Atmosphere is a remarkable tool used my all the authors in order to impress, to make their words interesting for reading. The atmosphere colors the text, no matter what kind of text that is, and thus It is Interesting for discussion and analysis. It Is devoted too perfect understanding of this notion, thus to distinguish the different types of atmosphere as well as to present the arguments for those conclusions. The primary task of this research is to distinguish the mall types of atmosphere In different texts and to bring the arguments supporting the point of view exposed by the researcher.
Thus, the work exposed in this research paper should follow this condition. The objectives of this research paper are: 1 . To analyze the concept of “ atmosphere” 2. It follows the purpose of understanding the concept of “ different types of atmosphere” 3. To find out all the peculiarities of “ atmosphere” 4. It has to reveal the function of usage of “ atmosphere” 5. It has the purpose of looking through different sources of “ Stylistics” 6. To search through O. Henrys short stories 7. Finding examples which demonstrate one or another type of atmosphere 8.
It has 1 OF 7 examples 9. It has to reflect the conclusions on the work that was done 10. It has to bring arguments regarding the researcher’s personal point of view The methods of investigation used while making this paper go into the following main categories: Research Description Selection Classification Analysis Systemization Deduction When talking about the concept of atmosphere in literature, we cannot but mention its definition, which allows us to understand it better. Atmosphere – is a dominant feeling or tone created by a literary work.
It is the author who creates the atmosphere through the usage of various Stylistic Devices and Expressive Means, through the ascription of the setting and of the characters. Thus, we should consider atmosphere in literature as a component that talks about the tone and emotion behind the piece. What sets the atmosphere apart from the tone is that the tone refers to the way the emotions are portrayed with words, whereas the atmosphere is simply the emotional content. The atmosphere can be identified by looking for descriptions of the state of the setting or characters.
Atmosphere is the overall emotion the reader gets from a piece of writing. In order to have the information presented structurally, we should present different types of atmosphere and purporting arguments, from different moments in different short stories texts. It should be mentioned that the atmosphere is always CHANGEABLE during the story, thus we cannot speak about one fixed type of atmosphere for the entire story. The optimistic type of atmosphere We will consider the “ optimistic” type of atmosphere. It is shown in numerous O.
Henrys short stories, due to the fact that he had a good sense of humor and a pleasant manner of presenting the brighter side of the things to the reader. This type of atmosphere is shown in the story “ Mammon and the Archer”. Firstly it is presented y the main character – Anthony Rockwell, the retired manufacturer. Though the main feature of his character is not optimism, Anthony Rockwell is presented as being one especially while arguing with his son, and ensuring him that he has no reasons to think he doesn’t deserve the girl. He encourages him, and is positive though a little bit strict and sharp in his words: “ Why don’t you ask her? Demanded old Anthony. “ She’ll Jump at you. You’ve got the money and the looks, and you’re a decent boy. Your hands are clean. You’ve got no Eureka soap on ‘ me. You’ve been to college, but she’ll overlook that. “ l haven’t had a chance,” said Richard. “ Make one,” said Anthony. “ Take her for a walk in the park, or a straw ride, or walk home with her from church. Chance! Pshaw! “” The story “ A happy man” by Managua where the main character whose name is not mentioned, presents the atmosphere of optimism combined with that of happiness.
The fragment: “ Life is full of compensations,’ he atmosphere The pessimistic atmosphere is presented in the same story, as a contrast, and is emphasized by another main character, Richard Rockwell, who is so desperate about his love to the young lady. He is super-pessimistic, especially in the beginning of the Tory, where he has a dialogue with his father, and where he displays his feelings and his pessimism: “ There are some things that money can’t accomplish,” remarked young Rockwell, rather gloomily. Firstly, in this example the author uses the word “ gloomily’, which creates an initial impression that he is unhappy. Then follows this example: “” For one thing,” answered Richard, rankling a little, “ it won’t buy one into the exclusive circles of society. “” – In this example Richard is sure money can’t buy one into the exclusive circles of society, which is not that impossible as he thinks. The act that he doesn’t admit it would be possible to buy all that make him pessimistic. Also the usage of such remarks as “ rankling a little” – we may understand Richard in unstable and suffering.
