Cranes By Jennifer Ackerman Analysis

Charlotte Grillet
English DP.12 Mr. Maddox
1/26/13
Comparative Essay: Paper 1 Practice
This comparative essay will compare and contrast, “Cranes” by Jennifer Ackerman, and “To a Waterfowl”, by William Cullen Bryant. Both texts revolve around a fascination for birds. Text 1 is an article from National Geographic from 2004; an informative and journalistic article which targets an audience that cares for nature and their environment, and attempts to display how people can aid endangered cranes to discover their migration patterns. “Now, before they are released to the wild, they are being taught the habits of their ancestors with modern techniques pioneered by Operation Migration, an organization devoted to helping endangered birds learn
their traditional migratory routes.” (Lines 13, 14, 15) Text 2 is a descriptive and romantic poem from 1815 that shows how birds can inspire people. Text 2 is also about cranes and migration, yet it is more specific because it describes a single cranes struggle to escape its howler. William Bryant shows that the waterfowl taught him a lesson about persistence and loneliness, and he praised the cranes qualities that moved him. “Deeply has sunk the lesson thou hast given” (Line 27). Both texts have different targeted audiences, text types, and contexts so use different literary techniques that are appropriate for this. In text 2, Bryant uses rhyming to create a poetic and romantic tone. They both share a common theme about cranes, migration, and freedom, and both want their readers to appreciate nature and the beauty and magic of the birds even though both were from different centuries and have different contexts. Both texts portray their common themes and purpose with similar literary techniques, even though they have different audiences, tones, and structures.
Both texts have a similar purpose for their audiences, which is to highlight the importance of nature.
To a Waterfowl intends to express the author’s feelings through a crane’s flight. Its targeted audience is a poem and expresses the author’s feelings to the reader through the flight of a crane. The poem is for an educated and mature audience since it is in old complex English, and talks about sombre topics. In contrast, the article is reporting the crane migration project, so it is for an open audience; it could be for anyone interested in their environment, and in cranes. Text 1 revolves around the idea of preserving the cranes and nature: “restore the bird’s knowledge of the ancient flyaway.”(Line 25) They make a large effort with gliders and camouflage to help the birds migrate, and this displays the significance of nature in text 1. In text 2, the poet asks, “Thy solitary way?”( Line 4), and then in the last stanza answers the question, “ He who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must tread alone, Will lead my steps aright.” (Lines 29-32) This means that the poet was questioning the bird’s way of life, yet then sees that the crane can lead him in his solitary life. This entails that we can acquire ways to live by studying nature, so we should protect it so that it can inspire us, so both texts have the same purpose yet are in different
contexts.
As the texts have a common purpose, there are also similar in their descriptive language and use of imagery in order to employ their different tones. In text 1 the beginning is very descriptive and has heavy visual imagery. This makes the reader think that nature mesmerizes Jennifer Ackerman is since she describes it so colorfully. “Like a bright question mark against the emerald green grasses”. (Lines 2, 3) She poetically describes the cranes, “The birds are yearlings, five feet tall, with snow-white plumage and elegant black wing tips that spread apart like fingers when they fly,” (Lines 3, 4, 5) creating a dreamy atmosphere that the reader can visualize. This technique attempts to catch the reader’s attention; there is heavy pathos in this descriptive language. The author intended to make the reader feel sympathetic and care for the cranes by using the descriptive and poetic language. That is why the descriptive language and imagery is only heavy in the beginning of the article, and then proceeds with the scientific part. This descriptive language sets the tone for the article. The tone of the article is calm and factual like one of a national geographic documentary, “big sky, undulations of tall marsh grasses, wild whopping cranes” (Line 7), is an example of how it is similar to a nature documentary.
Coincidentally Bryant uses descriptive diction and imagery too, to captivate the reader.
Sensory phrases such as crimson sky, weedy lake, rocking billows, abyss of heaven, and chafed ocean side color an image in the reader’s mind, which make the poem alive, and helps the reader, visualize the setting of the flight. When the author personifies the crane as himself, “Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way?” (Lines 3, 4), he allows the reader to create an emotive connection with the crane, which further engages the reader. Bryant also uses auditory imagery. Because of the rhyming scheme, the reader feels a swaying sensation that depicts the flap of the bird’s wings or the poet’s thoughtful mood. The diction and imagery also set the tone for the poem. The tone for the poem begins calmly, yet as the howler approaches, the tone gets more intense and dramatic, until its imminent death, where the intensity slowly disappears. Both authors use descriptive language and imagery to set the tone and engage their
readers.
Moreover than the descriptive language and tone, both authors use different structural devices to persuade their reader. In text 1 there the colorful beginning catches the readers eye, and then the author explains that it would have been a “primordial scene” (Line 7), yet the ‘penned area nearby’ prevents it. This further intrigues the reader. This is similar to the structure of a feature article which: inform, entertain, and persuade. The structure of the romantic poem is very different since it is emotional, self-reflected, and lyrical; it is another effective way to engage and make the audience sympathize. The rhyming scheme follows a pattern of ABAB. For example, the last word in line 9, ‘brink’, rhymes with the last word in line 11, ‘sink’, and the last word in line 10, ‘wide’, rhymes with the last word in line 12, ‘side’. The rhyming scheme makes the poem fluid and rhythmic, which is artistically appealing to the reader. The harmonious rhyming scheme, similar to an ode, depicts nature’s perfection and harmony, and Bryant’s indulgence within it, and the waterfowl. Both text use different structural devices, yet both are effective.
In conclusion, both texts effectively portray their common themes and purposes with similar literary techniques, even though they have different audiences, tones, and structures. Both texts have different contexts and audiences. In text 1, the audience is open to anyone interested in nature, yet text 2 is a more serious emotional text with complex language, which is for a mature audience. Even though both texts have different audiences, they both highlight a common theme, the importance of nature. Both texts successfully use similar descriptive language and imagery to set their different tones, and engage their reader. The text types are also different, as their structure. Text 1 is similar to a feature article, which has characteristics to inform, entertain, and persuade their audience, whilst text 2 is a romantic poem, which is always lyrical, emotional, and self-related. Text 2 uses an ABAB rhyming scheme to further appeal to the reader. In the end, even though both texts are different in structure and context, they use similar literary techniques, and both appreciate and efficiently display the importance of nature.