assignment 2.6

Comparing Descriptions

PROMPT:

Read the following pairs of descriptions of a village:

1. The Yucca tribe lives in dire poverty. Their homes consist of rude shacks clustered around a rotting wooden platform that serves as a stage for primitive rituals. The village has no paved streets, no electricity, no running water. They subsist on fish and roots they dig from the ground with crude sticks. The village women spend their days fashioning course garments from tree bark and leaves. Their children wander aimlessly about the village without supervision.Their chief, an illiterate old man, resents the intrusion of outsiders who threaten his hold over this people.
2. The Yucca tribe lives simply. Their homes consist of small cottages grouped around an alter that serves as the center of their religious worship. The village has no crime, pollution, or violence. They live on natural fish and vegetables they harvest using the tools of their ancestors. Their children play freely with no fear of traffic or molestation.Their chief, steeped in tradition, resents the intrusion of outsiders who threaten to erode their culture.

Answer these questions:

1. How do these passages differ?
2. How does word choice affect your impression of the village and its inhabitants?
3. What do word choices reveal about the attitudes and values of the writer?

RESPONSE:

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