Walter Van Tilburg Clark’s “The Portable Phonograph,”
In Walter Van Tilburg Clark’s “The Portable Phonograph,” the author makes setting play a major role in understanding the action of the characters within the story. Clark, a writer and an English Professor, lived from 1909 to 1971. During that time, he lived through both World Wars at a relatively young age, which may have influenced this story. Clark has excellent use of setting to make the atmosphere needed and set the proper mood, so this story is credible. To accomplish this, Clark orients the reader to a unique place and time by use of the physical setting and human possessions, and uses symbolism to create a mood that gives the reader insight to how the characters must feel in
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Clark’s additional description of “frozen mud” and “weed grown cavities,” show that the scene takes place months after the battle here has ended. Not only does the written word describe the scene, but also that fact that never once does Clark mention a solider, equipment or emplacements, insists the prairie is now behind the lines. There are still explosions in the distance, and the four men must continue to live in fear of a returning battle.
Time is not only shown by imagery of the surroundings on the prairie, but is equally conveyed by the few objects that the Doctor, the dweller of the cell, possesses. What few items he has, would all be considered antiques in this day. In combination with the type of war that was fought, this leads the reader to believe that the story takes place between the First World War and the 1950’s. Burlap and canvas are materials that are very rarely used in today’s society, but was very common before the days of nylon and plastic. Burlap is the doctor’s choice for wrapping his books, and canvas, his door. In a land where seemingly very little has survived the battle, the Doctor manages to scrounge this army surplus. His protection at the end of the story is a lead pipe, nearly impossible to find today, but common in the early 20th century. Even the most important item, the portable phonograph, helps to date
The author uses tone and images throughout to compare and contrast the concepts of “black wealth” and a “hard life”. The author combines the use of images with blunt word combinations to make her point; for example, “you always remember things like living in Woodlawn with no inside toilet”. This image evokes the warmth of remembering a special community with the negative, have to use outdoor facilities. Another example of this combination of tone and imagery is “how good the water felt when you got your bath from one of those big tubs that folk in Chicago barbecue in”. Again the author’s positive memory is of feeling fresh after her bath combined with a negative, the fact that it was a barbecue drum.
In Penny Kittle’s short story Une Petite Fille, the author uses the literary devices setting and sound devices to highlight the theme that people should never be taken for granted because one day those people will be gone. For example, in the beginning of the text, a frantic mother beginnings searching for her lost daughter, which seems to be an impossible task in her setting that she describes saying, “I turn and scramble up the stairs to the open square before Notre Dame. Again, the crowds of people calmly taking pictures, smiling…” (Kittle 109). In other words, the setting is vast and “open”, with many places to be in the “crowds of people.”
The objects people keep in their homes can tell a story about who they are or were. Each item possessed by the residents of a house is evidence of how these people may have lived. Ted Kooser’s poem “Abandoned Farmhouse” takes the reader on a walkthrough of the remains of a farmhouse where a poor family once lived. In “Abandoned Farmhouse,” Kooser selects seemingly insignificant relics left behind by each family member to illustrate who these people were and how they lived. The picture he paints is a bleak one and reflects the impoverished life which the residents lived within this now lonely and desolate building.
Lewis and Clark were able to cover many miles before The Missouri River froze . Four days after the first snowfa ll, they reached the Mandan tribe's villages, where they planned to spend the winter. Without stopping,the members began to build a fort for protection against the snow and attack by the Sioux. Before the end of November, when ice wa s already running in the river, the fort was finished. Temperatures dropped to below QQF and guards, watching the entire fort, had to be relieved every 30 minutes. The expedition's food supplies soon began to run low. To make it through the winter, the
A distinctly visual aspect of demonstrating the experience of the characters kindles curiosity in the audience to involve and instill emotional understanding of the context. Through the use of distinct and unique techniques, composers create an emotional response that can have a significant effect on the responders’ attitude on the world. The play ‘The shoe-horn sonata’ explores the crisis of circumstances as John Misto depicts the forgotten history of the women captured and imprisoned during WW2. Misto explores the experiences of the Australian nurses and the government’s response to their pleads of salvation, to emotionally bind the audience and the characters. Likewise, David Douglas Duncan involves the audience by evoking a feeling of pity and empathy in his Korean War photograph. He creates sentiment for the loss of innocence and employs distinctly visual elements to convey the horrifying nature of war. He profoundly highlights power in the photograph to explore the despair felt by the weak fleeing Korean citizens. Hence, both authors elevate the context with a visual representation of the individuals’ struggles to create curiosity and emotional rapport with the audience to improve the understanding of the characters experiences.
