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Chapter 9
Description: Presenting
Impressions
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Purpose
Sometimes stands alone example inadvertisements
Sometimes enriches other writing examplein telling us more about a subject or object
such asEliza Bliss was a tall, lean, skinny, yellow, toothless, bald-headed, rat-eyed
professional liar and scoundrel . ( Mark Twains Agent)
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Sensory Impression
Details that appeal to each of the five
senses Sight
Sound
Smell
Touch
Taste
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Sensory Impressions
The sound of hot dogs sizzling on agrease-spattered grill gave way to thewhirling buzz of a cotton-candy machine.
We watched as the white cardboard conewas slowly transformed into a pink, fluffycloud. The sticky puffs dissolved on mytongue into a sugar-like sweetness. Thesalty smell of kettle corn lingered in the air.
Class Exercise:
Working in pairs relate each sentence to the sensory impression(s)
expressed. Underline the words that lead you to the sensory impressions
you discover.
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Working in pairs describe the scene in the picture in four to five sentences.
Each group will share with the class.
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Dominant Impression
Descriptions evoke an overall mood or
feeling such as joy, anger, terror, grief
Answers questions about the subject orpredicate Who? What? Where? How?
Example: The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck.
The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on
the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face
and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords.
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Vantage Point
Fixed Vantage Point
- Observer does not moveEx. view from your bedroom window,
view from a park bench
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Fixed Observer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8A373_Wk-g
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Vantage Point
Moving vantage pointEx. view from a moving train, walking
through mall
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Moving Observerhttp://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Samantha_Brown/Video/Sam_Tours_Cozumel
_By_Segway
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Vantage Point
Describe only what you can see from yourvantage point.
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Selection and Arrangement of
Details Select the details that point toward the
main impression or mood you intend to
create.
Arrange the details in a time sequence or
some spatial arrangement, from left to
right, from top to bottom, etc.
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Writing a Description
What do I want to accomplish?
What dominant impression will I develop?
What sequence should I follow inpresenting my impressions?
Am I overloading with adjectives?
Ex. A dented, cylindrical, silver-gray, foul-
smelling, overloaded trash can sat in thealley.
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Class Discussion
Purpose
Sensory Impressions: details that appeal
to each of the five senses Dominant Impression
Vantage Point
Arrangement of Details