Answer to Question #289065 in English for Kelsey Jand

Question

Lord of the Flies Study Guide Questions

Direction: Your answers need to be thorough, and where possible, quote the text (with citation).

Chapter 7

Syntax: What type of syntax is used in the following statement, “but here faced by the brute obtuseness of the ocean, the miles of division, one was clamped down, one was helpless, one was condemned, one was-” ? What is the effect of this statement? How does the syntax change in the paragraph beginning, “Once, following his father from Chatham to Davenport . . .?” What is the effect of this change?

Expert's answer: The use of repetition corresponds to thoughts of the expanse of the ocean and the impossibility of rescue, heightening the improbability of rescue. On the other side of the island, "swathed at midday with mirage, defended by the shield of the quiet lagoon, one might dream of rescue," but, on this side, "the brute obtuseness of the ocean" makes rescue seem impossible. < Doesn't answer the effect of the syntax's change.

Answer 1

The use of repetition evokes images of the vastness of the ocean and the impossibility of rescue, emphasizing the sense of impossibility. On the other side of the island, "swathed in mirage at midday, guarded by the shield of the peaceful lagoon, one might dream of rescue," while on this side, "the brute obtuseness of the ocean" appears to make rescue impossible. The use of repetition corresponds to thoughts of the expanse of the ocean and the impossibility of rescue, heightening the improbability of rescue.