Mississippi River John Barry Analysis

Contemporary writer, John M. Barry conveys through his writing that he has an immense fascination with the complex mechanics of the Mississippi River. Through his clever use of figurative language and eloquent diction, as well as his use of syntax, he communicates this. Throughout the passage Barry’s fascination is conveyed through his use of figurative language to describe and bring life to the river. His sophisticated diction creates a basis of reliability, quoting scientists and uses scientific jargon. This helps to describe the mechanics of this dynamic body of water. Using syntax, his sentence structure adds excitement to the passage, and adds depth to Barry’s words, making them as alive as the Mississippi, which so intensely holds his …show more content…
Through eloquent diction, a foundation of reliability is formed; scientific citations and references make the passage fact based, and adding interesting details make the passage fascinating and intellectually stimulating. Starting off, “The river’s characteristics represent an extraordinary dynamic combination of turbulent effects, and river hydraulics quickly go beyond the merely complex” (line 1-4). He then continues quote physicist Werner Heisenberg who on his deathbed, stated the two questions he wanted to ask God, “…why turbulence? and, why relativity?” (line 9). When referencing the other rivers, Barry asserts the Mississippi is the most complex. To back this, he states that, “It generates its own internal forces through its size, its sediment load, its depth, variations in its bottom, its ability to cave in the riverbank and slide sideways for miles, and even tidal influence, which affect it as far north as Baton Rouge” (line 20-24). Using words like “surface velocities”, “internal dynamics”, and “sinuosity” shows the complexities of the Mississippi, therefore conveying Barry’s interest with even the tiniest nuances of the Mississippi