Descriptive Nonfiction
What Is Descriptive Nonfiction?
Like other forms of nonfiction writing, descriptive nonfiction is based on facts and true events. The goal of all descriptive writing is to create a vivid and clear understanding of a person, place, or thing. Through the use of imagery and precise word choice, descriptions use words to "paint pictures" in the minds of readers. Effective descriptions contribute help a reader make emotional and meaningful connections to an author's writing. Also, they can leave the reader with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the text. If reading an author's writing has ever made you feel that you experienced firsthand what the author conveyed, then you are already familiar with the power of descriptive writing.
Descriptive writing is not exclusive of other types of writing; in fact, it is a necessary part of nearly every type of writing. In other words, you can find descriptive writing in fiction works, such as poems, songs, novels, and plays. Descriptive writing is also important in nonfiction works, such as essays, research papers, news articles, and many more. In this topic, you will explore the use of descriptive nonfiction in the writing of "America's Greatest Humorist," author Mark Twain.
Mark Twain
Most often known by his pen name Mark Twain, Samuel Langhorne Clemens is remembered for the witty humor that embellished his writing. He was born on November 30, 1835 and grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River in Missouri. In his early years, he worked as a river pilot and a printer. In 1861, his elder brother was appointed as a secretary in the Nevada Territory, and Twain decided to head west with him. Later, Twain tried his hand at prospecting and then worked as a journalist in Nevada, California, and Hawaii. He also traveled throughout Europe and the Middle East before settling down in New York upon marrying Olivia Langdon in 1870. Soon, the couple resettled in Hartford, Connecticut, where Twain would write his most famous works, such as the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and his memoir Life on the Mississippi. His writing is praised for its clever humor, authentic colloquialism, social criticism, and development of American themes.
Roughing It
In 1872, Twain published a semi-autobiographical memoir titled Roughing It, which is based on his experiences traveling to the western territories and Hawaii. When Twain headed west with his brother, they traveled for two weeks by stagecoach because transcontinental railroads did not exist yet. They were not allowed to bring many belongings, so they packed essential clothing and a six-pound unabridged English dictionary (only to find out later that they could have purchased one in Nevada). Along the journey, teams of horses or mules were switched out for a fresh team about every ten miles at various "stations," which served as a sort of pit stop. Because the stagecoach was also responsible for carrying mail, it was packed full of mail sacks and barely left any room for its human passengers. The frequent tumbling of mail sacks and jostling with the hefty dictionary in the cramped stagecoach made for a long and difficult journey. However, Twain never lost his thirst for adventure as he explored the breathtaking landscapes of the West. In this topic, you will read a passage that describes a particularly difficult leg of his journey by stagecoach.
How Do Authors Incorporate Descriptive Writing?
Descriptive writing relies on the use of sensory details and precise word choice to paint pictures in the reader's mind. Writers incorporate description by tapping into the five senses, employing figurative language, and establishing a mood to convey emotion. Sometimes, a description may even utilize all three of these techniques in the same passage. Take a moment to explore three techniques for creating descriptive writing by examining passages from Mark Twain's semi-autobiographical book titled Roughing It. Click the player button to begin.
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A Tip for Creating Description: "Show, Don't Tell"
Have you ever heard the phrase "Show, Don't Tell?" Seasoned writer use this rule when they want their readers to experience a scene as if they were really there. This rule of thumb regarding description reminds you that when you describe something, you should show the readers what to see, hear, smell, touch, or taste. On the other hand, if you simply tell readers a statement, they may not truly understand on a deep level what you mean to convey.
To demonstrate the advantages of showing versus telling, consider this quotation from Mark Twain's Roughing It in which he and his brother arrive in a city while traveling to the western territories. In this passage, is Twain telling the reader or showing the reader?
"Salt Lake City was healthy—an extremely healthy city."
In this excerpt, Twain tells the reader a direct statement: Salt Lake City was healthy. He even qualifies his statement by adding that it was an extremely healthy city. But what exactly does it mean for a city to be healthy in the Western frontiers of the 1860s?
If Twain had simply told you that that the city was healthy and left the rest up to you to figure out on your own, you most likely would not understand what it was like to visit Salt Lake City in the 1860s. Fortunately, Twain also provided very vivid descriptions that show you what it was like to walk through the city. Compare the passage below with the previous one. How does showing you the city through description help you get a better feel for what it was like?
"Next day we strolled about everywhere through the broad, straight, level streets, and enjoyed the pleasant strangeness of a city of fifteen thousand inhabitants with no loafers perceptible in it; and no visible drunkards or noisy people; a limpid stream rippling and dancing through every street in place of a filthy gutter; block after block of trim dwellings, built of "frame" and sunburned brick—a great thriving orchard and garden behind every one of them, apparently—branches from the street stream winding and sparkling among the garden beds and fruit trees—and a grand general air of neatness, repair, thrift and comfort, around and about and over the whole. And everywhere were workshops, factories, and all manner of industries; and intent faces and busy hands were to be seen wherever one looked; and in one's ears was the ceaseless clink of hammers, the buzz of trade and the contented hum of drums and fly-wheels."
Sometimes in your writing, it will be more appropriate to tell readers a direct statement. However, when you want to incorporate description, remember the rule "Show, Don't Tell."
Access and read Chapter 18 of Roughing It by Mark Twain. In the beginning of the chapter, you find Twain and his brother leaving Salt Lake City in their journey west to Nevada. They arrive by stagecoach to an "alkali desert," an area that previously held a body of water, which later dried up and left behind salty deposits. Traveling through such deserts was extremely dangerous—and continues to be so today—due to the extreme high temperatures and vast distances with no access to shade or water. This passage recounts Twain's difficult crossing of an alkali desert spanning sixty-eight miles.
As you read the excerpt, pay close attention to how Twain incorporates description in his account of the journey. What senses does he tap into? Where does he use figurative language and comparisons? What mood does he establish in the beginning of the chapter, and how does the mood change throughout the excerpt?
Descriptive Nonfiction Review
Now that you have explored descriptive nonfiction in Mark Twain's travel memoir Roughing It, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the questions and select the appropriate answers. Click the player button to get started.