Descriptive Language and its affect

[AshleyYoon]

In the novel, forms of descriptive language is used broadly for the readers to understand and visually witness the character's point of view. How does the use of that enhance the story in literary ways? Use quotes and MLA citations.

[melanie]

I found that in Marie-Laure's side of the story there was more description because she was blind, and the author had to use other sensory details to really help the reader create an image in their mind. For example, the author writes, "Now her world has turned gray. Gray faces and gray quiet and a gray nervous terror hanging over the queue at the bakery and the only color in the world briefly kindled when Etienne climbs the stairs to the attic, knees cracking, to read one more string of numbers into the ether, to send another of Madame Ruelle’s messages, to play a song. That little attic bursting with magenta and aquamarine and gold for five minutes, and then the radio switches off, and the gray rushes back in, and her uncle stumps back down the stairs” (Doerr 353). The author not only utilizes color to create different moods, but also imagery. With the stark contrast between the gray and the colors, the reader goes from a maybe, heavy, dark, gloomy mood to a comparatively light-hearted feel. The use of color descriptions was also a nice break from the somber feel of the war, and provided the reader insight on how Marie-Laure views the world, and gives the reader another way to see and feel things around them.

[sophielowy]

I believe that the use of descriptive language throughout the novel strengthens the understanding of the novel that the readers obtains. I agree with the observation that more descriptive writing was used in Marie-Laure's side of the story. The author must use this type of word choices due to the fact that Marie is blind. Although throughout the novel there are many passages with excellent descriptive language, although one passage that stood out to me was, "When she raises her face to the sky, she can feel the thousand tiny spines of raindrops melt onto her cheeks, her forehead. She hears Madame Manec's raspy breathing, and the deep sounding of the sea among the rocks, and the calls of someone down the beach echoing off the high walls" (Doerr 231). The author uses imagery to create a meticulous setting in which Marie grows and develops. The choice of words that the author has blurs the line between reality and the book. The reader almost feels as though they are inside the book living among the characters. This feeling is all created due to the high level of descriptive language that allows the reader to smell the flowers off the page and see the world through characters eyes.