JAMB - Literature In English (2001 - No. 4)
'For seven days it rained that June;
A storm half out to sea kept turning around like a dog trying to settle himself on a rug; We were the fleas that complained in his hair.'
John Updike, Wash
The images set in the lines above are of
the days of Noah
rain and flood in June
discomfort and likely destruction
an animal, insects and fun
Explanation
The passage uses vivid imagery to convey a sense of discomfort and a looming threat of destruction. The storm "kept turning around like a dog trying to settle himself on a rug," which suggests the storm's restlessness and chaotic nature. Additionally, the comparison of people to "fleas that complained in his hair" evokes a sense of irritation and helplessness in the face of a powerful and uncontrollable force (the storm).
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