Final answer:
John M. Barry emphasizes the complexity and dynamic nature of the Mississippi River in 'Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927' through Mark Twain's detailed and vivid imagery, showcasing the river as an entity deeply intertwined with society and the human experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, John M. Barry communicates his fascination with the Mississippi River not by describing it as a simple and static body of water, but rather by emphasizing its complexity and dynamic nature. This can be seen through the vivid details and imagery used in Mark Twain's works to depict the river. Twain himself provides a rich tableau of the river through various narrative strategies. He details the sensory experiences aboard a steamboat, Huck's observations of the sunrise over the river, and uses personal narrative to convey the river's significance in American life. These descriptions bring to life the Mississippi's ever-changing character and its impact on those living around it.
Contrary to describing the river as simple or comparing it to other calm rivers, Twain highlights the river's role in society, showing that it cannot be separated from the social world it traverses. This perspective paints the Mississippi River as a living entity, intertwined with human life and society, making it a far more complex character than a mere body of water. It's this interplay between the river and human existence, as well as its inherent dynamics, that conveys Twain's and consequently Barry's captivation with the Mississippi.