In Maria Viramontes’ Under the Feet of Jesus Estrella is a confused, angry girl who is attempting to figure everything out. Estrella is unable to figure anything out without the help of Perfecto Flores, but with his help she is able to create some understanding about the importance of education and becomes less angry. Viramontes uses tone and figurative language to help show Estrella’s growth and development. The beginning of the passage has an angry tone. When Estrella saw Perfecto’s red tool box she became vexed because of her lack of understanding. “So what is this?” and “So what is this about?” Estrella was asking angry questions when she first saw the tools that Perfecto had. Her confusion had led to anger; she was confused as to what …show more content…
“Estrella realized words could become as excruciating as rusted nails piercing the heels of her bare feet.” After Mrs. Horn’s comments about Estrella’s appearance and smell Estrella realized the power of words and language. Viramontes used a metaphor to show Estrella’s change of thoughts on learning English. Estrella became distressed after Mrs. Horn attacked her dirty and smelly appearance. It was a hurt similar to when Estrella was unable to understand Perfecto’s tool box and when she was unable to understand English. Viramontes used imagery while describing Estrella’s “dirty fingernails” and the “chalky lines on the blackboard”. Estrella had not been able to read anything on the chalky blackboard until she changed her views on learning English. Estrella’s growth as a character is illuminated through Viramontes’ use of figurative language. Viramontes uses tone and figurative language to show Estrella’s development as a character. Estrella changes from distressed to being joyful because her understanding of the tools grew which showed her that she can learn English. Estrella’s growth from being angry and confused to being understanding is helped shown by viramontes’ use of tone and figurative
As a result, readers can sympathize with Villaseñor for his misfortunes. Villaseñor effectively uses hyperbole to emotionally connect the readers with him by creating a sort of underdog characteristic where many would root for Villaseñor. Who would not want to root for an underdog? Hyperbole also conveys his hatred in an amplified manner. The use of exclamatory statements in conjunction with descriptive connotations of teachers only adds to anger that
Understanding her background of being an immigrant, Perfecto is fit to be a guiding mentor. Perfecto teaches Estrella what each tool from the toolbox was and what each of their functions were. The sentences in the passage progressively run on into longer sentences, with a speedier flow. This syntax shift provides a clear difference to how natural and insightful Perfecto’s teaching is to Estrella, as opposed to Mrs. Horn’s. The fast paced sentences additionally illustrate the excitement and confidence that Estrella starts to exude.
As Estrella focuses on a pry bar, she “weighed the significance it awarded her”, reflecting that the learning experience means something more to her. Through Perfecto’s guidance, Estrella “came to understand how essential it was to know these things”, the power of knowledge, using the tools in the toolbox as a vehicle to aid her longing angst and confusion. This way she realizes the importance of beginning to read, and she does just so. Estrella realizes that reading will not only help her to know the tools, but will also guide her understanding in school, and throughout more life challenges. Through careful use of detail, figurative language, and tone, Viramonte is able to showcase the character development of Estrella, who starts off as an angsty, confused young girl, but transforms into a being who is now content and understanding, seen through her prior life experiences and
She vows to god she will never ask him for anything for her son” (260). This shows us how Lourdes once cared for her son, but now is burdened with him for all of his actions. The point of view shows us how how Enrique once cared for his mother but now his mother is crying because of what Enrique has turned out to be. In conclusion, the POV shows us how different perspectives show us how Enrique ended up because of how he changed. Analyzing how Nazario uses literary devices show us how Enrique has changed throughout the novel.
While reading stories, people can discover different points of view. Although stories have different points of view, similar messages can be created from them. The point of view of a story often creates tension. Many details have been found to prove this. By analyzing these stories, the different points of view can explain why tension was created.
