Question

In lines 145-147 the simile “while the waves went shhh, shhh, like the whisper of the mother who’d died giving birth to him” is used. What effect does this have on the tone or mood of the story?

Answer 1

Answer:

It creates a melancholy mood because the simile tells the reader about the death of Gilbert's mother. It changes the whole fun atmosphere Gilbert was having with his father as his father tells him different stories about the sea and his lonely winters.

Explanation:

The question above is related to the story entitled "Another Place, Another Time," written by Cory Doctorow. It focuses on the life of Gilbert and his curiousness about "time."

His father usually stays home every summer after his winter voyage. This was a particular time when he was home and Gilbert could spend his time with him and ask him several questions.

The simile makes the whole mood different as it reveals the cause of the death of Gilbert's mother and the loneliness of his father.