Galapagos Island Contrast Essay In both passages on the Galapagos Islands, it is clear that authors have differences in style and tone. Both authors differ in expression, tone, and writing style which is visible through their accounts of Islands. The first author describes the Galapagos Islands using detailed observation as he would in a scientific report, whereas the other relies on emotive language to describe to the emotional affect that he is trying to convey.
Although both authors describe the same location, one focuses on being concrete and factual while using a more direct approach, whereas the other focuses on emotion and abstractism, being more poetic in his writing. The first passage uses a more direct writing style supported by concrete evidence and facts. Here, “ The brushwood appears from a short distance as a leafless as our trees during winter; and it was some time before I discovered that not only almost every plant was now in full leaf, but that the greater number were in flower” (Lines 15 – 19), the author sounds more honest and straight-forward, describing exactly what he sees.
The passage sounds more realistic rather than impractical, “ A broken field of black basaltic lava, thrown into the most rugged waves and crossed by great… which shows little signs of life”. With the first piece the author gives off the impression that he is also telling a story, and with the constant usage of I, we receive a more personal experience. When reading this piece, one may feel as though they are sitting down and having a conversation with the author especially with the addition of personal pronouns, which makes his account seem more familiar, rather than a dry scientific report.
However, even with the affect of the personal pronouns, the tone of this piece is still resembles that of a scientific journal when the author describes his surroundings. They are more analytical on landscape and habitat “ Although I diligently tried to collect as many plants as possible, I succeeded in getting very few” (Lines 13 – 14). His words aren’t contorted by florid phrases, but describes exactly what he sees, making him the more honest writer of the two. The author also tries to make little references, however when he does, he is analytical in his comparison using it to briefly exaggerate his point, “ The dry and parched surface, being eated by the noonday sun, gave to the air a close and sultry feeling, like that from a stove”(Line 9 – 11). Unlike the first passage, the second revolves around emotion and abstractism mainly using a poetic technique or writing style. This author uses more ornamented phrases in his writing with “ azure ice shows beautifully as malachite” (Line 26) and “ neither the change of seasons nor of sorrows” (Line 30) focusing on showing more emotion, rather than physicality, through his words.
Unlike the first author’s approach of stating the facts and being more straight-forward, this author prefers to use emotion as a way of description. This author is more poetic with his words, often time embellishing them to paint the picture he sees in front of him. By using elevated language to express the beautiful image he sees, he connects his emotions to his words, creating a more vivid picture, “ Like split Syrian gourds left withering in the sun, they are cracked by an everlasting drought beneath a torrid sky” (Lines 35 – 37).
This piece is also more comparative than the first author, often times referencing to other famous places to exaggerate the image he is trying to portray. His comparisons are also more emotive rather than analytical, unlike the first author. The author frequently compares the Galapagos to other places, from the Dead Sea to the stars of Lake Erie, “ Hence, even the Dead Sea, along with whatever other emotions it may at times inspire, does not fail to touch in the pilgrim some of his less unpleasurable feelings” (Lines 14 – 17).
By making all of these comparisons to some of the most beautiful and picturesque places on earth, the author is able to create a sort of immaculate and flawless place. By portraying their images on the Galapagos Islands differently, both authors are able to mold and transform the Galapagos Islands into two different places. The first passage into a more realistic place whilst the second into an “ Enchanted Isle”.
