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Sophia Keith Dela Cruz Ong

Mrs. Scharf

APEL

2019 September 15

"Owls and Other Fantasies" Essay Revision

In Mary Oliver’s “Owls and Other Fantasies”, nature’s amazing way of provoking

emotion and deep thought is brought to light. Using owls and flowers as examples to prove her

point, Oliver was able to further explain her insight. She enlightens the reader about our

environment’s complexity and contrasts by utilizing tools such as contrasting tones, imagery, and

rhetorical appeals.

Throughout the passage, optimistic and negative tones are constantly observed in the

beginning then towards the end of each paragraph. These tones create a contrast, but at the same

time, balance. Oliver describes owls as “swift and perfect” and calls flowers “small and lovely”

which creates a positive tone, yet at the same time calls the same subjects “excessive” and

“frightening” creating a negative tone. Similarities between vicious owls and flowers are used to

justify the balance between contrasting tones, both are beautiful and yet overwhelmingly scary.

Seeing and realizing the similarities between such opposite subjects show that the author

succeeded in delivering her message on nature. The author asserts that we rarely see the relation

between completely opposite or unrelated entities. By showing both the pros and cons, Mary

Oliver makes the reader see and perceive the world in a whole new light.
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