English
I have decided to use a local coffee shop as the scene for my observations. This location has both pleasant and unpleasant attributes. The bright yellow walls are inviting. The subtle lighting of the restaurant made possible by the bright orange oriental lampshades. The wall hangings show the lush green coffee estates from where the pure coffee is sourced. The piped music from the establishment’s stereo player gives of a relaxing mood, making it a place where you would want to relax after a hard day’s work.
The aroma of the different flavors of coffee wafts through the air from the coffee bar at the corner. The buzzing and grinding of the coffee machines makes gives of an assured sound that these people know what they are doing; real craftsmen at work. The cozy booths are inviting, the dark brown couches and small metal tables give a sense of homeliness, the thick rugs underneath drown out the sound of footsteps as the waiters dash from table to table. The coffee is scalding hot, yet rich, the accompanying bites are masterfully crafted, inviting to the eye and delicious to taste.
The noise hits you once you step through the doors, the grinding and buzzing of the coffee makers, the shouting of orders by the waiters, the honking of traffic passing by the street, the unending chatter of the patrons, the music from the restaurants boom box, they all combine to form a cacophony of uncontrolled noise. The wall hangings, displaying lush green coffee estates contrasts to the bright yellow walls. The space is cramped, the management tried to fit in as much seating space as they could.
The carpeting probably not ideal for high traffic areas is worn and frayed. The dark colored couches probably hide the stains from many patrons who have used them before. The tables are small and unbalanced; a lean on the table could send your coffee cup flying over. The menus are drab, printed in boring font and fancy names. The whole decor an unsuccessful attempt to hide the flaws that are so vividly clear.
Rhetorical Analysis:
I have used my first sentences of each paragraph to set the tone for the rest of the paragraph. In the first paragraph, the first sentence describes the place as bright and inviting setting a pleasant tone for the rest of the paragraph. In the second paragraph, the first sentence describes the noise at the place establishing an unpleasant tone for the rest of the paragraph.
I have used onomatopoeia in the texts to describe both pleasant and unpleasant sounds. In the first paragraph, I have used the buzzing and grinding of the coffee machines to describe the actual sound these machines make. For a coffee enthusiast, this is a familiar sound and is pleasant. It makes the enthusiast feel that the coffee made in the establishment is of high quality. In the second paragraph, onomatopoeia has also been used to describe actual sounds. Once again, the grinding and buzzing of the coffee machines is used as well as the honking of the traffic passing by the street. The combination of these sounds among others makes noise, which is unpleasant to the customer.
I have used long sentences, which can also be described as wordiness to describe the place. in the first paragraph, the sentence “The cozy booths are inviting, the dark brown couches and small metal tables give a sense of homeliness, the thick rugs underneath drown out the sound of footsteps as the waiters dash from table to table” is long and describes the experience of sitting in the restaurant as pleasing. In the second paragraph the sentence “The noise hits you once you step through the doors, the grinding and buzzing of the coffee makers, the shouting of orders by the waiters, the honking of traffic passing by the street, the unending chatter of the patrons, the music from the restaurants boom box, they all combine to form a cacophony of uncontrolled noise” is used to provide a full description of the noise in the restaurant and passing it as unpleasant.
I have carefully used word choice in order to provide a good description for the senses. In the first paragraph, words have been carefully selected to provide a pleasant feeling. For example, piped music from the stereo player gives a sense of cool music that is relaxing. The orange oriental lampshades also give a pleasant description of the lighting. The aroma of the coffee wafting through the air also provides a pleasant description of the smell at the place. In the second paragraph, words have been carefully selected to give an unpleasant view towards the place. The space is described as cramped, giving the view that it is unpleasant. The menus are described as drab, meaning that they are un-appealing to the eye.
Reflection:
While these two paragraphs describe the exact same place at the exact same time, they give totally opposite views about the place. The choice of words for describing the same place determines how it will come across. The choice of words is influenced by the mood of the writer. By careful word selection, the writer can therefore pass his mood to his or her readers. This is a very powerful tool as it has the power to influence other people’s views.
References
Bodden, V. (2009). Setting the style: Wording and tone. Mankato, MN: Creative Education.
Ehrenhaft, G., & Barron's Educational Series, Inc. (2010). AP English literature and composition. Hauppauge, N.Y: Barron's Educational Series.
Rorem, N. (2013). Setting the Tone: Essays and a Diary. S.l.: Open Road Media.
