Harsh And Unwelcoming Mood In The Rock Pile By James Baldwin

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The way James Baldwin describes events in “The Rock Pile” help create a harsh and unwelcoming mood. The language Baldwin uses suggests what the setting is like, which in turn creates the mood. In Roy and John’s neighborhood, there is a rockpile that juts from the ground. There are boys that fight on the rockpile, that “[rush] each other and [grapple] on the heights, sometimes disappearing down the other side in a confusion of dust and screams and upended, flying feet” (1150). Words such as “rush” and “disappearing” helps to convey to the reader the chaos and danger of this event. Because this is a common event in the neighborhood, this scene implies that the neighborhood is also dangerous and harsh. The way Baldwin chooses to describe events

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