The Great Scarf Of Birds Figurative Language

Nature contains a simplicity that delights people; it is a natural relief to the soul. Fresh air revives those who have been stifled indoors for too long and awe-inspiring sights like the Aurora Borealis inspire poetry and art. John Updike in “The Great Scarf of Birds” shares a moment that lifts the speaker’s heart through nature. Through figurative language, natural diction, and organization, Updike describes how nature is a balm for the soul. Updike primarily uses figurative language to emphasize the beauty of Cape Ann during October. He describes the elm trees on the golf course as transparent, “seemed swaying vases full of sky.” The mystical language evokes a soothing response. The specific image he conjures up helps the reader imagine exactly how the elm trees looked against the sky, even though he uses unorthodox language. Geese are flying south for the winter, along with a flock of starlings so plentiful that they cover the sky. Updike emphasizes the vastness of the flock by saying how it “darkened in spots, / paled, pulsed, compressed, distended, yet held an identity firm.” A flock is not physically capable of this, but the language describes how the

The trees are turning orange and red and the apples have reached the peak of ripeness. “Ripe apples were caught like red fish in the nets of their branches.” This image of ripeness and fish gives the reader a sense of abundance. Autumn is the time of the harvest, when plants are done growing just in time for the cold of winter. There are also an abundance of geese and starlings as they fly south during October. “The sky / was dramatic with great straggling V’s / of grease streaming south, mare’s tails above them.” Updike uses natural diction to compare clouds to the soft tails of mares, emphasizing the natural beauty of the scene. The natural diction and imagery emphasize the message of the importance of nature to