A Valiant Effort Towards Success
In the excerpt from chapter one of The Cruelest Journey, by Kira Salak, the author delves into great details to paddle the readers on a 600 miles journey through the Niger river. Salak's journey is not only a treacherous venture, but a figurative battle that most individuals hurdle over. Salak starts this chapter with intense vocabulary, which captivates, or rather resonates with the readers. In the first paragraph alone, Salak’s considerable use of intense vocabulary combined with vivid imagery almost inevitably enthrall the readers into racing through the lines to learn the outcome. This unique strategy of the author’s writing detains the readers in a state of suspense.
Under careful examination, the author’s unusual use of harsh vocabulary, especially in the first paragraph, becomes clear. As the author starts, Salak states, “ In the beginning,…show more content… This immediately creates a sense of suspense without any conflict. Analyzing the first sentence, it is clear the word “ludicrous” and “insane” were of all words distinctly chosen to grab the reader's attention. Under examination, the word “insane” is an acute word, it is often ascribed to individuals of extreme characteristics. Though the readers may fly through words without much analysis, words such as insane create unconscious feelings or expectations in the human mind. Furthermore, in the second sentence, the reader learns that Salak plans to paddle “600 miles on the Niger River in a Kayak, alone, from the Malian town of Old Ségou to Timbuktu”. To risk so much for a feat that will most certainly be forgotten given a few years at best; it is clear the author feels passionate about this