Richard, s a response to his dad’s proposal to ask her marry him, did nothing but find excuses for not doing that, for example “” You don’t know the social mill, dad. She’s part of the stream that turns it. Every hour and minute of her time is arranged for days in advance. I must have that girl, dad, or this town is a blackjack swamp forevermore. And I can’t write it-?? I can’t do that. “” The atmosphere f happiness The atmosphere of happiness is met very often in various short stories. W. S. Managua is an author in whose works we may distinguish that very often. As an example we could take the story “ The Happy Man”.
In this story, we notice this type of atmosphere in the end, when the Narrator, who many years ago has advised the doctor to go to Spain: “ But this I can tell you: if you don’t want money but are content to earn Just enough to keep body and soul together, then go. For you will lead a wonderful life. ” meets him again in Spain after many years, and to his surprise doesn’t recognize him. The doctor, whose name is not mentioned, seems to be terribly happy in the end, as his own words are: muff told me when last I saw you that if I came here I should earn Just enough money to keep body and soul together, but that I should lead a wonderful life.
Well, I want to tell you that you were right. Poor I have been and poor I shall always be, but by heaven I’ve enjoyed myself. I wouldn’t exchange the life I’ve had with that of any king in the world. ” In this example is used an anaphoric repetition “ Poor I have been and poor I shall always be” which emphasizes the doctor’s “ poverty’ when speaking about material means, but the hearse which follows right after, gives more emotions and reflects the pure happiness: “ l wouldn’t exchange the life I’ve had with that of any king in the world. “.
Here we mention the usage of a hyperbole which has the function to emphasize his happiness, by exaggerating the fact that he wouldn’t exchange his life with that of a king. Also in this moment the author uses this hyperbole for rhetorical means, which also leads to the creation of an atmosphere of happiness. In the same story-end, we mention the usage of a metaphor “ His black eyes flashed a bacchanalian smile. ” – which has the function of creating the imagery perfectly as it was in the story, and making the reader feeling the warmth and the happiness which was radiating from the Spanish Doctor.
The author uses the word “ to flash” to emphasize the manner his Retrieved Information”. This is a story, which presents a man who was sent to prison for breaking safes open, and then was released, and still was breaking safes. Somehow he stops doing that when he gets go a town where decides to change his lifestyle. From there we have this passage which is a letter he sends his friend: “ Billy, Vive quit the old business – a year ago. Vive got a nice store. I’m making an honest living, and I’m going to marry the finest girl on earth. I wouldn’t touch a dollar of another man’s money for a million. Here we notice the usage of a hyperbole: “ l wouldn’t touch a dollar of another man’s money for a million. ” -which emphasizes his determination not to come back to the life he had before and the happiness he possesses now. Another hyperbole is “ the finest girl on earth” – used to show how much he loves and appreciates his future wife, and of course how happy he is about that. The ironic atmosphere: O Henry is well-known for his humor and for the usage of both irony and sarcasm in is works. In this respect, we shall give some examples where the atmosphere of the story is ironic.
First there is the story “ A Retrieved Information”. Irony is deduced in the dialogue between the warden and Valentine: “ Stop cracking safes, and live straight. ” “ Me? ” said Jimmy, in surprise. “ Why, I never cracked a safe in my life. ” – Here we have a situational irony, because the reader knows why Valentine was arrested, and that is exactly because of breaking safes open. The warden speaks of that as well, and we way mention a verbal irony in the remark: “ Oh, no,” laughed the warden. “ Of course not. Let’s see, now. How was it you happened to get sent up on that Springfield Job?
Was it because you wouldn’t prove an alibi for fear of compromising somebody in extremely high-toned society? ” – The warden makes fun of Valentine, and is trying to put him on. The purpose of using this irony is of emphasizing some features of Valentine’s personality as well as to give a light and positive color to the story. If the author wouldn’t have done that, this moment when he gets out of prison would have been very sad and depressive. This irony creates the ironic atmosphere, which is doomed to change afterwards. Another story where the atmosphere is ironic is “ The Gift of the Magi”.
