Figurative Language:
Simile
Simile
The author uses a simile in paragraph 5. What two things are being compared?
Clouds to batter
Clouds to an avalanche
What non-human thing is acting human, and what human action does it do?
The river is personified; it “talks.”
What is the Tone shift that occurs in this story?
Reflective to Suspenseful/intense
Name TWO memoir signals you can find in this excerpt.
First-person (I/me/my)
Reflection
Real place/ Real time
Intense sensory details
Writer's inner thoughts
Based on the storm details, what can you infer about how dangerous the situation is?
Very dangerous!
Flooding/wind/lightning & urgency suggests real danger.
Pick ONE storm simile and explain what it suggests about the storm (in your own words).
“like a dark gray avalanche” suggests it’s fast, overwhelming, impossible to stop.
What feeling does the personification create between the narrator and the river?
Connectedness
"Like a buddy"
Memoir authors often share their feelings and reactions. How does sharing feelings affect tone?
Makes the voice personal, reflective, and “real." Like the author is sitting at a campfire telling you a story.
A writer alludes to Thor during a storm scene. How would you visualize the storm?
Loud
Powerful
Intense
Strong
Infer why he needs shelter, not land, immediately instead of waiting it out in open water.
Reaching land is unsafe right now, so he chooses immediate shelter.
Similes help us visualize and feel the scene. What image do you “see” from the simile about the rain approaching?
"Like army scouts"
I feel the drizzle before a big storm in the summer.
“Then the river whispered, ‘Get ready. Get ready.’”
What does this personification do for the scene?
It builds suspense. Nature feels like it’s warning him.
Pick ONE detail from the storm section and name the mood it creates (and why).
Suspenseful/tense/dangerous because the details show risk and intensity.
Allusions have implied meaning (connotation). What is the implied meaning of referencing Kryptonite during a fight scene?
It implies a weakness or vulnerability to a very strong character.
Paragraph 4 is a "turning point" in the excerpt. Why would a turning point matter in a storm story?
It’s when things shift from calm to dangerous; it changes the mood and adds the danger.
Similes can shape mood. Choose ONE simile from the storm scene and name a mood word it supports (and why).
Suspenseful/tense/dangerous
The comparisons make the storm feel unstoppable.
Name TWO figurative language moments from the storm scene and explain how each builds suspense.
"like army scouts." (Simile)
Scouts come before the army.
"Then the river whispered, 'Get ready. Get ready.'" (Personification)
A warning from nature.
What is surprising about his feelings in Paragraph 10-11, compared to what most people would feel?
He’s calm/amazed instead of panicked; that contrast stands out. (Juxtaposition)
Precise language helps readers picture exactly what’s happening. Rewrite this vague idea using ONE vivid verb + ONE specific detail:
“Trees made noise in the storm.”
The oaks groaned as the storm violently shook them.
The background info says Harris was a “city dweller” and “unprepared” for the trip. What can you infer about why the trip is risky for him?
He may lack experience with wilderness/river dangers. This makes him have a higher chance of making mistakes.
The text includes a metaphor too, “far curtain of the insulated air”.
Explain what that metaphor helps you picture.
Warmth trapped behind a barrier. The air feels sealed off like a curtain.
If you removed personification, the river would feel like “just water.” Explain how the meaning would change if the river did NOT seem alive.
The scene becomes less emotional/less suspenseful; the river stops feeling like a character/guide.
Overall mood can be supported by evidence. Choose TWO sentences from the excerpt that best support the overall storm mood and explain why each one is strong evidence.
"No sooner had I ducked into the trees than the sky split open with a loud crash and a splintery crackle of lightning." (Paragraph 8)
"The canoe was twisted about, and water poured over the side." (Paragraph 10)
In Mississippi Solo, the author alludes to “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” with “Water, water everywhere…”.
What idea does this allusion add to the storm scene?
Even though water is everywhere, it’s not helping. It’s part of the danger/trap, making the moment feel desperate/perilous.
Infer ONE reason he chooses a journey like this (beyond just “for fun”).
Escape routine
Feel alive
Learn about himself
Connect with nature