Enrique's Journey: Analyzing Narrative Techniques

Understanding the Excerpt

Read the excerpt from Enrique’s Journey.

Enrique greets the dawn without incident. The stars recede. The sky lightens behind the mountains to the east, and mist rises off the fields on both sides of the tracks. Men trot by on burros with tin milk containers strapped to their saddles, starting their morning deliveries.

Narrative Technique and Author's Purpose

Which narrative technique does the author include in this excerpt, and how does it support the author’s purpose?

A. The author uses dialogue to evoke a sense of happiness.

B. The author uses characterization to show bitter feelings.

C. The author uses setting to show a sense of accomplishment.

D. The author uses structure to show the sequence of events.

Answer

The author of Enrique's Journey uses setting to create a vivid atmosphere, implying a sense of calmness or accomplishment after a long journey, rather than using dialogue, characterization, or structure.

Explanation

From the excerpt provided from Enrique's Journey, the narrative technique utilized by the author can be best described as the use of setting to convey a particular mood or atmosphere. The details of the rising sun, the stars receding, the lightening sky, and the men starting their morning deliveries work to establish a vivid setting that captures a tranquil and routine start to the day. This sense of tranquility and routine could entail a sense of normalcy or even accomplishment after a long night, supporting the author's purpose of showing Enrique's enduring journey towards a hopeful morning. There is no direct mention of dialogue or characterization that evokes happiness or bitter feelings, nor is the focus on the structure to show the sequence of events. Instead, the description of the setting takes precedence, helping to immerse the reader in Enrique's world and experience.

Read the excerpt above and answer the following question: What is the narrative technique used by the author in the excerpt from Enrique's Journey?

The narrative technique used by the author in the excerpt from Enrique's Journey is setting.

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