Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Assult: A Give and Take on Life

Larena Gonzales
IB Engish 11
Ms. Hendricks
2 October 2013
The Assult: A Give and Take of Life

                On page 41 of the novel The Assult, there’s a passage that describes a man taking the main character Anton away. From what the passage says, there are multiple literary devices used to bring this passage to possess a deeper significance. For example, when Harry Mulisch (the author) used the words “horse blanket”, those words seemed to symbolize the warmth and safety of another person’s being. Also the words “dark-gray coat” the man was wearing symbolized a lifeless being. That is because a being with life has colors and a sense of being alive. However a person with no life had no colors and dull clothing to wear to help signify their lifeless vessel of a body.

                When Anton was “embraced” by “broad shoulders”, this gave a symbol of being held by a father or a person you look up to. The shelter you and give a sense of protection. That was how Anton felt when he was carried up to the vehicle. Someone was there to hold and protect him. Also at the end of the passage, Mulisch had the narrator say that Anton “made an effort not to drop off to sleep again”. Those words meant that Anton ws trying not to fall into a state of weakness and vulnerability to be hurt once again.

1 comment:

  1. Larena,
    Right away state which literary devices he uses, and state what the significance is (From what the passage says, there are multiple literary devices used to bring this passage to possess a deeper significance).
    I like your focus on the meaning of individual images, such as "horse blanket" and "grey coat."

    ReplyDelete