beyond the sky and earth Flashcards
(11 cards)
‘Mountains all around, climbing up to peaks, rolling into valleys, again and again’
Through the use of the present participles, ‘climbing’ and ‘rolling’, Zeppa highlights the continuous power of nature and evokes a sense of boundless strength.
mountains are mountains, more mountains and mountains again
Through the use of epistrophe, Zeppa presents the awe that she is in upon seeing Bhutan. Moreover, she demonstrates the vastness of the landscape that is being presented to her.
ridges and sharp peaks, knuckling out little valleys and gorges
Through the use of geographical lexis, Zeppa depicts the magnitude of the landscape and the diversity that lies within Bhutan.
I watch the mountains rise to meet the moon
The fusion of the alliterative sounds ‘m’ emphasises the magical experience she is experiencing upon seeing Bhutan’s nature. Moreover, through the use of personification, Zeppa depicts nature working in harmony.
The entire earth below us was a convulsion of crests and gorges and wind-sharpened pinnacles.
Through the use of a triadic structrure, Zeppa shows the greatness of the landscape. The alliteration of ‘convulsion of crests’ conveys the ruggedness of the landscape and adds to the drama of the landscape.
beautiful aristrocratic faces with dark almond shaped eyes…
This is ironic because the Bhutanese are far from aristrocratic as they live in a rural, remote location without lavish architecture. This depicts the inner confidence within the Bhutanese people and highlights that they have no care for class or social standings.
“Most-dignity, unselfconsciousness, good humour, grace”
Through this listing of abstract nouns, Zeppa highlights all of the admirable qualities that lie within the Bhutanese people and emphasises that they cannot be described with one singular word.
‘Teenagers in acid washed jeans, Willie Nelson’s greatest hits after the news in English on the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, a Rambo poster in a bar’
Through this allusion to Western culture, Zeppa evokes a sense of familiarity however the fact that these references are vintage, Zeppa stresses the isolation of Bhutan.
“Blue-suited policeman… using incomprehensible but graceful hand gestures”
Through this imagery, Zeppa challenges not only her views but also her Western audience’s view on the police force as in America, police are a symbol of authority and dominance however in Bhutan, the police are seen as admirable and kind people.
The area is thought to have been inhabited long before that
The lexical choice ‘long inhabited’ connotes to the fact that the age of Bhutan is unknkown, evoking a sense of mystery and reflects Bhutan’s magisterial qualities.
“Earlier names for Bhutan are just as beautiful… Rainbow district of desires, Lotus grove of the gods…
Through this listing of previous names, Zeppa highlights the rich history that lies within Bhutan and reflects the country’s charming beauty, physical grandeur and unique people.
