1.5 Commentary

    An Area of Darkness by V.S. Naipaul, taken from Scraps of Wool by Bill Colegrave uses a variety of language that affects the writing and how the reader feels. The writer uses many descriptive adjectives and words that capture the reader into feeling as if they are in Kashmir or Qazigund.     

    The word choice or diction that the author uses is the main language style that captures the writing. The writer describes Kashmir as ‘yellow’, ‘milky blue sky’, ‘brown blankets’ and ‘drama of clouds’. They set the scene as bright and joyful because bright colors like ‘yellow’ and ‘blue’ are used in the description. The writer's choice of words gives the reader a vivid image of what this town may look like. The writer then goes on to describe Qazigund. This town was described more as dull and crowded. The air is ‘cold’, and the town smells like ‘charcoal, tobacco, cooking oil, months-old dirt and human excrement.’ These words are all perceived as dirty and heavy. Using those words gives off the impression that the town is musty and somewhat bland in color. The author creates fantastic imagery through his word choice in his writing.

    The word choice used in the writing gives the reader a sense of feeling through the words chosen. When reading about the Kashmir section I felt as If I was actually there in the town itself. The writer's word choice was very descriptive and captivated an image that the reader could picture in their mind. While reading the other section about Qazigund I felt claustrophobic and heavy as it describes the air and the ‘a waiting crowd’. In the beginning of An Area of Darkness it was cheerful and colorful and then so transitioned to a more dreary and faded setting. Qazigund is referred to as the Gateway of Kashmir. After reading this it made me feel as if Kashmir was a fairytale of a place. It went from a crowded washed out town to a vibrant calm place. The word choice and language style plays a huge part in how the reader feels throughout the writing.

    The writer uses descriptive words to create not only an image but to change how the reader feels throughout the writing. The way the author uses language style changes the way the reader understands the writing.