20. Identify at least 2 examples of descriptive writing elements by type in the passage below. What image is conveyed about the condition of
the farm?
"About 15 miles below Monterey, on the wild coast, the Torres family had their farm, a few sloping acres above a cliff that dropped to the
brown reefs and to the hissing white waters of the ocean. Behind the farm the stone mountains stood up against the sky. The farm buildings
huddled like the clinging aphids on the mountain skirts, crouched low to the ground as though the wind might blow them into the sea. The little
shack, the rattling, rotting barn were gray-bitten with sea salt, beaten by the damp wind until they had taken on the color of the granite hills.
Two horses, a red cow and a red calf, half a dozen pigs and a flock of lean, multi-colored chickens stocked the place. A little corn was raised
on the sterile slope, and it grew short and thick under the wind, and all the cobs formed on the landward sides of the stalks."
John Steinbeck, "Flight"
Ex. In this passage from Steinbeck's "Flight," descriptive elements, such as metaphors, personification, and sensory details, convey that the
farm is
An example of a metaphor is "
". Examples of sensory details include "
" and "
An example of a metaphor in the passage is "The farm buildings huddled like the clinging aphids on the mountain skirts."
Examples of sensory details include "the brown reefs and the hissing white waters of the ocean" and "gray-bitten with sea salt, beaten by the damp wind until they had taken on the color of the granite hills."
What is the condition of the farm?
Based on the descriptive elements in the passage, the image conveyed about the condition of the farm is that it is weathered, worn, and struggling. The farm buildings are described as rattling, rotting, and gray-bitten with sea salt, indicating their age and deterioration. The mention of the wind potentially blowing the buildings into the sea suggests their precarious condition. The use of sensory details, such as the brown reefs, hissing white waters, and the wind beating against the structures, further emphasizes the harsh environment in which the farm is situated. Additionally, the mention of the sterile slope and the short, thick corn suggests that the land for cultivation is not fertile and that the crops struggle to grow.
In this passage from John Steinbeck's "Flight," there are several examples of descriptive writing elements that convey the image of the condition of the farm. Let's identify two of them and the types of descriptive elements they represent.
1. Metaphor: "The farm buildings huddled like the clinging aphids on the mountain skirts, crouched low to the ground as though the wind might blow them into the sea." This metaphor compares the farm buildings to "clinging aphids," emphasizing their small and vulnerable nature. It evokes the image of fragility and the constant threat posed by the wind and the sea.
To identify this metaphor, we can recognize the comparison between the farm buildings and the clinging aphids, highlighting the use of figurative language.
2. Sensory Details: "gray-bitten with sea salt, beaten by the damp wind until they had taken on the color of the granite hills" and "the cobs formed on the landward sides of the stalks." These sensory details appeal to the reader's senses of sight and touch. The description of the buildings being "gray-bitten with sea salt" and "taken on the color of the granite hills" creates a visual image of their weathered and worn appearance due to the harsh coastal environment. Additionally, the mention of the "cobs formed on the landward sides of the stalks" emphasizes the effect of the wind on the growth of the corn, giving us a tactile sense of how it is affected by the forces of nature.
To identify these sensory details, we look for vivid and specific descriptions that invoke our senses.
Overall, these descriptive elements convey an image of a farm that is vulnerable, weather-beaten, and struggling to sustain itself in the challenging coastal environment.