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A Descent into the Maelstrom

by Edgar Allan Poe

We had now reached the summit of the loftiest crag. For some minutes the old man seemed too much exhausted to speak.

“Not long ago,” said he at length, “and I could have guided you on this route as well as the youngest of my sons; but, about three years past, there happened to me an event such as never happened to mortal man—or at least such as no man ever survived to tell of—and the six hours of deadly terror which I then endured have broken me up body and soul. You suppose me a very old man—but I am not. It took less than a single day to change these hairs from a jetty black to white, to weaken my limbs, and to unstring my nerves, so that I tremble at the least exertion, and am frightened at a shadow. Do you know I can scarcely look over this little cliff without getting giddy?”

"A Descent into the Maelstrom" by Edgar Allan Poe

Question
Use the passage to answer the question.How does the author use pacing in this excerpt?

Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

by using long, complex sentences
by using long, complex sentences

by emphasizing observations and ideas
by emphasizing observations and ideas

by focusing on action and using action verbs
by focusing on action and using action verbs

by avoiding the description of the setting
by avoiding the description of the setting

by including dialogue from only one character

1 answer

In the excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe's "A Descent into the Maelstrom," the author uses pacing effectively in the following ways:

  1. by using long, complex sentences - This technique can create a sense of buildup and intensity as the old man recounts his traumatic experience, allowing the reader to feel the weight of his emotions and the gravity of the event he's describing.

  2. by emphasizing observations and ideas - The old man's reflections on his change and vulnerability after the traumatic event provide a deeper psychological insight, slowing the pacing to draw attention to his fear and weakened state, which enhances the overall tension of the narrative.

So, the correct answers are:

  • by using long, complex sentences
  • by emphasizing observations and ideas