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Literary Techniques Used In 'Someone's Mother'

Decent Essays

From reading “Someone’s Mother”, one could tell that Joan Murray is a very creative writer because one of the strongest literary device in this piece of literature is style. In the essay, Murray jumps from reality to her memories every so often on both paragraphs twenty and twenty-four as she narrates about coming across an unusual old hitchhiker that caught her attention and suddenly feels the need to assist. Due to the story written in narrative style, it is also very descriptive. The hitchhiker “[wears] dark blue raincoat, jaunty black beret. Thin arms waving, spine a little bent. Wisps of white hair lilting as the trucks whizzed by” (Murray 147). Murray is very observant and did not forget to include every little details of her surroundings and especially feelings as she approach the hitchhiker. Aside from the unique style of writing, the essay is easy to read. This is most likely an unpopular opinion since she jumps around and leaves the ending hanging, but the way in which she leaves it without a conclusion truly spice up the story. It leaves readers wondering and force their brains to imagine all the possibilities that …show more content…

There are many descriptions in the essay but the most effective one of all is when Murray took a trip down the memory lane and remembers her old mother while driving the hitchhiker to Nassau. The way how “[her mother] was living in her house on Long Island, surrounded by her neighbors, her bird feeders, her azaleas…A few weeks later, with sorrow and worry, [Murray] arranged her move to a nursing home” (Murray 147). Not only this particular description is effective but also it is essential to the story. The fact that Murray brings up her mother hints the readers’ to think of theirs, if they have not already. It helps the audience connect and have stronger feelings about the

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