The twisted ending is the example for that, because both the wife and her husband have sacrificed the most valuable things in their house for making each other a present. This is ironic, because after cutting her hair, Della received as a gift from her husband: “ For there lay The Combs – the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped for long in a Broadway window. “, but she couldn’t use as she didn’t have her hair anymore. This whole situation is rather ironic and creates the atmosphere of the same kind. The same tuition, where the twisted ending creates an ironic atmosphere is the story “ The cop and the Anthem”.
This is because the homeless guy was continuously searching for a way to get to prison, and he did everything possible, but he failed all the time. First of all the author uses irony to speak of Soap’s desire: “ Three months on the Island was what his soul craved. Three months of assured board and bed and congenial company, safe from Borers and bluebottles, seemed to Soapy the essence of things desirable. ” In the same example we mention the usage of an anaphoric repetition: “ three months… Here months” used to emphasize the irony of the never a policeman lay hands on him? In his fancy the Island seemed an unattainable Arcadia. Is used by the author, for it was not normal a man to be disconsolate of not being caught by a policeman, thus this is rather ironic. After all these trials – Just when Soapy thought he would never get to Jail for the winter, and began planning his return to normal life by getting a Job and doing something for his life – he was caught by a policeman and sent to prison: “ To-morrow he would go into the roaring downtown district and find work. A fur importer had once offered him a place as driver. He would find him to-morrow and ask for the position. He would be somebody in the world. He would-??”.
In this example we mention the anaphoric repetition: “ he would, he would” which has the function of emphasizing his determination of changing his life, and then we have an elliptical construction which may show and pay our attention to the fact that something important is going to take place: “ He would-??” And this is right, because Just after that follows the twisted end, which creates the dramatic irony thus the ironic atmosphere: “ What are you doing’ here? Asked the officer. “ Nothing’,” said Soapy. “ Then come along,” said the policeman. “ Three months on the Island,” said the Magistrate in the Police Court the next morning. The usage of the statement: “ He seemed doomed to liberty. ” is also a situational irony, for how can someone be doomed to liberty? The atmosphere of suspense Suspense in mentioned where the story reaches its climax, it is in most cases like that. In the story “ A Retrieved Information”, we feel the suspense in the climax of the story, where the little girl is stuck into the safe, and nobody can open it. “ Suddenly here was a scream or two from the women, and a commotion. ” – This example, which also indicates the beginning of the climax of the story, has to create an atmosphere of tension, and it does.
Such words as “ Suddenly’ and “ scream” are the ones which contribute to the suspenseful atmosphere. The usage of the verbs “ to spring, to tug, and to groan” indicate suspense too: “ The old banker sprang to the handle and tugged at it for a moment. “ The door can’t be opened,” he groaned. ” Suspense in this context is combined with surprise. “ He set his suit-case on the table, and opened it out flat. From that time on he seemed to be unconscious of the presence of anyone else. He laid out the shining, queer implements swiftly and orderly, whistling softly to himself as he always did when at work.
In a deep silence and immovable, the others watched him as if under a spell. “ The epithet “ a deep silence” creates the suspenseful atmosphere, and it speaks of those people’s surprise too. Nobody expected him to do that, and nobody expected to see “ the shining, queer implements” for opening a safe. The atmosphere of fear and panic In the same story, “ A Retrieved Information”, we feel a terrifying atmosphere: “ During he following silence they could Just hear the faint sound of the child wildly shrieking in the dark vault in a panic of terror. “ My precious darling! ” wailed the mother. “ She will die of fright! Open the door!
Oh, break it open! Can’t you men do something? ” First of all in this passage we have a metaphor which has the function of exposing the complete terror of the child: “ the faint sound of the child wildly shrieking in the dark vault in a panic of terror. ” Then there is the usage of many exclamatory remarks, which speak of the character’s tone, it was obvious the mother was completely scared The story “ The Gift of The Magi” presents this type of atmosphere, especially at the beginning of the story. It is through the description of the setting and the actions of the character that we deduce this type of atmosphere. There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. “. This example, using the word “ howl”, which is an antinomian, shows Dell’s desperation. She is even more desperate when she decides to cut her hair for buying her husband a present: “ Down rippled the brown cascade. ” Twenty dollars,” said Madame, lifting the ass with a practiced hand. “ Give it to me quick” said Della. ” The author uses the inversion “ Down rippled the brown cascade” and the metaphor, “ brown cascade” to get the reader’s attention on the great beauty of her hair.
