Certain it is, that, some fifteen or twenty years after the settlement of the town, the wooden jail was already marked with weather-stains and other indications of age, which gave a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browed and gloomy front.

— the scarlet letter,
nathaniel hawthorne

which group of words create mood in the passage?

what mood is conveyed through the words used to describe the appearance of the jail?

what can the reader infer about when the jail was built, based on the historical and geographical context provided in this excerpt?

each year on this day, i make it a point to listen to dr. martin luther king jr.’s great “i have a dream” speech. it’s electrifying every single time.

the content of dr. king’s speech, his inspiring presence, and the moment in history all came together to make the iconic “i have a dream” speech the defining moment of the american civil rights movement. but there are several other reasons why this speech, delivered over 50 years ago, remains an example of one of the best speeches in american history.

since part of my job is to people become better presenters, i’ve noticed several techniques that we can all learn from and be inspired by in this magnificent speech.

it’s anchored in a powerful related location

in most cases, you can’t handpick the spot to give a presentation, as mlk did for supreme symbolic effect when he stood on the steps of the lincoln memorial and echoed the opening words of the gettysburg address (“five score years ago . . ). but you absolutely can amplify your message by adapting it to your setting and location.

the novel is told in flashback

ian mortimer in his book "the time traveller's guide to elizabethan england" uses a narrative in his style, which successfully conveys a clear description of the life in england in the 16th century. he writes in second person, which makes it comfortable to reader and easy to understand, he captures the readers attention with views of the landscape, the streets, the people including rich and poor. he also depicts some cultural traits from how people behave, eat or what they wear. his descriptions range from the social, economical, the political power to the examples of the life of common people. it could be tell that this book is about social history rather than a   novel.