Imagery in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
One of the most stunningly powerful features of John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is the vivid imagery used hroughout the book. Berendt has a way of making everything he writes about come to life. The reader doesn't merely read about Savannah, he lives it. The characters that are represented in the book come to life as the book progresses. Their actions take form before the audience's eyes. The characters are not, however, the only things brought to life by Berendt's vivid style. Savannah itself becomes real to the reader. The detailed settings make the city more than just a background for the story. It is an integral part of the tale. All of these aspects come together to make Midnight less of a book and more of an experience.
The story relayed by Berendt in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is filled to the brim with interesting characters. What makes them even more interesting to the reader is the knowledge that they are, at least for the most part, actually real-life characters. His descriptions of these people and their characteristics are so detailed that after reading only two or three pages about someone, the reader begins to feel as if she knows the person. The vivid descriptions are extremely detailed. "She had both hands on her hips and a sassy half-smile on her face as if she had been waiting for me" (Berendt 96). This is just a small portion of Berendt's opening description of Chablis, the drag queen of the book. Berendt also brings these people to life through their behaviors. A perfect example of this method is the character of Danny Hansford. The descriptions of Danny's behavior are so vivid that it is hard to think of him as a character in a book. Everything from Danny's walk to his violent fits of rage are represented with great detail.
The imagery associated with Savannah itself is nothing short of astounding. The squares that populate Savannah, the houses in the area, and even the town cemetery are presented with wonderful detail. At one point Berendt speaks of James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, and the fact that Oglethorpe had the squares planned before he had set sail from England. The layout was to be "based on the design of a Roman military encampment.
The setting is one of the most important elements because it stimulates all of your senses to describe itself. The beginning part of the story started, “It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born yet” (Hurst 554). This describes the time of year, but it also lets you picture the type of year and lets your senses flow. The setting is described so well in this quote because the whole story is based on it. Also, a little later in the story setting is described by, “Where the palmetto fronds whispered by the stream.”(Hurst 556). This quote describes the swamp which is very important because most of the story took place here. It stimulates your hearing, sight, and smell by describing the palmetto fronds and how it
To begin the look at Rockefeller’s life, let’s look back to his birth. John D. Rockefeller was born on July 8th, 1839 to Eliza and William Avery Rockefeller in Richmond, New York and was the eldest of his other 4 siblings; Lucy, William Jr., Mary and Franklin. John’s parents could easi...
Question 1: In what way is the novel an allegory of The Garden of Eden?
in the book is very dark, and it helps set the awful mood for the rest
Guetti, James. 'Heart of Darkness and the Failure of the Imagination', Sewanee Review LXXIII, No. 3 (Summer 1965), pp. 488-502. Ed. C. B. Cox.
In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards created the emotion of fear by using imagery and figurative language to persuade his audience. He used imagery and figurative language so the wrath of God is more fearsome and gave you a mental picture of hell in your head.
“A sensible man will remember that the eyes may be confused in two ways- by a change from light to darkness or from darkness to light; and he will recognize the same thing happens to the soul” (Plato 3). In a literal meaning, the term dark is defined as, “with little or no light,” and the term light is defined as, “the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible” (Dictionary.com). However, when used in a piece of work, such as this one, darkness and light can be associated with an endless amount of meanings. For instance, by using imagery, any author can write a story about one event that’s happening, but have a deeper, more meaningful message that isn’t so straightforward. For example, in both Oedipus the King and “The Allegory
and the sound of the chain, still around his wrist… he wanted to see his family again...he did not want to die”(236-237). Throughout his quote, it not only shows, but explains the evil when people like Tommy are put through traumatic events. When the sheriff gave Bobby Joe the gun, he had evil intentions. The sheriff wanted Bobby Joe to traumatize Tommy to the point where he would not follow through with any demonstrations to help out the blacks. Furthermore, the Sheriff wanted to make sure Tommy did not participate in any protests to stand up for his people's rights. All in all, both novels Night and The Glory Field, display evil by putting putting people through traumatizing events that no one should ever have to experience.
The Chicago World Fair brought about through the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in America has posed significant value and worth to the city of Chicago. Over a six-month period, more than 26 million visitors from all over the world would flock to the fairgrounds to experience the rebuilt and vibrant city of Chicago. The 600-acre fairground would have housed 200 buildings that showcased new food, art, technology, and entertainment. Chicago became known as the White City, a place of freedom, grandeur, and security. But unbeknownst to fairgoers, there was a serial killer among them. While Dr. H.H. Holmes lured his innocent victims to his “Castle”, just blocks away architect Daniel Burnham built up the dream city of Chicago. Both these men operated at the same time in history, simply blocks apart, both creating legacies that carry to this day. Burnham and Holmes are two side of the coin of human nature. In “The Devil in White City” Erik Larson’s juxtaposition of Burnham and Holmes, and the Black City and the White City, contributes to the understanding of human nature, that one cannot be good without having done evil, and that good and evil are viewed as complementary in their mutual dependence.
Hunt, Jonathan. "In Darkness." The Horn Book Magazine Mar.-Apr. 2012: 111+. Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Apr. 2014
Despite his conscience, Friar Lawrence reveals a potion that will put Juliet to a false death, in the “Potion Plan” scene. His motivation was caused by the weeping and tears of Juliet who was in the hands of a twisted marriage against her will. She had already been married to her love, but now that promise was in danger of being broken. From the few lines that the friar speaks, the audience realizes that this friar is certainly not the stereotype friar that goes around trying to live an impossible life of perfection.
One of the main symbols of the story is the setting. It takes place in a normal small town on a nice summer day. "The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day; the flowers were blooming profusely and the grass was richly green." (Jackson 347).This tricks the reader into a disturbingly unaware state,
depictions of characters and details that capture the imagination. The plot of this novel is the
Woolf, therefore, takes advantage of the lyrical short stories’ structure to create a liminal space that both breaks through barriers to form a unified, impressionistic world and to emphasize the imposing negative aspects of such a transitory structure. As a result, Woolf prompts the reader to question whether the liminal space created within the short story is positive in its ability to unite nature and human or negative in its apparent unsustainability. Regardless, the form and structure of the short story are pivotal in Kew Gardens. Without the liminal space of the short story, it is questionable if Woolf could have succeeded in creating the unstable, yet peaceful, world in Kew Gardens.
The absence of ladies was a difficulty which was very easily overcome, by a simple arrangement whereby it was understood that every gentleman who had a patch on a certain part of his inexpressibles should be considered a lady for the time being. These patches were rather fashionable, and were usually large squares of canv...