The Effects of Setting
Author Willa Cather embedded literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, within her writing.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
Chunk #1: Comment the effect of the setting on the characters within the novel.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
Chunk #1: Comment the effect of the setting on the characters within the novel.
When Willa Cather speaks of the prarries turning to the color of wine and then about the start of winter you can just feel the change in her words. The loss of summer and the dread of winter, the cold winds blowing all the leaves from the trees and seemingly pulling all the houses closer together just gives a chilled feeling. Everything seems to be depressing as all the leaves are gone and how the houses have lost the glow from all the plants being gone from the roof tops.
Chunk #2: discuss the effect a setting on you, including imagery (lots of adjectives) and a simile or a metaphor as you describe the land.
My little oasis would have to be on the black river flood waters during the duck season. The water is so fertile and heavy with top soil its black, and all the things you can watch float by waiting for the shooting light. Its very peaceful before daylight comes, theres only the sound of decoys splashing the water and whistling wings as the few early flyer's zip over your head as your setting out your spread. When shooting light is here its an uproar of ducks, calls, and the smell of burning powder filling the air. This puts me into my own little world, it just amazes me watching as the birds work like there just floating on air. Hearing the mallards fall in sounding like 747 jets is just amazing.
Chunk #2: discuss the effect a setting on you, including imagery (lots of adjectives) and a simile or a metaphor as you describe the land.
My little oasis would have to be on the black river flood waters during the duck season. The water is so fertile and heavy with top soil its black, and all the things you can watch float by waiting for the shooting light. Its very peaceful before daylight comes, theres only the sound of decoys splashing the water and whistling wings as the few early flyer's zip over your head as your setting out your spread. When shooting light is here its an uproar of ducks, calls, and the smell of burning powder filling the air. This puts me into my own little world, it just amazes me watching as the birds work like there just floating on air. Hearing the mallards fall in sounding like 747 jets is just amazing.
