Diction In The Rattler

The author’s techniques used in “The Rattler” convey the obligation the man feels to kill the snake, but also his regret at having to take the life of a living thing. The reader feels the weight of the predicament through contrast in diction,

The author’s diction heightens the power and force behind the snake as it responds to the man. When the man first stumbles across the rattlesnake, it is “undulant” while “waiting” and holding its ground in calm “watchfulness.” The diction conveys slight tension in the otherwise still setting. The atmosphere feels tranquil, and while the snake is cautious, it is still at ease. This tranquility disappears, however, as the man attacks, and the snake “shoots” into a dense bush and shakes its “furious” signal after a “twitch” of its tail. The snake’s movements show much more power than they did before the man attacked. In turn, the atmosphere becomes more tense as the snake becomes more forceful. The diction describing the snake before and after the man attacks creates a contrast
As the snake dies it “strikes passionately once more at the hoe” and “there is blood in his mouth and poison dripping from his fangs.” The imagery dramatizes the image of the snake’s power being drained. The reader can visualize the transition from a once fierce snake to a lifeless carcass. In response to the killing of the snake, the man feels regret for the necessity of the circumstance, as “it was all a nasty sight, pitiful…” and “he could see it as he might have let it go, sinuous and self respecting in departure over the twilit sands.” This is a reflection of what could have been, and reveals the man’s conflicting feelings on what was necessary. The pitiful scene of the snake’s death adds to the man’s regret. The imagery in the passage emphasizes the idea of “what could have been” and therefore the man’s internal