Dell’s sharp and fast remark “ Give it to me quick” speaks of her desperation. Another story presenting this type of atmosphere is the story “ The Cop and the Anthem”. The author uses the rising events to present Soap’s desperation. His numerous trials of getting to prison show that. After his first trial, when he went to a restaurant to eat and not to pay, he was It seemed that his route to the coveted island was not to be an epicurean sent out – ” one. Some other way of entering limbo must be thought of. ” His following trials were not successful: “ Neatly upon his left ear on the callous pavement two waiters pitched Soapy. In this situation we have a reversed construction showing how the man was thrown in the street, thus showing the desperation. The morose and sad The description of the setting: “ A furnished flat at 8$ per week. It did not exactly beggar the description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad. The metaphor “ mendicancy squad” emphasizes the bad conditions in which The Dialing’s leaved. “ Della finished her cry and attended her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas day. The author uses the anaphoric repetition to give a dull description of the setting as well as of the mood of the character – “ a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard”. The gray color speaks of sadness and of depression, and the repetition makes this sadness triple. The story “ The Cop and the Anthem” also has moments where the atmosphere is sad. Though the description of the setting the author creates the sad, morose and dull atmosphere: “ The moon was above, lustrous and serene; vehicles and pedestrians were few; sparrows twittered sleepily in the eaves–for a little while the scene might have been a country churchyard. -in this enumeration the moon is the symbol of solitude and sadness. In the same story the author uses the following fragment for the description of the setting: “ When wild geese honk high of nights, and when women without sealskin coats grow kind to their husbands, and when Soapy moves uneasily on his bench in the park, you may know that winter is near at hand. ” Right from the beginning of the story the atmosphere is set – it is a sad one, as the time is late fall and the places are not the happiest. Here we mention the usage of an anaphoric repetition which gives and accurate and precise description of the coming of winter.
Conclusions Much more details and hundreds of examples might be added to this essay, as from another. But one thing is certain after making this research – the types of atmosphere are met in any story of any kind and of any purpose. The types of atmosphere can be easily deduced from any story, if the reader knows to what things to pay attention. Concerning this research these methods are: the description of the setting, where most of the authors in most situations choose to set the first impressions about the atmosphere of the story they are going to read.
In my situation the atmosphere was sad and dull (“ The Cop and the Anthem”), desperate (“ The Gift of the Magi”). Also the author may set the atmosphere through the characters of the story, their descriptions as well as actions. In this context the types of atmosphere Vive mentioned were: optimistic versus pessimistic (“ Mammon and the Archer”), happiness (The Happy Man), desperate (“ The gift of the Magi” and “ The Cop and the Anthem”) ironic (“ A Retrieved Information”).
Another way of presenting the atmosphere was the usage of twisted end, which created an atmosphere of suspense and irony (“ The gift of the Magi” and “ The Cop and the Anthem”). It should be specified that the twisted end is specific for O Henrys style, as he chooses to keep the reader in suspense up till the end of the story, and then gives an ironic ending, which all contributed to the overall impressions towards the atmosphere of that work. The usage of climax as a plot structure creates an atmosphere of fear, suspense, happiness, desperation, irony (“ A Retrieved Information”, The gift of the Magi”, “ The Cop and the Anthem”).
The SD devices play a huge role when speaking about the atmosphere. It can be concluded that in most cases the hyperbole is used to show the happiness or sadness, the anaphoric repetition is used to create the suspense in the story, or to create a better imagery thus to present the happiness or sadness. The usage of the irony as a SD has directly led to the creation of the ironic atmosphere, ND even humorous in a way (“ The gift of the Magi”). These were the most evidently used techniques used by the author stop create the atmosphere.
It should be said that all of them are powerful, and not difficult at all to be understood, as long as one knows the other characteristics of the text. What I want to say is that as long as the reader knows how to characterize a character, how to deduce the description of the setting, how to detect a climax of the story, or how to seize the usage of some SD – it is impossible not to get a correct impression on the atmosphere, for these are strongly connected to each other.
