Question

Writers organize their writings to make an impact on their readers. In Muir's writing about the Calypso Borealis, he places opposing views of his journey close together. Read the following paragraph and explain the opposite views present in the paragraph. What impact does Muir make when he places these opposite views close together?
How long I sat beside Calypso I don't know. Hunger and weariness vanished, and only after the sun was low in the west I splashed on through the swamp, strong and exhilarated as if never more to feel any mortal care. At length I saw maple woods on a hill and found a log house. I was gladly received. "Where ha ye come fra? The swamp, that awfu' swamp. What were ye doin' there?" etc. "Mony a puir body has been lost in that muckle, cauld, dreary bog and never been found." When I told her I had entered it in search of plants and had been in it all day, she wondered how plants could draw me to these awful places, and said, "It's god's mercy ye ever got out."

Answer 1

Muir starts off talking about how long he had been sitting by the Calypso-so long that he wasn't tired or hungry anymore. We, as the readers, think he has a bad attitude about sitting by this plant.
We think this because it seems like he is describing his wait as painful(he is WAY past being tired or hungry). However, the next sentence contrasts with this idea. When the sun sets, Muir suddenly gets this jolt of purpose and energy, stronger and determined than ever before. Can you see the pattern here? As for the dialogue, it is a woman speaking, and she lives in the log house he sees. She has a negative attitude towards the swamp, while Muir has a positive one. She wonders why he would want to be in a dangerous place like the swamp, explaining that a body was found in it. She then goes on to say that it was God's mercy that Muir was able to get out of the mucky swamp.
I hope this helps!