Olds’ Effective Use of Linking Devices in The Elder Sister :: essays research papers

When writing poetry, there ar many descriptive methods an root may employ to communicate an idea or concept to their audience. one of the more effective methods that authors a lot use is linking devices, such as metaphors and similes. end-to-end The Elder Sister, Olds uses linking devices efficaciously in many ways. An effective image Olds uses is that of the air pressure of Mothers muscles on her brain, (5) providing a link to the mothers expectations for her children. She also uses images of water and fluidity to demonstrate the natural progression of a child into womanhood. Another image is that of the speakers elder child as a metaphorical shield, the one who protected her from the mental emphasis inflicted by their mother.Olds metaphor of the pressure of Mothers muscles on her brain, (5) compares the literal pressure of the mothers muscles during childbirth to the mental strain that a child can endure from their parents expectations for their children. This is an eff ective metaphor in that both meanings can cause many form of strain, either physical of mental, on the daughter. Also, in both cheeks, this agony is caused by the speakers mother and inflicted on the eldest daughter. The third gear comparableity between the two is that both are in both(prenominal) way lessening the effect on the younger sister. In the case of childbirth, the first birth is usually more difficult than each concomitant birth. In the sense of the Mothers expectations for her daughters, the eldest child often receives the brunt of the parents vicarious aspirations, thus making it easier for the younger children to cheer them. Because these linked meanings share these characteristics, Olds metaphor is effective.Another linking device that is used effectively is the simile linking a young woman coming of age and growing breasts to a swan rising out of a pond. These two entities are linked in that both rise slowly over time. When a swan awakens, it slowly raises its head from its body, in the same fashion that the breasts of a woman raise from her chest when she comes of age. The two are also similar in color, as a swans down is bloodless or pale cream colored and skin that has not been darken by the sun is often very pale. The third similarity in the two entities is the texture. Both the down feathers of a swan and the skin of a womans breast are soft and smooth to the touch.