In Robert Frost’s poem, the imagery brings about a sad and depressing mood. In the line, “I have looked down the saddest city lane.” You can observe that the character is taking in his surroundings, which prove to be gloomy and depressing. It almost shows that he has a very negative outlook on life, like he’s stuck in a state of depression. On the other hand, in Dickinson’s poem the imagery brings about a state of confusion almost as if the narrator is lost in the darkness. This can be seen in “The Bravest – grope a little – And sometimes hit a Tree Directly in the Forehead – But as they learn to see –” This line shows that the narrator is lost in the night and doesn’t know where to go, due to the inability to see anything in the dark.
Being given it's own unique persona to this ghost-story recurrent steam train with its unpleasant sense of isolation and being described as "trapped in a cold tomb". The use of a simile heightens the ghastly connotation of the area that he is arriving too. The normal adjective cold being used as a adverb gives the train a negative feel but almost personifies it like a living
The Minnesota winter is described by Dexter as “shut down like the white lid of a box.” Dexter’s dissatisfaction echoes this, as he yearns for the “glittering things” but is living amongst the plain. Dexter’s dreams, like the lid of a box, shut down and close. After learning of Judy’s marriage and realizing the charm and vitality he was so drawn to and inspired by is gone, his emotions vanish, and his dreams turn into memories. The green, open-spaced golf course days turn into cold, harsh, lonesome ones. Only winter can represent how Dexter’s life changed into a bitter loneliness.
Self created or felt from another persons doing, this separation of ones being must be dealt with. Life comes with its misfortunes. Isolation and abandonment alongside poverty; all battlefields which have their heroes; obscure heroes, sometimes greater than the memorable heroes. Mary Helen Washington, a novelist and a critic, quoted that in reading the story, “A Jury of Her Peers”, written by Susan Glaspell, possess “a tremendous sense of…isolation” (Penfield 87). This short story offers a real sense of its dramatic dialogue, describing the very nature of isolation and its eerie sense, dwelling in several scenarios throughout this story.
The personification of ‘the night’s dark glass’ creates an image of shock which has a lasting impact on the reader .This is supposedly transferred from the author, thus implying that their life has been left in pieces by the news the telephone brings. The unconventional image of ‘dark’ glass (glass is generally seen as a light, transparent material) could be the author foreshadowing the gloomy event the poem will continue to describe or otherwise symbolise the author’s his depression. One could imagine, through the personification of the telephone and night, the glass enclosing on the author whilst the telephone bringing him back to reality. This symbolises the author’s emotions once he heard the news and the on going difficulty he has controlling them. The idea of ‘new year’ implies rebirth and regeneration which is juxtaposed by the author’s dread of what he will hear.
Murray’s “Driving Through Sawmill towns’, “Spring Hail” and Sean Doherty’s “Bra Boys” biography explores multiple themes of identity. The three texts explored are both linked to identity, showing isolation, a sense of community and finally belonging. This is done by the use of a variety of techniques and language features. The issue of isolating is explored in Murray’s “driving through sawmill towns” by showing the loneliness of the towns people in which the poem is set. This is portrayed through the quote “Evenings are very quiet, all round the forest is there”.
The slogan of “freedom is slavery” (Orwell 6) further creates the mood of depression. In today’s society, freedom is valued. Placing something that is so valued with something so cruel creates a depressed mood for the reader. Lastly, Orwell’s description of the setting of the first chapter creates a depressed mood. An example of Orwell’s depressing setting occurs when he describes the world as cold (Orwell 4).
They also notice "the gloomy curve of the moor" and "the jagged and sinister hills" in the distance. When Sir Charles and Watson arrive at Baskerville Hall, they think it is very gloomy, with its iron gates, the ruined stone lodge, and the long drive with dark trees hanging over it. The Hall has two Gothic looking towers, which are covered with ivy, and inside, the main parlor is darkly paneled. The dining room is also very dreary, and is decorated with intimidating portraits of stern ancestors. In the night there are frightening sounds.
Winter is given a negative feeling in the poem and though the word ‘winter’ is never used, it is implied. An image of slowing fading from autumn to winter is given throughout the poem. It is apparent that there is not a quick change between the two seasons, but more so a painful and unwanted transition. The first line of the first stanza opens with “slow moves the acid breath”. The first word of the poem sets a calm soothing slow atmosphere that is contrasted with the following word acid.
Themes paint emotions in the readers mind, and the emotions change the way the book is read. Cold Mountain draws out many emotions in the reader, such as sadness and perseverance toward the end of the novel. However, The Road draws the emotions of happiness and compassion in the end. Within the two novels, there are distinct similarities between the theme of death and the setting’s dangers in the novels. There are also obvious differences between each books main characters, Inman and Father.