How are language and structure used to create meaning in Kew Gardens by Virginia Wolf?

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How are language and structure used to create meaning in Kew Gardens by Virginia Wolf?

Language and structure are used in Kew Gardens to  create certain effects though language and structure. One of the main meanings presented in Kew Gardens is how man kind is part of a larger picture. Furthermore, Virignia Wolf depicts a bigger picture through the use of extended metaphors. For example, the use of a  snail and comparing this to the path of human life, and how it is scattered with obstacles.

Imagery is used to create many effects as stated above in the first paragraph. One type of language used by Virginia Wolf is extended metaphors. For example, Wolf writes “The snail, whose shell had been stained red, blue and yellow.” In the following quote the shell is described with many adjectives to describe the beauty of life. For example, she writes “blue and yellow.” The use of the following evidence once again emphasises the use of imagery to create the effect that life is eternal and beauty. However, the use of imagery is some what of a contradiction from a normal snail emphasising to the audience that although man envisions a perfect picture of everything it may not seem the case.   There is also a greater use of personification in the language to create meaning. For example, “tongue shaped leaves” and “yellow gloom of the throat” The following quote just like the snails idealises things. By idealising flowers just like the snail it juxtaposes with the description given of people within the text. Emphasising to the audience that humanity is part of a bigger cycle.

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Presenting to the audience how human life is intertwined with the flowers in the garden that is essential for our survival.

Wolf’s tone and style can be considered very descriptive with little action. The use intense description makes nature sound tranquil and pleasant whilst the deliberate lack of description on human does the opposite creating meaning that man is not as great as it assumes. For example, Wolf gives the descriptions of the of an old, poor women as ‘Sugar, flowers, kippers greens.’ Emphasising my point above that through description Wolf makes humans sound dull and self centred. Furthermore, ...

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