The opening sentence of Laurence's essay "Where the World Began" is as follows: "A strange place it was, that place where the world began." This is an effective opening line for a descriptive essay because it is vague enough to allow plenty of scope for the imagination to wander but at the same time offers some clues to direct the imagination. The word "place" is rather vague, and so mysterious, and the fact that it is repeated emphasizes the mystery. The word "strange" offers some direction for the imagination and implies a perhaps unusual, extraordinary place, and the phrase "where the world began" in turn suggests that the place in question is perhaps ancient and prehistoric. Alternatively, this phrase might be read metaphorically, in which case it could mean that this strange place was the setting for some kind of important, transformative experience for the speaker, who was responsible, metaphorically, for creating the world she now knows.
When one reads the final line of the essay, the opening line seems even more effective. The final line of the essay is: "This is not only where my world began. It is also the land of my ancestors." The final line links back to the opening line, creating a sense of closure. The final line also seems to clarify the meaning of the opening line. When Laurence wrote that the strange place was "where the world began," the meaning seems to be that it began there for her, because that's where her ancestors were born, and thus where her own history began.
Laurence's opening sentence is as follows:
A strange place it was, that place where the world began.
A descriptive essay will focus on conveying a sense of place (or the sense of a person) by using the five senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. By repeating the word "place" twice, Laurence signals the intent and subject matter of her piece. This is a good start for a descriptive essay because it orients the reader to what is to come.
Laurence has begun with a sweeping, overarching, generalizing statement about the prairie town in which she began her life. Personally, I don't believe that is the best way to start a descriptive essay, as it seems a bit bombastic and overblown to me, but it is effective in raising a reader's curiosity. It directs a reader to expect to learn about the strange rather than the ordinary. A descriptive essay should communicate a clear dominant impression, and Laurence does so with the word "strange."
Margaret Laurence was a Canadian novelist, short story writer, and essayist.
Laurence's work "Where the World Began" depicts her childhood in the prairies of Canada. It looks at Canadian values and belief systems, as well as the growth of Canadian society in comparison with Laurence's own growth. It examines how Canada and the ancestors who helped settle it formed her perspective on the world today.
The essay begins with the sentence “A strange place it was, that place where the world began.” This opening sentence is incredibly effective for a descriptive essay for a couple of reasons, the most obvious being that it appeals to readers' curiosity. The sentence keeps the audience interested in what’s to come. In what place did the world begin?
Descriptive essays tend to start with one of the following: a simple statement, descriptive sentence, quote, fact, or statistic.
By blending both a statement and description together, Laurence captivates readers while also conveying her position on the matter. Instead of simply stating that there is a “place where the world began,” she adds that it was “strange.” This adjective heightens the emotional response from readers and encourages them to keep reading to find out more.
The language and style are both simple. Simple language is important in maintaining your reader's attention. A concise style lets Laurence set up her anecdotes without confusing readers about her position.
The opening sentence also contains repetition, an important literary device; the word “place” appears twice.
Ultimately, Laurence’s opening sentence is intriguing and somewhat open-ended; therefore, it succeeds in setting up a compelling descriptive essay.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/margaret-laurence
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