Thursday, December 4, 2014

Diction Handout

1."...I only climbed on the spare spar and leaned over the rail as far as i could..."

2. Opaque: Not able to be seen through; not transparent
    Elongated: Make longer; extended
    Phosphorescent: Exhibiting an luminous appearance
    Elusive: Difficult to find or catch
    Cadaverous: resembling a corpse; corpselike

     Paraphrase: The water on the side of the ship was unable to be seen but I spotted something long and pale floating close to the ladder. A light flashed and I was unable to identify what it was but then I saw it, a headless corpse exhibiting a greenish glow. My cigar dropped from my mouth and I hung over the rail staring at the mystery stirring from the sea at the bottom of the ladder.

 3.The use of elevated language is definitely more descriptive and gives the readers the feeling of isolation and eeriness, while the paraphrased version is more for comprehension as it doesn't catch the tone or mood very well.

4. - "But i saw at once something elongated and paled floating very close to the ladder."
    - "With a gasp I saw revealed to my stare a pair of feet, the long legs, abroad livid back immersed right up to the neck in a greenish cadaverous glow.
    - " One hand, awash, clutched the bottom rung of a ladder."
    - "The cigar dropped out of my gaping mouth with a tiny plop and a short hiss quite audible in the absolute stilness of all things under heaven."

5. I think the Conrad left the captain, crew, and ship nameless for the sense of immersion.
6. The denotative meaning of  The Secret Sharer is a person who shares without others knowing.
Word                   Denotation                                  Connotation
Cadaverous          resembling a corpse                     emotionless
Darkling               growing darkness                        (ideas)fading away
Pale                      light complexion                          corpselike
Phosphorescence emission of light w/o heat            outgoing
Ghastly                shockingly frightful                      frightening creature
Headless              without a head                               idiotic
Fishlike                resembling the qualities of a fish  skiddish


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