Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson - A discussion of some literary techniques used in the novel.

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson - A discussion of some literary techniques used in the novel. The novel "Snow falling on cedars" by David Guterson is an excellent literary example wherein the author has made use of several literary techniques. These techniques have been effectively placed throughout the novel and help in moving the story forward. Even more importantly, the literary devices used by the author complement the various themes in the novel, like the discrimination in society and the internal war of the two war veterans - Kabuo Miyamoto and Ishmael Chambers. The three main literary techniques and devices that are worthy of discussion are the use of motifs, symbolism and allegory. These techniques have been used intelligently by Guterson and there are several instances of the same throughout the course of the novel. Let's discuss them one at a time.A motif is a literary technique that is used in a lot of literary works and is very important to novels. A motif is a technique wherein in specific words or phrases reappear several times in the text and help complement th e central themes of the novel.Ismael, or IshmaelThis is very much like the theme, but the difference being that the theme is a statement whereas motifs can be words or phrases used to represent objects or specific incidents from the novel.In "Snow Falling on cedars", the storm is one such motif that affects the understanding of various aspects of the novel, like the characters, the society and the courtroom. The rainstorm was what made Ishmael and Hatsue meet inside the hollow cedar for the first time as lovers, when "[Ishmael] saw that Hatsue was ... no matter how long he lived."(Guterson 110-112). The storm affected the Japanese-Americans at the concentration camps and Ishmael and other soldiers during the battle which cost Ishmael his arm . The storm is actually shown to...

Compound Words in Technological Contexts

Compound Words in Technological Contexts Compound Words in Technological Contexts Compound Words in Technological Contexts By Mark Nichol â€Å"Cell phone,† or cellphone? â€Å"Home page,† or homepage? â€Å"Touch screen,† or touchscreen? Should such compounds be open, or closed? We see them both ways, so it’s difficult to know how to treat them unless you use one simple test: Choose the form based on the context. The natural progression for styling compound words is open to closed, often (but not always) with a hyphenated form as an interim phase. No ruling body authorizes the transformation, and no pattern or logic regarding the time frame applies from one compound to another. Some compounds stubbornly resist closing (â€Å"real estate†) or cling to their hyphens (mind-set), but closure is almost invariably inevitable. Thus, for example, â€Å"sea water† at some arbitrary point transformed into seawater, with a transitional period in which both forms were commonly used, followed by preponderant use of the new form (though the old form nearly always persists to some extent). Technological terms are a special case, for various reasons, including that they are coined by technologically minded people, who are not necessarily concerned about adherence to grammatical norms, and that, in the case of programming vocabulary, the practical issue of having a single string of characters to enter into a program is integral. Therefore, compounds referring to technological devices and procedures are likely to begin life as closed compounds or to be adopted in technological contexts in closed form. And that’s the key to knowing how to treat them: In general-purpose publications, you’ll likely see â€Å"file name† and â€Å"screen saver† and â€Å"voice mail,† whereas in high-tech periodicals and on high-tech websites, you’ll probably find filename and screensaver and voicemail. (There are exceptions of course; note that on this site, I have reluctantly adopted website in place of â€Å"Web site,† and I have always preferred email to e-mail.) Consider your audience, and style technological terms as appropriate. And when in doubt, depending on the context in which you are writing or editing, consult mainstream or specialized publications for models. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund PhrasesPeace of Mind and A Piece of One's Mind45 Idioms with "Roll"