Use the passage to answer the question.

Question

Use the passage to answer the question.

"OFF THERE to the right--somewhere--is a large island," said Whitney." It's rather a mystery--"

"What island is it?" Rainsford asked.

"The old charts call it `Ship-Trap Island,"' Whitney replied." A suggestive name, isn't it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don't know why. Some superstition--"

"Can't see it," remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

"You've good eyes," said Whitney, with a laugh," and I've seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can't see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night."

"Nor four yards," admitted Rainsford. "Ugh! It's like moist black velvet."

"It will be light enough in Rio," promised Whitney. "We should make it in a few days.

In 1 paragraph, analyze how the author uses figurative language to reveal elements of the story's cultural setting.

Answer 1

In this passage, the author uses figurative language to reveal elements of the story's cultural setting. The phrase "the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness" creates a vivid image of the intense darkness and humidity of the Caribbean night. This choice of words suggests that the setting is a tropical and exotic location, which is further emphasized by the comparison of the darkness to "moist black velvet." Additionally, the mention of superstition and sailors' dread of Ship-Trap Island implies that the culture of the setting values beliefs in supernatural and mysterious elements. These uses of figurative language contribute to the overall cultural atmosphere of the story.