Question

Writers organize their writings to make an impact on their readers. In Muir's writing about the Calypso Borealis, he places opposing views of his journey close together. Read the following paragraph and explain the opposite views present in the paragraph. What impact does Muir make when he places these opposite views close together?

How long I sat beside Calypso I don't know. Hunger and weariness vanished, and only after the sun was low in the west I splashed on through the swamp, strong and exhilarated as if never more to feel any mortal care. At length I saw maple woods on a hill and found." When I told her I had entered it in search of plants and had been in it all day, she wondered how plants could draw me to these awful places, and said, "It's god's mercy ye ever got out."

Answer 1

The opposing views in this paragraph begin in the first sentence, where Muir says that he sat so long at the side of Calypso that he lost his hunger. In this sentence, he seems bored and tired. Soon afterwards he says that his tiredness and hunger disappeared and he felt strong and cheerful after the sun went down. At this point, we have the impression that the place where Muir is a good and invigorating place, since it had that effect in his mood and disposition. But soon after, a woman arrives with a negative view of the place that had a positive effect on Muir. These opposing views make the reader wonder if, after all, the place where Muir was sitting was good or bad. The author does this, to sharpen the reader's sense of interpretation and make each one draw their own conclusions about the place.

Answer 2

The impact that Muir makes when he places these opposite views close together is that, he actually perplexes the reader about whether the place was great or awful. One person is actually exhilarated by the beauty of the place while the other person thinks the place is awful. I hope the answer has come to your help.