Prose techniques in go tell it on the mountain
Stylistic Prose Techniques
Tyler O’Brien
Baldwin, James. Go Tell it on the Mountain, New York, New York; Dell Publishing, 1952.
1. A metaphor is a comparison between to unlike things. “Broadway; the way that led to death was broad, and many could be fund thereon; but narrow was the way that led to life eternal, and few there were who found it.” (Pg. 34) Baldwin uses this effectively because he is comparing Broadway, a street in New York, to the Peoples’ Souls that hang around Broadway. It helps Baldwin to emphasize the presence of sin and to further develop the protagonist, John.
2. Foreshadowing is a warning of a future event. “ ‘He’d let you go right on,’ she flashed, ‘right on down to hell where it looks like you just determined to go anyhow! Right on, Mister Man, till somebody puts a knife in you, or takes you off to Jail!’” (Pg. 24) Baldwin uses this example of foreshadowing to warn the reader that Roy, John’s brother, will get stabbed.
3. Imagery is the use of words to evoke a mental image in the readers head. “More than his words, his face caused John to stiffen instantly with malice and fear. His father’s face was terrible in anger but now there was more than anger in it… And John knew, in the moment his father’s eyes swept over him, that he hated John because john was not lying on the sofa where Roy lay. ” (Pg. 42-43) This example of imagery not only vividly depicts Johns experience, but it expresses the deep hate that is between John and his father.
4. A metaphor is comparing to things that are unalike. “John wanted to turn and flee, as though he had encountered in the jungle some evil beast, crouching and ravenous, with eyes like Hell unclosed…” (Pg. 48) Baldwin uses this example effectively because he is comparing John’s father to an evil beast. His father is not actually an evil beast, but is helps to show that Johns father really might not be the man he says he is. If he’s so religious, why are his children so scared of him? (Sarcasm)
5.
Tyler O’Brien
Baldwin, James. Go Tell it on the Mountain, New York, New York; Dell Publishing, 1952.
1. A metaphor is a comparison between to unlike things. “Broadway; the way that led to death was broad, and many could be fund thereon; but narrow was the way that led to life eternal, and few there were who found it.” (Pg. 34) Baldwin uses this effectively because he is comparing Broadway, a street in New York, to the Peoples’ Souls that hang around Broadway. It helps Baldwin to emphasize the presence of sin and to further develop the protagonist, John.
2. Foreshadowing is a warning of a future event. “ ‘He’d let you go right on,’ she flashed, ‘right on down to hell where it looks like you just determined to go anyhow! Right on, Mister Man, till somebody puts a knife in you, or takes you off to Jail!’” (Pg. 24) Baldwin uses this example of foreshadowing to warn the reader that Roy, John’s brother, will get stabbed.
3. Imagery is the use of words to evoke a mental image in the readers head. “More than his words, his face caused John to stiffen instantly with malice and fear. His father’s face was terrible in anger but now there was more than anger in it… And John knew, in the moment his father’s eyes swept over him, that he hated John because john was not lying on the sofa where Roy lay. ” (Pg. 42-43) This example of imagery not only vividly depicts Johns experience, but it expresses the deep hate that is between John and his father.
4. A metaphor is comparing to things that are unalike. “John wanted to turn and flee, as though he had encountered in the jungle some evil beast, crouching and ravenous, with eyes like Hell unclosed…” (Pg. 48) Baldwin uses this example effectively because he is comparing John’s father to an evil beast. His father is not actually an evil beast, but is helps to show that Johns father really might not be the man he says he is. If he’s so religious, why are his children so scared of him? (Sarcasm)
5.