{\rtf1\mac\ansicpg10000\uc1 \deff0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\upr{\fonttbl{\f4\fnil\fcharset256\fprq2{\*\panose 02000500000000000000}Times;}}{\*\ud{\fonttbl{\f4\fnil\fcharset256\fprq2{\*\panose 02000500000000000000}Times;}}}}{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0; \red0\green0\blue255;\red0\green255\blue255;\red0\green255\blue0;\red255\green0\blue255;\red255\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue128;\red0\green128\blue128;\red0\green128\blue0;\red128\green0\blue128; \red128\green0\blue0;\red128\green128\blue0;\red128\green128\blue128;\red192\green192\blue192;}{\stylesheet{\widctlpar\adjustright \loch\af4\hich\af4\dbch\f4\cgrid \snext0 Normal;}{\*\cs10 \additive Default Paragraph Font;}{\s15\sl480\slmult1 \widctlpar\adjustright \fs22\loch\af4\hich\af4\dbch\f4\cgrid \sbasedon0 \snext15 Body Text;}}{\info{\title The desert is veiwed by many as inhospitable, barren and with nothing to offer}{\author ITS-IRSS}{\operator ITS-IRSS} {\creatim\yr1999\mo4\dy26\hr21\min36}{\revtim\yr1999\mo4\dy26\hr21\min36}{\printim\yr1999\mo3\dy24\hr22\min59}{\version2}{\edmins0}{\nofpages4}{\nofwords790}{\nofchars4503}{\*\company Northern Arizona University}{\nofcharsws5530}{\vern99}} \widowctrl\ftnbj\aenddoc\formshade\viewkind4\viewscale100\pgbrdrhead\pgbrdrfoot \fet0\sectd \linex0\endnhere\sectdefaultcl {\*\pnseclvl1\pnucrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl2\pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}} {\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (} {\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \s15\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\adjustright \fs22\loch\af4\hich\af4\dbch\f4\cgrid {\fs24 \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Assignment #4 \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Peter Chilcott \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Sheri Hood \par }\pard \s15\qc\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\adjustright {\b\fs24\ul \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Analysis across Descriptive texts by Barry Lopez \par }\pard \s15\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\adjustright {\fs24 \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 The desert is viewed by many as inhospitable, barren and with nothing to offer. These \ldblquote many\rdblquote however seldom view the desert from any perspective other than from the i\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 nside of a car or from infront of a television set. The three texts, \ldblquote Introduction\rdblquote , \ldblquote The Hot Spring\rdblquote and \ldblquote The Wind\rdblquote , all by Barry Lopez shows us the perspective of the few who took the time to get out of the car and away from technology. In \ldblquote The Hot Sp\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 r\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 ing\rdblquote , Lopez uses very descriptive and sensory language to involve the reader in a unique experience with the desert. Lopez\rquote s use of third person perspectives and detailed figurative language is again utilized in the text, \ldblquote The Wind \rdblquote . \ldblquote The Wind\rdblquote uses a m\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 o\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 re sensual and intimate approach as opposed to the feeling of reverence \ldblquote The Hot Spring\rdblquote conveys. The \ldblquote Introduction \rdblquote utilizes a series of humorous antics by the author to show the reader the true scope of the desert. These texts describe the desert from\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 separate perspectives yet use language, a personal experience and tone to paint a picture of the desert as seen by any whom wish to experience it fully. \par }\pard\plain \sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\adjustright \loch\af4\hich\af4\dbch\f4\cgrid { \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 An experience is described in each of the texts, each involving different people in a variety of place\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 s within the desert. In this manner the desert is described through the interaction of the people with the environment. The \ldblquote Introduction\rdblquote describes Lopez himself driving across a desert plain and through narrating his activities he depicts the desert s\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 h\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 eer size. \ldblquote and rode north furiously until the vehicle was a speck on the horizon\rdblquote (Lopez, Introduction, 8). In \ldblquote The Hot Spring, the journey of a n old man is described as he drives from his home to a particular spot in the desert. This description again\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 shows how vast the desert is as the quotes \ldblquote the great basin\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 15) and \ldblquote there would be more space between the towns and more until there were no towns at all\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 16). In \ldblquote The Wind\rdblquote , the interaction with a naked gi\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 r\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 l and an ant on the desert floor describes the desert from a detailed close up view using language such as \ldblquote a shale canyon\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 46) and \ldblquote cul-de-sac of dust\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 47). Lopez uses nakedness also to better describe the desert. \par \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 The u\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 se of a bare skin experience aids in a sensory description of the wind in the desert as \ldblquote He could feel the wind eddying up around him like a cloak\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 17), and \ldblquote Tongues of air roping like coils\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 46) depict. \par \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Sensory