Then i smiled because all of the questions were over. the men asked papa and mama to read some italian words from a book, and the official stamped our papers. then he grinned and said in english, “welcome to the united states of america! ” and in that instant, joy won the fight on mama’s face. we were taken to a boat that would sail us across the harbor to the city and a brand new life. as i boarded i smiled up at lady liberty who stood tall with her spoon in hand, ready to stir us in. which main idea is conveyed in this excerpt? the support of family can make difficult situations easier. true joy is experienced after difficult battles are won. a brand new life can be difficult to get used to. along with a new start comes the promise of a great future.

first of all the mood needs to be defined: it is obviously a mood of deceitful relief and serenity. why? because the cape horn is one of the most violent maritime regions of earth and although it has been left behind, it is a personification of ahab’s delirium and the fact that the end of the passage speaks about it about being “hidden” but “raving” immediately conveys the feeling the calm is not permanent but fleeting.

furthermore, the oxymoron “mild stun'sails” is the first instance of such feeling as the adjective “mild” is associated with “stunned” underscoring the fleeting nature of this “tranquil” moment. and the contrasts keep piling up, with the opposition between “dark den” and “blessed light and air” to end with the final conclusion that leaves the reader with the uneasy knowledge that this is just a reprieve.