This is important to the novel because it enables readers to understand the reasons for each character’s actions. Even though, sometimes, they may be difficult to understand, we must not negate the fact that each character's attitude and personality is shaped by the given world in which they are
In her writing, Tan often describes her experiences as the child of Chinese immigrants, growing up in northern California and living in American culture. Tan explains how she has learned to embrace the many Englishes her mother speaks and how her background has also caused her to have different Englishes. While others classify her mother's English as "broken" she finds no fault in it. In Tan's view, just because something is broken does not necessarily mean that it is in need of fixing. In her essay, author Amy Tan addresses the connections between languages and cultures in describing the different Englishes her mother uses.
When she was young, she could not process the way her father raised and treated her, so she believed everything he said. When she is able to understand, her tone changes and becomes clinical and critical remembering the way he constantly let her
In detailing the events that led up to her change in perspective, she made note of the honeysuckle that covered the walls of the well-house, the warm sunshine that accompanied going outdoors, and the cool stream of water that she felt as she placed her hand under the spout. These details kept the reader with her in the moment as she felt something less simple, but still universal; the returning of a, “ misty consciousness as of something forgotten.” In using rich diction, she maintained a sense of intimacy with the reader which allowed her to call on personal details from her own life and theirs. Later in the passage, she described how, once the reality of language was opened to her, and she returned to the house, “every object which I touched seemed to quiver with life.” She had gone through a complete shift of perspective, one that, to her, was felt entirely through senses other than sight or sound.
This demonstrates the nurturing in Alexie’s imagination. The logic of comparing everything to a single word allows readers to understand one of the ways in which the author taught himself to
Mrs. Lepellier is also shown to be transformed through direct characterization and diction. She is directly characterized as transformed through the phrase “But this led to this hard to believe transformation” The denotation of the word transformation, a thorough or dramatic change, directly characterizes Mrs. Lepellier as transformed. The denotation of the words describing her voice support Mrs. Lepellier’s transformation from angry to calm. She is indirectly characterized as calm through the denotation of modulated in the description of her voice “her high but gentle and modulated voice”, which means controlled and pleasant to listen to. Before Gene transforms her, she is indirectly characterized as angry through punctuation and diction.
In the short story Norma by Sonia Sanchez, Sonia is in middle school. She does not have a very good math teacher, Mr. Castor, who does not really help his students. Sonia loves french class, but one day Norma snapped at the teacher and left the room. Sonia kind of look up to Norma, so after she did not like french, Sonia started to dislike french class. Which is sad because that was one of Norma’s favorite classes.
The different techniques to explore literary works all lead to new meanings behind the same piece. In Ursula LeGuin’s short story “She Unnames Them,” a Formalistic analytical approach can be taken to find a deeper meaning within the text. By examining the different elements within the text instead of trying to understand the outside influences on the author, the characters, plot, and setting all transform into vital parts of telling her message. The theme that LeGuin is now able to express is that a person’s or thing’s importance does not lie in its name, rather what they do with themselves is their defining features. Through developing her characters in a unique way, LeGuin is able to best lead the reader to find the central message in her
A suppressed, detached tone is formed as a result of figurative language, syntax, and diction in such situations. The use of specific figurative language, especially similes and imagery, is essential in the development of this detached, painful tone when Offred is describing her present feelings. For instance, when Offred describes her relationship with the Marthas, she recalls how their interactions include “soft and minor” voices that are as “mournful as pigeons in the eaves troughs.” (11) Imagery is used to illustrate the “closed face and pressed lips,” of the Marthas, and Offred herself is considered “like a disease, or any form of bad luck.” (10) It is evident that Offred feels alone and ostracized, and is not able to have a true connection with those around her.
The author mentioned popular media people (like Rita Moreno) and literary characters (“Mammy” from Gone with the Wind) to show the source and the deepness of stereotypes. She includes dialogues and description of own ruefulness during the current event to create more emotion-oriented essay. Several main issues and single words are highlighted with the aid of italics, like the word ripen (Cofer 4) that showed boy’s expectances to Cofer’s sexual behavior. Was it author’s choice or not, the decision helps readers to see an important topic.