Skip to main content

What are some literary devices used in Ray Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day"?

Some of the devices Ray Bradbury uses repeatedly in his short story are similes, metaphors, hyperbole, and asyndeton. Bradbury uses numerous simileswhen describing the children and the sun. Describing how the children press together to look out the window, he says they are "like so many roses, so many weeds." Later the children are "like a feverish wheel," "like animals escaped from their caves," "like so many stakes," and "like leaves before a new...

Some of the devices Ray Bradbury uses repeatedly in his short story are similes, metaphors, hyperbole, and asyndeton. Bradbury uses numerous similes when describing the children and the sun. Describing how the children press together to look out the window, he says they are "like so many roses, so many weeds." Later the children are "like a feverish wheel," "like animals escaped from their caves," "like so many stakes," and "like leaves before a new hurricane." The sun is "like a lemon," "like a fire," "like a penny," and "like a warm iron."


Metaphors are used to describe the rain. It is compared to tidal waves, a "tatting drum," and to clear beads from a necklace that fall on the roof and disappear. Margot is metaphorically described as an "old photograph dusted from an album" and a ghost. Bradbury compares the stopping of the rain to film that suddenly gets ripped from the projector and replaced with a still photograph. Metaphors used to describe the Venus jungle include "a nest of octopi, clustering up great arms of fleshlike weed," "rubber," "mattresses,"and "white cheeses." The silence that the children enjoy during the hour of sunshine is compared to a sea. 


Hyperbole is used in the following phrase:  "the gigantic sound of the rain falling in tons and avalanches, everywhere and forever."


Bradbury often uses asyndeton, putting phrases together without conjunctions, to give his writing energy. Here is an example:  "Lightning struck ten miles away, five miles away, a mile, a half mile." Here is another example: "a film concerning an avalanche, a tornado, a hurricane, a volcanic eruption." 


Bradbury packs his little story full of various literary devices, making it more enjoyable to read. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more