“The Shoe- Horn Sonata” is a play by John Misto that gives an insight into two lives of two female POWs in WW II and is a vector of Misto’s thoughts. It explores the little known and often terrible events associated with female prisoners of war. The play follows a friendship of two women through the war to a point of tension that’s beyond what any normal friendship would have to deal with. Misto engages his audience by using a multitude of mediums to portray his story creating a truly multimedia performance. The playwright challenges the audience to look beyond this to the underlying ideas of survival, loyalty and truth.
Distinctively visual texts use a variety of techniques to convey the experiences during the war. In John Misto’s 1996 play ‘The Shoe-Horn Sonata’ which is about women nurses enduring Japanese POW camps, such distinctive experiences as power and survival are shown through techniques like lighting, projecting image, sound, symbols, dialogue and body language.
Through the peculiarities of characterisation and the distinctively visual we experience the impact of place on people. Distinctively visual language shows the similarities and differences between characters and environment with the use of vivid imagery. The distinctively visual is able to create detailed setting, characters and place. Through the distinctively visual Henry Lawson and Tim Burton convey interesting views on environment and human interactions, and their affect on people and society in Lawsons “The Loaded Dog” and “The Drovers Wife” and Burtons “Alice in Wonderland. Good morning markers and peers.
In literature, it is common for authors to apply different stylistic techniques in order to assist in providing the readers with a message. This idea is prominent in Steven Galloway’s The Cellist of Sarajevo, a novel which follows the story of three characters in the war-torn city of Sarajevo. Despite the fact that the characters never meet, they are each unified by a cellist and the song he plays for twenty-two days to honour the citizens who lost their lives while waiting in line for bread. Throughout the book, a recurring idea is that of hope for the future of Sarajevo, which is shown through the contrast of symbols from the beginning of the novel to the end, the cellist himself, and the adagio that the cellist plays. It is evident from the meaning created through objects and people that Galloway is able to use symbolism to enhance the idea that a city which once was destroyed can still be repaired.
The Shoe Horn Sonata provides an insight into the lives of two women who were made prisoners of war by the Japanese and explores the little known and horrific conditions and events the women endured. With the use of distinctively visual techniques, John Misto brings Bridie and Sheila’s experience vividly to life. Through the use of projected images, sound, music and symbolism; the horrors of war, survival and resilience are portrayed throughout the drama.
After reading"The Incredible Talking Machine","History Of The Cylinder Phonograph", and"Psst...Hey, You", it becomes evident that the phonograph and Audio Spotlight are similar.Both products were built,refined,and marketed.As a result,they became widely used and evolved into products we still use today.
Analyse how Nineteen Eighty Four and Pleasantville imaginatively portray individuals who challenge the established values of their time.
Beginning on February 9, 1779, Clark and his men embarked for Vincennes 240 miles away through the now flooded region. The major faced a test of morality as the company trudged through frozen dirt and in freezing waters. In the rain, the troops sung to keep high hopes and when they were close enough to the village, Clark had to post a riflemen at the rear to encourage the tired individuals (Davis 98). Their ambitions rose when they captured an Indian hunting canoe carrying buffalo meat, corn, tallow, and kettles. After devouring their finds, the unit made it the final miles within eyesight of Fort Sackville on February 23(Davis 99).
Walking into the world created by Jackie Kay’s novel Trumpet is much like walking into the world of mysterious outcomes, and just as you find the answers to the previous questions asked another turn awaits the corner. Between the multiple perspectives, Kay creates a complex idea between past and present often shown through dark and bittersweet reenactments of the characters’ memories. Josephine Moore the young light hearted girl takes a quick turn when she transforms into the peculiar, but talented trumpet player, Joss Moody. In a heavy battle with a concrete truth being concealed and an attempt to push away all perspectives and opinions of the outside world, Joss Moody seeks to make one statement true, in order to find yourself in the pool
Additionally, O'Brien's tone and style together create an ominous environment. The serious tone combines with his style on page 434 to convey a message that almost threatens the reader. The combined weight of the things each soldier carries takes its toll on the reader. Already feeling pulled down, O'Brien adds statements such as "the land was mined and booby-trapped" and "you could die so quickly." The ominous environment is further described with "the nights were cold... the monsoons were wet." O'Brien then proceeds to mention how the plastic poncho meant to help the men is also what is used to carry Ted Lavender after being shot. As these elements combine with one another, the reader is immersed in the hostile environment that was