The Story of an Eyewitness Essay Analysis

In The Story of an Eyewitness, journalist Jack capital of the United Kingdom gives com manpowertators a vivid first-person account of the pixilated aftermath of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. capital of the United Kingdoms report originally appeared in Colliers Weekly, May 5, 1906. As a reporter, London uses his writing experience to illustrate the devastation he witnesses by using similes, metaphors, irony, and avatar. His incredible descriptions transport the reader right into the burning streets.The story begins with the earthquake destroying many buildings and causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage. However, London expresses emphases on the fire that caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. He uses a metaphor to describe what he saw, San Franciscos burning was a lurid tower glaring a hundred miles away. Next, he uses personification to illustrate his feeling, and for three days and nights this lurid tower swayed in the sky. London states that the fires spread quickly throughout the metropolis, and could not be controlled by any man. Again, he uses personification to bring the fire alive, Thus did the fire of itself build its own colossal chimney through the atmosphere. London uses irony to describe the fires on Wednesday night, Remarkable as it may seem, Wednesday night while the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, was a quiet night. The fires lasted two days, Wednesday morning until Thursday night.While the city was burning, inhabitants tried to flee the city with their belongings. People tried to make it up San Franciscos many steep hills, but had a large(p) time, so they terminationed up leaving most of their things behind. London uses a simile to paint the picture of the people giving up, In the end, completely played out, after toiling for a dozen hours care giants. After the fires burned out, all of the buildings, hotels, stores, and houses in San Francisco were gone. Many people became homeless.Londons si mile describes the aftermath, San Francisco, at the present time, is like the crater of a volcano, around which are camped tens of thousands of refugees. Ironically, Jack London does not end the story with gloom and doom. After all the destruction and devastation, London brings back hope by inform readers that the United States Government is going to help the refugees. Also, we are assured that San Francisco is not dead because the bankers and business men have already set about making preparations to rebuild San Francisco.