he does so while keeping the audience entertained throughout the essay with bits of humor and pop culture references. He also utilizes the human mind’s lack of analytical comprehension while reading to structure his essay in a truly unique way. By using a narrative development, Parker shows the importance of zombies within the modern world, through societal mentality and personal emotion. Lastly, linguistic…

Through the iconic voice of Holden Caulfield, an estranged adolescent, one hears a cry for help emerge from the clouds of depression so effortlessly that nearly everyone, regardless of background, relates. As evident within J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, and particularly during chapter 20, Salinger utilizes casual diction, relatable syntax, and a symbolic setting to convey Holden’s great dejection and introspection about death itself. With such a strong rhetorical technique as this,…

The language of poetry I have found myself in this situation many times before. The whole class staring at me because I started to speak, but what stumbles out seems to be foreign from what was in my head. I catch sight of what I am trying to say and I know it is perfect, yet the words are jumbled and hesitant. Everyone contemplating what they have heard, even though I swear they did not come out of my mouth. Which builds a wall between them and I, a language barrier restricting them from me…