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Essay / Stylistic Devices in The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
In The Serpent King, Zentner uses personification: “The decrepit window air conditioner hissed, losing the battle against the humidity of his living room.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Zentner provides this personification to create a more vivid image of the inanimate object for readers. Giving the object the human attribute of wheezing shows that the combination of humidity and heat in the room causes it to struggle to provide enough fresh air. This personification helps readers better visualize the state of the object and the effects of its environment. Zentner uses the diction: “Social contractual obligations and so on” in the book. By specifically integrating this choice of words, the author describes the qualities of the character who is speaking, who is Lydia. The use of academic vocabulary demonstrates that Lydia has a high level of spoken language and is also an intelligent person. The choice of words allows the audience to better understand Lydia's characteristics and the phrasing of her conversation with others. Zentner implements the allusion in The Serpent King: "While everyone else at Forrestville High is desperately trying to make it seem like they don't live in Forrestville." , we will embrace and own your rural Southerner, in the vein of 1970s Townes Van Zandt meets Whiskeytown-era Ryan Adams.” The reference to the two American singer-songwriters gives readers context about the characters' tastes in popular culture. As people read this sentence, they may make associations that allow them to connect more closely to the characters in the story. An example of an idiomatic expression is given in the book by the author: “Dill blushes. Might as well rip off the bandage. He sang the requested number quickly and softly a cappella. » This expression helps to emphasize Dill's feeling of discomfort in his current situation. “Rip off the Band-Aid” does not interpret, literally, exactly what is stated. Rather, it figuratively suggests that Dill wants to do something as quickly as possible due to its difficulty. The situation he faces is similar to the circumstances of ripping off a bandage, in which to relieve the pain one must do it quickly. With this idiom, the audience better understands the feelings Dill was feeling and the point Zentner was trying to reveal. Zentner uses the simile: “Talking to his father made Dill feel like he was talking to a sentient brick wall that somehow knew Jesus. » in The Serpent King. Applying this comparison allows Zentner to clarify how Dill's conversation with his father appears to negatively affect Dill. The author's comparison to "talking to a sentient brick wall" implies that Dill has difficulty communicating his thoughts to his father, since he seems to rather ignore them. Through this comparison, readers gain insight into the type of relationship Dill has with his father, which insinuates a potential conflict between child and father. Zentner portrays the archetypal character of a bully: "'What's up, Gode?' Last year! "Tyson said with feigned excitement, raising his hand for a high five" in The Serpent King. The bully archetype presents a difficulty that Dill and his friends encounter at school. It symbolizes a typical person and situation that most human beings recognize. By reading this part of the story, the audience is able to identify more closely with the characters because of the universal motif of.