The Midnight Ride Of Paul Reve

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The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere is a story that we have all heard because of the significant role it played in the events leading up to the Revolutionary war, but we may have heard it in different ways. Compared to letter of Paul Revere’s letter to Jeremy Belknap, the poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” by Henry Longfellow is less reliable. For one, the letter is a Primary source while the poem is not. Additionally, unlike the the poem, the letter was not written long after the ride which took place in 1775. Above all, it is made clear that the poem’s poetic form exaggerated some unnecessary details to appear more dramatic.

An important point to remember is that the author of the letter, Paul Revere, had actual experience of the event, whereas the poet, Henry Longfellow, was not actually present. The …show more content…

It can change the structure of the sentence to the way that the reader can understand the meaning of the story. While comparing both the letter and the poem it becomes clear that the poem has a strong use of imagery, which has a powerful effect on how the story is told. “He heard the bleating of the flock, and the twitter of the birds among the trees, and felt the breath of the morning breeze blowing over the meadows brow.” Imagery paints a picture for the reader. In order to use imagery, Longfellow had to exaggerate some minor hints that were in the letter. In comparison, the letter is very detailed, but it is also very clear and the readers can easily understand the story. “I agreed with a Col. Contact, & some other gentlemen, that if the British went out by water, we would shew two lanthorns in the North Church steeple; & if by land, one, as a signal.” The format of the paragraph and the way that the sentences are structured are clear and straightforward. Longfellow's poem was written in a very dramatic way because of all the exaggeration, while Revere’s letter is easy to follow and

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