The Art of Exposition in “The Last Hunt of Dorax”
Throughout the short story “The Last Hunt of Dorax” many scenes are exposited upon in great detail in an effort to draw the reader deep into the weave of words spun by the author. Even though she used few words I often found the settings described by Olive Huck to be exceptionally beautiful, often reminding me of my own experiences in the brush lands of east Texas and southern California. Reading her work, I can truly see and feel the detail around me, pulling me in, forcing me to become invested in her characters and the outcome she has planned. After reading this short story there can be no doubt that the written word is art and in the hands of an artist such as Olive Huck can be arranged
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into patterns of exquisite beauty. The first paragraph is a perfect example of the message I am trying to convey. “The flock had passed through the double gates into their fold, headed by the three-legged ram, whose agility was unimpaired by his infirmity. The air still held the wooly taint of their passage. The hundreds of hoofs had ceased their patter – a sound in this dry region refreshingly suggestive of the swift fall of raindrops” (1) Olive did not waste an opportunity, in the very first paragraph she hooked the reader by describing in detail exactly where she wants her audience to be.
When she describes the three-legged ram as being untroubled by the loss of his leg, it becomes easy to visualize the ram limping along in front of the other rams, setting the pace as the head of the herd. When the air is described as having a wooly taint that has lingered after the rams passing, you can actually smell it, breathe it in, and feel like you are physically there experiencing such a thing for yourself. This is the first paragraph and Olive Huck has already shown a firm grasp of the concept “show don’t …show more content…
tell”. The next bit of exposition I chose simply for its beauty, for as I was reading it, all I could think was that I had to share such a description with someone else so that they too might glimpse the scene that manifest behind my eyes.
“Although wary, Dorax kept wide-eyed vigil on this glorious white night, when the white, semi-tropic moon silvered every object with its own purity” (4) As I read the quote above I couldn’t help but remember all the nights I had spent outside staring at the moon, and as I relived those scenes from my past I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Dorax and I shared more than just common scenery, maybe we shared a mood or mindset as well. As the thought crossed my mind I found myself feeling as one with Dorax. Even knowing the end of the story, I felt the immersion into Dorax’s life to be a very happy and pleasant experience. This is because even as a dog I feel Olive did a great job of making sure the reader could relate and feel Dorax. I believe this speaks wonders about Olive Huck’s writing ability and empathy towards all she
saw. The last scene I wish to present is one that shows conflict. The last two scenes had been the author setting the tone and mood by describing the calmness of the dusty ranch. This quote is meant to grab you and drag you into a place you don’t want to be. “Enveloped in a haze of red dust, dripping with blood, they continued the terrific struggle. The old wolf, bleeding and torn, snorted and puffed the hair of his adversary from his mouth and nostrils; he snapped and snarled as he mangled. Dorax fought silently, with the desperation of nearly exhausted strength.” (6) If you can read such writing and not feel pulled into the conflict, then, in my personal opinion, you aren’t really reading but simply noticing words on a page. From the description of the dogs, to the dust, to the blood you can see and feel it all as if it is happening around you. The way she describes Dorax as he struggles under the over burden of exhaustion yet keeps fighting puts a knot in my stomach and makes me wish I could do something to help. This conflict made for a very rugged yet immersive look into the struggle between a dog and his inner nature. After reading this short story it would be very difficult for me, or anyone else for that matter, to deny that words can be arranged into patterns of such beauty and interest that it cannot be described as anything other than art. This isn’t the first time I have felt so immersed in a story, but it is the first time in a long time. Because of this I would like to thank Dr. Bodily for giving our class this assignment and once again opening my mind to literature as art. I would also like to thank Olive Huck; I believe the three quotes provided above are more than enough to cement her as an exceptional talent in the field of artistic exposition. Work Cited Huck, Olive. The Last Hunt Of Dorax. The Century Magazine, 1901.
From an early age the artist felt ostracized from nature and his only connection to wild life was through the natural museum of history and his uncle’s house, which was filled with taxidermy. His parents were divorced and his father suffered from alcoholism. His tough childhood forced Walton Ford to find humor in the challenging aspe...
In her short story “The Last Hunt of Dorax” Olive Huck presents a sheep dog, named Dorax, who is faced with conflict when his secret life of running with the wolves catches up with him. Throughout the short story the owner of the ranch, Marshall Ridgeway, and his friend James Andrews discuss Dorax and how unique of a sheep dog he is. James Andrews has his suspicions that Dorax may not be the admirable, loyal dog that Marshall Ridgeway believes he is. In the story wolves have become an increasingly large problem by killing many of the sheep in the town and Andrews speculates that Dorax may even be hunting with the wolves and went as far as confusing Dorax with a wolf when saying “Looks mighty like a wolf a-comin” (Huck 748). However, Ridgeway remained very loyal to Dorax throughout the story and even gave him privileges, such as going inside, that the other sheep dogs did not have. I believe that this
ultimately defends the wild in all of its forms. He opens the novel with a narrative story about a
The Mother is among a family of four who lives on a small farm and takes immense pride in what interests her, however her passion does not particularly lie in her two children; James and David; nor in her husband and their interests; but instead lies within her chickens. Though chickens bring the most joy to the Mother, they are not the sole animals that live on the farm. The animal that draws the most interest from the father, James and David is their horse, Scott. At a young age, Scott was used as a working mule for the family and grew up alongside the Father and two Sons. To the father, Scott was like one of his own sons, and to James and David, Scott was like their brother; but according to the Mother, “He’s been worthless these last few years”(Macleod, 267). Ever since Scott was young, he was a burden on the Mother’s lifestyle; she never took a liking to the horse even when he served as a source of profit for the family. The Mother had never appreciated the sentimental value that Scott possessed because he had never been a particular interest to her. Once Scott had aged and was no longer able...
