Consider the language in the statement from page 81, "But the stillness was the sleep of swords." What are the connotations of this description? How does the use of alliteration increase the effectiveness of the language?

The language in the statement from page 81, "But the stillness was the sleep of swords" connotes the idea of silent treatment. The use of alliteration increases the effectiveness of the language because the repetition of the 's' letter sends the idea of silent whispers.

Connotation refers to the implied meaning of a phrase or sentence. The connotation of the description that the phrase above was that there was a strong silence that cut through painfully like swords.

People can mete silent treatment on others which although not physically harmful, can hurt their emotions.

Alliteration is the repetition of letters and sounds in a group of closely related words. The repetition of the letter 's' is indicative of soft whispers.

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Answer and explanation:

Consider the language in the statement from page 81, "But the stillness was the sleep of swords." What are the connotations of this description?

The connotation of "But the stillness was the sleep of swords" is that Jody (Joe) is giving Janie the silent treatment after she questioned his looks and masculinity in front of other men. Janie is the main character in the novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God". She is an African American who, at this point in the plot, is married to Jody. He is an abusive husband, constantly humiliating her in front of others. When she, however, strikes back, he decides to be mad at her by going to sleep in a different room and not talking to her. The author says such silence is just the sleep of swords because, to others, it may look like they are not fighting, but even if the swords aren't moving, the fight continues in a different way.

How does the use of alliteration increase the effectiveness of the language?

In this excerpt, alliteration happens with the repetition of the "s" sound. It evokes a sort of softness, as if someone were whispering. It helps language be more effective in the sense that readers can imagine how silent it is.