Nia Patel, 1103, 045, IHWJ # 1

In this passage on page 26 in the description of the Mississippi River, Mark Twain uses strong
adjectives like “great” “majestic” and “magnificent” to help paint a picture of the Mississippi River
creating a powerful image for the reader. He contrasts the dense forest from above with the
town that is below whilst framing the river into its surroundings. Twain's use of figurative
language as he states the river being “turned into a sort of sea” adds a sense of mystery and
emptiness. The combination of works stitched as “still”, “lonely”, and “brilliant” shows the
different emotions which help to further develop the scene.

In the passage on page 31, Mark Twain describes the mate's character. He portrays the same
as someone admirable although he doesn't have positive personal feelings associated with him.
The mate's physical presence is emphasized throughout the passage as the author states that
he is “huge” and “muscular” and his position in charge is shown by his physical resemblance.
Twain uses particular language to help the reader vividly understand the mate's almost rude
communication style, as he compares them to a blast of lightning. Through these descriptions,
the author can fully describe the mate's personality by creating a vivid image for the reader.

In chapter V twain meets two men who could be his teacher. One is the mate who teaches him
how to understand the river and how to drive a steamboat. He is explaining to him how the
water and sandbars work. The other guy that he meets is the watchman. From him Twain learns
about the fun of being a pilot. The night watchman tells him about how beautiful the river is
when its dark and how there is a connection between it and the poets.From him twain learns not
only practical skills but also he gets inspired by the view that the nightwatchman has.