- Metaphor- “The second violin is a Slovak, a tall, gaunt man with black-rimmed spectacles and the mute and patient nature of an overdriven mule.” (8)
- Hyperbole- “Now Antanus Rudkus was the meekest man that God ever put on the universe.” (67)
- Rhetorical Question- “…and it was so very weak of them that they cried out for a little peace.” (80)
- Simile- “…it had fallen upon him like a lightning stroke.” (199)
- Volta- “…he would cling there until he was driven off, for every mile he got away from Packingtown meant another load from his mind.
Whenever the cars stopped a warm breeze blew upon him…” (235)
The various forms of rhetorical strategies that are found in this book succeed in amplifying the horrible vision that Sinclair was attempting to create. The metaphors found in the first ten pages were important parts of the initial description of the wedding that proved to be so momentous for the lives of Jurgis and Ona. Sinclair was able to create very distinct images of the mediocre musicians he was describing and this very effective style created an effect that may otherwise have gone unnoticed. More towards the middle of the novel while Jurgis is in the dirty and dangerous Packingtown he boards the train and as he rides away the tone immediately shifts to a much more positive Sinclair. Possibly what he would imagine the U.S. to look like if it became a communist state. Upton Sinclair’s novel while being extremely successfully crafted was buttressed immensely by the rhetorical strategies he combined into the story.
When I found rhetorical strategies in the book, I was unsure of what side Sinclair was taking. Perhaps, as you mentioned, it was because of his different uses of strategies at different times in the book. However, I do think Sinclair's view of America is very tangible-- corruption has taken over the people and it will only continue to cycle more. I wonder though, why you think he thought America was communist? I never thought of that concept.
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