She then moves on to describe each of the characters, and in doing so, their surroundings and how they fit in: "He was cold and wet, and the best part of the day had been used up anyway. He wiped his hands on the grass and let the pinto horse take him toward home. There was little enough comfort there. The house crouched dumb and blind on the high bench in the rain. Jack's horse stood droop-necked and dismal inside the strand of rope fence, but there wasn't any smoke coming from the damned stove (28)."
Kirby Larson had many strengths throughout her writing including strong imagery, realistic details, and the use of foreshadowing. Larson used strong imagery throughout her story, this allowed me to make a visual image of the scene. One of these scenes was with wild horses, "I ripped off my skirt and petticoat and began flapping them like a demented bird in bloomers. The stallion froze at the creek's edge. His herd stopped, too, as one whinnying and stamping as he paced back and forth. 'Hee-yaw!' I waved and yelled and danced around (Larson 155)." Her word choice was strong, allowing the reader to feel like they were in that situation with Hattie. You were able to have visual images going
In the opening passage of Tomson Highway’s Kiss of the Fur Queen, Abraham Okimasis, a caribou hunter participating in an intense race, strives to reach the finish line with his exhausted self and huskies. Although the chance of success is slim, he perpetuates. Through the use of literary devices, Highway captures Okimasis’ breathless experience during the race; notably, he emphasizes the significance of past promises in empowering one to overcome obstacles to reach his or her ultimate goal.
Piper’s use of imagery in this way gives the opportunity for the reader to experience “first hand” the power of words, and inspires the reader to be free from the fear of writing.
In the excerpt from Tomson Highway’s Kiss of the Fur Queen, a hunter, Abraham Okimasis, pushes through an intense race with his dogs in the snow. Literary devices, such as imagery and details, reveal the internal and external struggles of Okimasis’ life during the race. His fight to the finish gradually creates suspense as he continues to scramble with the idea losing, while he also battles with nature, self, and beast.
Fifteen years separate Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “Young Goodman Brown.” The two share an eerie connection because of the trepidation the two protagonists endure throughout the story. The style of writing between the two is not similar because of the different literary elements they choose to exploit. Irving’s “Sleepy Hollow” chronicles Ichabod Crane’s failed courtship of Katrina Van Tassel as well as his obsession over the legend of the Headless Horseman. Hawthorne’s story follows the spiritual journey of the protagonist, Young Goodman Brown, through the woods of Puritan New England where he looses his religious faith. However, Hawthorne’s work with “Young Goodman Brown” is of higher quality than Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” because Hawthorne succeeds in exploiting symbols, developing characters, and incorporating worthwhile themes.
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” utilize character responsibilities to create a sinister plot. For Hawthorne, protagonist Young Goodman Brown must leave his wife at home while he partakes in a night journey. For Poe, ancillary Fortunato covets a pretentious manner towards his wine tasting skills, and after being ‘challenged’ decides to prove his expertise by sampling Amontillado. Hawthorne and Poe showcase a theme of darkness but differ in their approach to the setting, characters, and fate of entrapment.
Benton, Richard P. "The Cask of Amontillado: Overview." Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 3 Dec. 2010.
Short stories have particular settings to supplement their themes. The eerie catacombs during a carnival in “The Cask of Amontillado” supplement the themes of revenge, and deception, which the protagonist takes responsibility in; whereas in “Hills Like White Elephants”, the atmosphere around the Spanish train station emphasizes the themes of miscommunication between characters and their evasion of responsibilities.
In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor sets out on a vengeful mission that will end Fortunato’s life in an untimely fate. Montresor appeals to Fortunato’s love for wine to tempt the unsuspecting fellow to his impending doom. While Montresor tricks the foolish Fortunato frightfully, it is ultimately Fortunato’s pride that leads to his demise in the crypt. Poe uses several literary devices to foreshadow this murderous exploit of Montresor. Through the use of irony, symbolism, and imagery, the story entices readers to delve into the relationships and differences between Montresor and Fortunato.
Edgar Allen Poe’s tale of murder and revenge, “The Cask of Amontillado”, offers a unique perspective into the mind of a deranged murderer. The effectiveness of the story is largely due to its first person point of view, which allows the reader a deeper involvement into the thoughts and motivations of the protagonist, Montresor. The first person narration results in an unbalanced viewpoint on the central conflict of the story, man versus man, because the reader knows very little about the thoughts of the antagonist, Fortunato. The setting of “The Cask of Amontillado”, in the dark catacombs of Montresor’s wine cellar, contributes to the story’s theme that some people will go to great lengths to fanatically defend their honor.