l\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 anguage is used frequently to give the reader a detailed understanding of the desert. The wind is described in detail through the way it touches bare skin when \ldblquote she can feel the air bending like water around the soles of her feet\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 46) an\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 d\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \ldblquote the wind soft deep in the roots of his hair \ldblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 17). Taste and feeling are also used as \ldblquote he inhaled the tart, sulphurous fumes\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 16) and \ldblquote pulls the warm dry air in\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 45) support. \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Descriptive lan\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 guage is used to the fullest, with \ldblquote the earth crumbling under the crush of my rubber tires\rdblquote (Lopez, introduction, 8), \ldblquote the dry, bleached soil\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 16), \ldblquote the granite cinder\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 45), painting clear pictures of the terrain sur\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 f\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 ace. Figurative language is used extensively with the description to allow the reader to experience what is seen. Metaphors like, \ldblquote as though fixed in space and the earth turning beneath us\rdblquote (Lopez, Introduction, 8), \ldblquote his flesh into a lattice of pin-pricke\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 d\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 hills\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 16) and \ldblquote black hair rolling like quicksilver off itself\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 5) were used to add depth to the descriptions. \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 It is fitting that the first text introduces the main theme, using humor as it familiarizes the reader w\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 ith the author and thesis, thus making the perceptions and descriptions easier to accept and imagine. \ldblquote I stared at the drivers seat\rdblquote , \ldblquote Out the driver\rquote s door; in through the back\rdblquote , \ldblquote I lay my bike down and jogged beside the vehicle\rdblquote (Lopez, Introduction, 8)\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 .\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 This humorous tone has a serious purpose. It is used to show how insignificant man and his technology are in comparison to the desert, which in turn is a description of the desert. \ldblquote Until then I did not understand how easily the vehicle \rquote s tendencies o\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 f\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 direction and movement could be abandoned together with it\rquote s systems of roads, road signs, and stoplights\rdblquote (Lopez, Introduction, 8). \par \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Reverence can only describe the tone used in \ldblquote The Hot Spring\rdblquote . The entire story is described as a pilgrimage to a sacred \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 place in the desert where a ritual is performed. \ldblquote He would always arrive by one in the afternoon\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 15). To further strengthen this idea and better describe the desert\rquote s meaning to the man, the place is described loosely as having r \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 e\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 juvenating properties since, \ldblquote He ate and looked out across the desert and imagined that he had come to life again\rdblquote (Lopez, The Hot Spring, 17). \par \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 A sensual tone is used to describe the intimate relationship one can have with the desert. By describing the act\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 ions, sights and sensations of a naked girl lying on the ground, the desert is seem through the eyes of someone completely bare of any \ldblquote civilized\rdblquote entrapments. The very sexual language and descriptions appeals to a more adult audience, breaking away from\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 a boring but detailed description and gaining more interest in the process. Examples of this language are, \ldblquote The brown nipple of her white breast rests against a crack in the earth\rdblquote , \ldblquote It tunnels up between her breasts and is gone\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 47) and\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \ldblquote \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 running back down through the dark hair and piling between her thighs\rdblquote (Lopez, The Wind, 46). \par \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 Using unique perspectives, the three texts succeed in describing the desert as it is to those who are willing to experience it. Starting with the humorous \ldblquote Intr\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 oduction\rdblquote which through use of descriptive language, a personal experience and a lighthearted tone the reader is able to \ldblquote see\rdblquote the desert in all it\rquote s magnitude. \ldblquote The Hot Spring\rdblquote describes the desert as a holy place to a man willing to give the experience\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 all his attention, while \ldblquote The Wind\rdblquote usage of sensual language and teasing actions describes the intimacy the desert can offer. These texts by Barry Lopez depict a multifaceted desert, with as many faces as there are people to experience it and see it for\hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 themselves. \par \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \par \hich\af4\dbch\af4\loch\f4 \par }}