Read the following excerpt from the novel Night.
By now, I moved like a sleepwalker. I sometimes closed my eyes and it was like running while asleep. Now and then, someone kicked me violently from behind and I would wake up . The man in back of me was screaming, "Run faster. If you don't want to move, let us pass you." But all I had to do was close my eyes to see a whole world pass before me, to dream of another life.
The road was endless. To allow oneself to be carried by the mob, to be swept away by blind fate. When the SS were tired, they were replaced. But no one replaced us. Chilled to the bone, our throats parched, famished, out of breath, we pressed on. We were the masters of nature, the masters of the world. We had transcended everything—death , fatigue, our natural needs .
We were stronger than cold and hunger, stronger than the guns and the desire to die, doomed and rootless, nothing but numbers, we were the only men on earth.
At last, the morning star appeared in the gray sky. A hesitant light began to hover on the horizon. We were exhausted, we had lost all strength, all illusion.
The Kommandant announced that we had already covered twenty kilometers since we left. Long since, we had exceeded the limits of fatigue. Our legs moved mechanically, in spite of us, without us.
1) As you read the text, identify any words/phrases that carry strong connotations (positive or negative. Explain how these words/phrases develop the tone and the mood.
2) As you read the text, identify any figurative language and/or imagery. Explain how these words/phrases develop the tone and mood of the text.
Explain to me what a possitive connotation is and what a negative connotation is. Then we can progress from there
I will only do first two
I moved like a sleepwalker- Simile (uses like or as)
The road was endless- hyperbole (exaggeration)
1) Words/phrases that carry strong connotations in the excerpt include:
- "moved like a sleepwalker": This phrase implies a sense of detachment and disorientation, emphasizing the speaker's physical and mental exhaustion.
- "kicked me violently from behind": The word "violently" suggests brutality and aggression, creating a negative connotation and adding to the feeling of mistreatment.
- "dream of another life": The word "dream" carries connotations of hope and escapism, contrasting with the harsh reality of the situation.
- "endless road": The word "endless" connotes a sense of hopelessness and despair, contributing to a negative tone.
- "chilled to the bone": The phrase "chilled to the bone" intensifies the feeling of extreme cold, emphasizing the harsh conditions the speaker is enduring.
- "masters of nature, masters of the world": These phrases give connotations of power and control, creating a positive tone that contrasts with the speaker's actual powerlessness.
- "exhausted, lost all strength, all illusion": These words convey a sense of complete fatigue and disillusionment, contributing to a negative and bleak mood.
2) Figurative language and imagery in the text include:
- "running while asleep": This is a metaphor, comparing the speaker's state of exhaustion to sleepwalking, emphasizing their lack of control and awareness.
- "a whole world pass before me": This is an image of a dreamlike experience, using visual language to convey the speaker's detachment from reality.
- "the road was endless": This is a metaphor, likening the physical journey to an unending path, creating a sense of hopelessness and monotony.
- "the morning star appeared in the gray sky": This is an image of the dawn breaking, representing a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.
- "our legs moved mechanically, in spite of us, without us": This is personification, giving human characteristics to the legs and conveying the speaker's sense of being controlled by fatigue.
1) One word that carries a negative connotation in this excerpt is "fate." The phrase "to be swept away by blind fate" suggests a sense of powerlessness and lack of control. This contributes to the overall tone of despair and hopelessness in the passage.
Another word with a negative connotation is "doomed." This word implies an unavoidable, tragic fate, emphasizing the bleakness and sense of impending doom that the narrator feels.
On the other hand, a phrase that carries a positive connotation is "morning star." The morning star symbolizes a new day, hope, and the possibility of a fresh start. It brings a glimmer of light and some relief from the darkness, adding a note of optimism amidst the surrounding despair.
2) One example of figurative language in this excerpt is the phrase "we moved like sleepwalkers." This simile compares the movement of the prisoners to that of people walking in their sleep, emphasizing their exhaustion and lack of awareness. It contributes to the mood of weariness and detachment.
The use of the phrase "running while asleep" is another example of figurative language. It creates a vivid image of the narrator's state, emphasizing the disconnection from reality and the dreamlike quality of their journey.
The passage also contains imagery, such as "the road was endless." This visual image of an unending, monotonous road reinforces the tiresome and oppressive nature of their journey, adding to the overall mood of exhaustion and hardship. Another example is "our legs moved mechanically." This image suggests a lack of agency and control, as if their bodies are operating on autopilot, further enhancing the tone of physical and emotional fatigue.
Overall, the use of figurative language and imagery in this excerpt helps to deepen the tone and mood by evoking powerful visual and sensory images that convey the narrator's experiences and emotions.