Free Book Review Sample on "Subway Station" by Gilbert Highet

Introduction

Imagery and tone within a work of literature are important within any work of literature. More so, they are pertinent in noting the theme that a work of literature entails. Gilbert Highet’s “Subway Station” is an example of a literature work that equally entails these elements. More importantly, it is in a review of how the short story well articulates the power of recognition as a theme. This has more so been articulated in the type of imagery and tone utilized within the work of literature. Below is an exposition of how the theme of the power of recognition has been brought out within the “Subway Station,” as asserted by the imagery and tone within the work.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The Subway, the Ceiling and the Walls

The author tells of his appreciation of the subway, and an almost enjoyment of every time he walked into the station. In the retelling of the liking, the author kicks off by giving a rather negative description of the place, more of sarcastic to his tone of liking. Gilbert begins by describing the lighting within the station. He talks of the meager bulbs, and the filth tucking around the walls of the station. In further expounding on this, Highet likens the place to a coal mine that has been abandoned. Essentially, he exudes a negative inference of the place that he was coming to appreciate or like.

Further on, he goes on about the ceiling and the walls. The authors assert that the place is covered with soot, all of which is coated all around with remains of a dirty liquid, which might be coupled with smog. The painting is also not particularly enticing. Instead, he talks about its peeling, likening it to removing scabs from a rather old wound. Additionally, the author continues the nauseating stains hanging within the station from dried up chewing gum or some stale oil that found itself within the station. By all means, the narrator’s initial description of the station is rather a negative one, almost likened to a building that is falling apart or a disgusting slum building.

Importance of the Place

Nevertheless, the author discusses the importance of the place. The very fact that it serves a very pertinent role to the myriad of people that throngs it every day. In this realization, the author tones down by exuding the positivity in the place. The author starts by exuding on how the place has a unique setting. This is connoting from the people that throng the place. He further talks of the people, and their atypical variant features. Generally, the author gives in more detail about the place and starts to show off about the place beyond the filth and dirt within the place. Further on, he even recounts his awaiting of the train, a factor that backtracks him from the amazing experience of the subway station.

Conclusion

In concise, the author realizes how much of a good experience that the subway station has to not only him but the other commuters. His first look at the place is a rather disgusting, and filthy place. This has well been alluded to in the type of descriptive language utilized within the short story. Initially, this has the effect of making one sneer at what the subway station could be looking like, and one is suddenly overcome by the fact that the place is almost falling apart and is quite a sight to behold. However, the author tunes the reader into having a rather different rendition of the place. Instead, one starts seeing a rather positive feel of the place and its importance.