In an excerpt from “Owls” Mary Oliver writes in a relatively connotative formal style. This excerpt generates a vivid representation of the divergence of fear and calmness. Her Intellectual vocabulary and connotative formal language contributes to the feelings of apprehension, and after a dramatic tone change within the piece a new feeling of serenity. The author uses excellent diction, detail, as well as point of view to achieve these feelings.
This excerpt written by Mary Oliver gives the reader a look at her reaction to nature. This piece creates very dramatic images and presents the reader with a look into two different situations by the use of diction, detail, and point of view. This paper will analyze these literary tools and how the author used them to convey the feelings of apprehension, and serenity.
The author’s superior use of diction allows the reader to sense the apprehension within the piece. This excerpt begins with a vibrant description of a great horned owl in a tree. The author carries on and portrays these owls as “pure” wild hunters of the world. This is sort of sardonic because, the word pure, used alone means untainted and clean. Although when followed by ‘wild hunters of the world’, the word ‘pure’ makes this sentence come alive, creating an image of the owls out on a fearless hunt for prey, which in the end gives the reader a feeling of apprehension by showing that the owls’ main priority is to hunt. The author also explains that the owls are “merciless “against other animals. The use of the word “merciless” creates a feeling of apprehension by constructing an image of the owl attacking another animal in a heartless way with the intent to kill. The author continues on and labels the owl a “death-bringer” this word alone creates a feeling of apprehension, because it clearly describes the owl as a direct source of death. The author of this piece uses diction in a way, which instantaneously generates mental visualizations in the reader to form feelings of apprehension and eventually create a slight feeling of dread regarding the owl.
In addition to excellent diction, the author also uses exceptional detail. The detail used by the author creates a feeling of apprehension in the reader by giving references to sights, smells, and the sense of hearing. While the owl is in the tree the author “listen[ed] to the heavy, crisp, breathy snapping of its hooked beak.” This creates a feeling of apprehension by transporting the reader into the story so that the reader feels as if they can hear the fear-provoking sounds of the owl in the tree while they are reading, like they were there themselves. The author also talks about the scream of the owl; she describes it as “the sheer rollicking glory of the death-bringer”. Through the use of diction in this sentence it creates a feeling of apprehension by manipulating the grammar for an artistic effect, which allows the reader to fully recognize and appreciate the intentions of the author.
This piece is written in first person, this gives the reader the ability to feel the same emotions as the narrator, so as a result the reader reacts in accord with the narrator. The author says that “the great horned I can’t imagine in any such proximity – if one of those should touch me, it would be to the center of my life, and I must fall.” The first person point of view emphasizes the feeling of apprehension within the piece. Without the first person point of view the reader would not be able to feel the emotions in the same light that the author does.
In the middle of the piece there is a tone shift, the tone changes from apprehension and fear to serenity and calmness. The concluding part of this paper will look at the literary tools of diction, detail, and point of view and how they contribute to the creation of this softer tone.
The author’s impressive use of diction creates a feeling of serenity after the tone shift. The author transitions from talking about death and destruction to “immobilizing” happiness. The use of the word “immobilizing’ before ‘happiness’ creates a feeling of serenity and calmness, stating that there was an overwhelming rush of happiness so great that the narrator became motionless. Although as a result of viewing the authors connotative way of writing this may be intended to be perceived as emotionally immobilized.
