In the story of The Rattler, the author uses certain language in order to have a certain effect on readers. This diction includes a wide range of word choice, grammar, and flow. Because of these choices made by the author, readers can see in the passage that the narrator is observant and descriptive, and through diction, shows reluctance to kill the snake. To begin, the narration is very specific, concrete, and detailed. Although many words are polysyllabic, the goal is not to confuse readers or prove that the narrator and author are more intelligent. This is to show that the narrator is not only highly observant of the setting around him, using descriptive words like, “thinning” “savory” and “undulant”, but also level-headed and down to earth.…show more content… Although the latter appear more frequently, both are used for vivid detail. Cacophonous words and phrases however are used more frequently, especially to describe the killing of the snake. The description of the kill and how few negative words were used to describe the snake can show readers the narrator saw the killing as worse than the snake itself. Additionally, through the attitude of the narrator towards killing the snake, readers get the impression that he or she is empathetic towards the snake and doesn’t want to kill the snake, yet has to. This is illustrated in the word choice. Words and phrases like, “I have never killed an animal I was not obliged to kill”, “duty”, and “the sport in taking life is a satisfaction I can’t feel” reflect that the narrator is reluctant to kill the snake since it is not pleasurable. The narrator finds the motivation to kill it because of the safety of others and shows that clearly. This affects the attitude readers have toward the snake; although most people would probably want the snake dead, with the author’s use of the narrator’s commentary, readers may find themselves wishing for the snake to get away
