The Swamp

The two passages concerning Florida’s Okefenokee Swamp are both written to inform but are representative of two distinct styles of writing. What is most immediately striking is the contrast of concrete factual writing vs. emotion color and feeling. The author of Passage 1 writes as if he were a natural scientist. The writing is clear, orderly, and has engaging description. It could be converted into material for an encyclopedia article or field guide; it is …showed first 75 words of 294 total…

…showed last 75 words of 294 total…and caterwauling.” There are no unnecessary bumps or rough spots; the writing crackles with energy and its emotional momentum engages the reader from start to finish. With this author, the Okefenokee Swamp is a poetic expression. There are two passages and two distinct styles of writing. In Passage 1: a well-written descriptive article of the swamp in the language of a naturalist. In Passage 2: a metaphorical characterization of the swamp in the language of a poet.