The Language of The Lightning-Rod Man free essay sample

A look at religious symbolism, diction, and a description of Herman Melvilles short story, The Lightning-Rod Man. This research paper focuses on the language of Herman Melvilles The Lightning-Rod Man. The author examines diction, characterization, and description, and how Melville uses these aspects to portray the theme and religious symbolism of the story. Also includes short comparison to John Miltons Paradise Regained. Herman Melvilles short story, The Lightning-Rod Man, first appeared in Putnams Monthly Magazine in August of 1854 and was later published in Melvilles The Piazza Tales in 1856 (Verdier, 273). It seems all critics have a different opinion of the story. One anonymous critic said, The Lightning-Rod Man a story which excited great attention when originally published in Putnams Monthly (Parker, 83). One the other hand, another anonymous critic said, The Lightning-Rod Man is a very flat recital which we should never have suspected Melville of producing, had it not been put forth under the sanction of his name (Parker, 81). We will write a custom essay sample on The Language of The Lightning-Rod Man or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Critics also differ in what they think is the theme of the story, but most will agree that Melville creates religious symbolism through his diction and characterization. Verdier says, the tale may be seen as a confrontation between Good and Evil (274), which the story, on an emblematic level, most definitely is. Through description and diction, the narrator is understood as a follower of God, someone who believes in The Almighty watching over him. On the other hand, the lightning-rod man is seen as a negative character, someone who only has faith in the product hes peddling. Symbolically, the lightning-rod man is representative of Satan himself.