Two Descriptions Paper
English Composition
Jesse R. Guy
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Description #1
The cold, dense air is filled with the ever increasing sounds of whirring engines and the dull roar of never-ending road traffic. The potent smells of fuel and exhaust blow across my position followed by the putrid smells of burning rubber and hot brake material. It is night and the stars are as bright, making the world seem like such a small and insignificant place. Aircraft pass over, giving off their locations with small flashing lights and harsh, powerful noise. Condensation collects on the grass, wetting my shoes with its moisture, making things slippery and cold. The wind can be heard rustling over the large, towing concrete and metal building behind me. The sounds of shuffling feet and objects being carried or dragged are heard in the slight silence. I cannot place the location of the shuffling as it is off in the darkness, too far away to scale its distance or direction or if it is something to be concerned with.
Description #2
As the cool air is brought in with the night, sounds of aircraft wafting through the air and automobiles scurrying their way along their paths fill the air. The day’s operations are ceasing and the smells of equipment being shut down and vehicles coming to a halt are dwindling with time. The night begins to offer its nightly starlight show, with millions of quaint, twinkling stars like a distant fireworks show happening so far away. The breeze brings cool air and moist condensation to the densely inhabited area making everything around shimmer in the sparse moonlight. The sounds of people scurrying home to their families with items they desire to bring with them fill the silence, each one in a different direction. The ever increasing smells of food being prepared indicated that the day light has been put to rest and the night is young.

Analysis
In analysis of this paper, I have used several different methods to indicate the location to be both positive and negative. One method used was the choice of words that indicated the item being described to be negative such as “putrid”, “burning” and “insignificant”. Using these words gave the reader a negative image of the place being portrayed. Also, the evidence given, such as “engine noise”, smells of “exhaust” and things of that nature are more times than not construed as being something other than pleasing also indicating the negative image of the location described. Things being “slippery” and “dragged” can more likely than not indicate danger, also adding to the negative aspect of the location. On the other hand, words used such as “shimmer”, “quaint” and “twinkling” are normally accepted as enjoyable or pleasurable and were used to counter the negative words used previously. Other items, such as the statement of “increasing smells of food being prepared” are normally accepted as pleasing in most cases as are the metaphors used in reference to the to the “starlight” looking like “distant fireworks” and to the day being “put to rest” and the night being “young”. In conclusion, I have learned that by using word selection, figurative language and sentence structure, one’s view of a subject can be greatly influenced and can provide a completely different description of the same subject.