The Explorer's Daughter quotes

"(the plumes of spray from the narwhal) catching the light in a spectral play of colour"

• chromatic imagery

• The chromatic imagery here conjures a scene of mesmeric, even kaleidoscopic beauty, describing the visual appeal of the narwhal's spray.

"spectral (play of colour)"

• metaphorical adjective

• The metaphorical adjective “spectral,” meaning ghost-like, suggests that the narwhal are otherworldly and ephemeral.

"(spectral) play (of colour)"

• noun

• The noun “play” gives the image a liveliness and an innocence, which may contribute to stirring the reader's sympathy for the narwhal.

"two large pods… always slowly, methodically passing each other by"

• adverbs

• The adverbs “slowly” and “methodically” indicate the careful and choreographed nature of the narwhal's movements, highlighting their intelligence.

"Scrambling back up to the lookout"

• present participle

• The present participle “scrambling” suggests she is so keen to observe the scene that she is awkwardly using her hands as well as her feet in order to climb to the lookout point as quickly as possible.

"the glittering kingdom"

• metaphor

• “Kingdom” perhaps suggests the regal nature of the narwhal, implying that they are rulers over their domain. The adjective “glittering” suggests the precious, gemstone-like vista before Herbert; this further emphasises the beautiful impact of the “shifting” “evening light.”

"sharp intake of breath"

• adjective

• Herbet’s “sharp intake of breath” suggests her feelings of sudden, literally breathtaking awe as she witnesses the scene before her.

"the evening light was turning butter-gold"

• metaphorical adjective

• By describing the “evening light” with the metaphorical adjective “butter-gold,” Herbert evokes its warm, golden hue. The comparison to butter suggests a softness and sense of luxury; it also draws in the sense of taste, anticipating Herbert's later focus on the nutritional value of the narwhal.

"turning… glinting… catching"

• tricolon

• past participles, These verbs suggest the “shifting” play of light.

"the soft billows of smoke"

• sibilance

• The repeated soft ‘s’ sounds mimic the gentle, flowing motion described.

"Distances are always deceptive in the Arctic"

• declarative sentence

• shift from personal to abstract, The shift from personal experience to abstract information in this declarative sentence suggests Herbert's knowledge and expertise on the topic; the adverb “always” lends a sense of authority and wisdom.

"mischievous tricks of the shifting light"

• personification

• metaphor, This metaphor, personifying the “light,” not only confirms just how difficult it is to see the narwhals from the shore but also implies their potential elusiveness: it may be very difficult indeed for the hunters to locate and kill them.

"The narwhal rarely stray from High Arctic waters"

• factual, informative tone

• This paragraph explores abstract information rather than exploring Herbert’s specific experiences, thus demonstrating her credibility and knowledge about the Arctic.

"mattak" "blubber"

• technical terminology

• Her use of technical terminology, such as “mattak” and “blubber,” suggests Herbert's expertise in the subject, which makes it harder for the reader to disagree with her conclusions.

"essential contributor to the survival of hunters" "light" "heat" "diet"

• long complex sentences

• Herbert explores the “essential” importance of narwhal meat in a series of long complex sentences. For example, as well as acting as a valuable food source, their blubber can be burnt for “light” and “heat” (indeed, for centuries it was “the only source” available).

"rich"

• adjective

• Herbert repeats the adjective “rich” three times to describe the narwhal's flesh, drawing our attention to its nutritional value; this could also implicitly suggest that this a successful hunt may bring monetary wealth. Indeed, we later learn it can bring “much-needed” extra income.

"(a single narwhal can feed a team of dogs for an entire month)"

• parentheses

• The use of parentheses provides additional, detailed factual information, which suggests Herbert's expertise and demonstrates the crucial importance of the hunt.

"central beam in their houses"

• symbolic suggestions

• The description of the tusk as the “central beam” seems to hold symbolic suggestions; the tusk is both literally and metaphorically the “central beam” of the Inuit people’s homes, as the narwhal props up their houses, their economy, and their diet.

“the tusk seems to have little use for the narwhal itself”

• adverb, juxtaposition

• The central importance of the tusk for the hunters is juxtaposed with its relative unimportance for the narwhal itself; Herbert's adverb “strangely” draws attention to this surprising disjunction.

"pointing… focusing… spinning"

• present participles

• These verbs suggest the urgent and ongoing action of the spectators.

"pointing in every direction"

• hyperbole

• Indicates the extent of the lookout, and the vital importance the hunt has for the women; they are extremely attentive to the action.

"instinctively…. intently"

• adverbs

• “Instinctively” suggests the deep connection between each wife and her husband; “intently” conveys their fierce anxiety that the hunt prove a success.

"a vast, waterborne game"

• simile

• The first simile (“a vast, waterborne game”) stresses the importance of human athleticism, and the need for a clear strategy; it interjects a more playful note amidst the rising tension.

"spread like a net around the sound"

• simile

• This simile indicates the carefully practised hunting strategies; it suggests that they become like a piece of hunting equipment themselves.

“intelligent creatures” “keens… senses” "talk to one another under the water"

• tricolon, compound sentence

• This description illustrates that the narwhals are likely to be formidable foes; it also suggests their sentience, which may attract the reader's sympathy.

"aimed – in that split second"

• dash

• The dash abruptly breaks up the flow of the sentence, building tension as we experience the sudden onrush of the narrator's feelings.

"my heart leapt"

• metonym

• The ‘heart’ is a metonym for the emotional side of the self, suggesting her deep emotional investment in the outcome for both the people and the animals.

"both hunter and narwhal"

• correlative conjunctions

• The correlative conjunctions “both…and…” provide a syntactic and rhetorical balance, suggesting her equivalent desire for both hunter and hunted to succeed.

"head" "heart"

• contrast, metonyms

• “Head” and “heart” are both metonyms, representing the logical side and the emotional side of the self respectively - Herbert seems therefore to imply that she is divided between her rational feeling that the hunt is necessary and her emotive impulse to save the beauty of the narwhal.

"to dive, to leave, to survive"

• tricolon, end of paragraph, sound patterning

• This tricolon culminates in the verb ‘survive,’ which is emphatically positioned at the end of the paragraph; this may suggest that, at this stage, her primary investment is in the narwhal rather than the people. This sense of crescendo is emphasised by the sound patterning (“survive” rhyming with “dive”).

“This dilemma stayed with me the entire time I was in Greenland.”

• zooms out, reflective tone

• The last paragraph shifts us forward in time and zooms out; here, Herbert is looking back with the hindsight of her “entire time” in Greenland. She takes a more reflective, considered tone, rather than being governed by the emotions of a moment.

"(men) battering (seals)"

• violent plosive verb

• Presents the caricature of the Inuit people, hinting that the hunting processes may be perceived to be inhumane and cruel. Herbert's personal experience of narwhal hunting counteracts this view.

"Hunting is still an absolute necessity in Thule"

• simple, declarative sentence, end of the piece

• This simple, declarative sentence suggests that this is her final thought on the matter, reinforced by its position at the end of the piece.

"in Thule"

• context dependent

• This suggests that her view may be context-dependent; while it may be necessary “in Thule,” she does not necessarily think hunting is essential everywhere.