Response to “Two Ways of Seeing a River” Essay

In â€Å"Two Ways of Seeing a River,† author Mark Twain uses a blocked structured comparative analysis of the river to describe how he feels about the river, or â€Å"sees† it now that he has â€Å"learned† it and there is less beautiful mystery associated with it. Twain develops each paragraph to using metaphor, â€Å"A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood† (par. 1), simile, â€Å" a long , ruffled trail that shone like silver† (par. 1) , and personification, â€Å"There were graceful curves† (par. 1) to describe vividly how he sees the river before and after his mastering of the water. After Twain masters the river, he follows his previously established pattern in paragraph one to develop in order the contrasts of the river now that it is no longer a mystery. He describes the same river with more somber, less colorful language, â€Å"This sun means we that we are going to have wind tomorrow† (par. 2). What Twain is really comparing is his romantic, uneducated view of the river to his more rational, understood knowledge on how to navigate and survive on the water. Work Cited Twain, Mark. â€Å"Two Ways of Seeing a River†