Final answer:
The author uses vivid imagery, similes, and sensory details to bring experiences to life, engaging readers and providing a deep cultural context. Mark Twain's comparisons, like the behavior of a squirrel to his own actions, effectively pull the reader into the action.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author uses connections and figurative language to make his experiences come to life by utilizing sensory details that appeal to the readers' senses, drawing comparisons that enhance understanding, and creating a vivid cultural context. Imagery is heavily employed to engage readers; this is especially effective in personal narratives and memoirs where the goal is to make the reader feel present within the story. Mark Twain effectively uses this technique in his work as he recounts experiences of learning to pilot a steamboat on the Mississippi River. The use of similes, such as comparing his climbing of the wheel to a squirrel, conveys his feelings and actions more vividly than a simple description would offer.
By establishing clear connections to culture and using transitionary language, the writer presents a structured and cohesive piece that not only tells a story but also immerses the reader into the cultural and experiential realm of the narrative.