In The Serpent King, Zentner uses personification: "The decrepit window air conditioner hissed, losing the battle against the humidity of his living room." Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Zentner provides this personification to create a more vivid image of the inanimate object for readers. Giving the object the human attribute of wheezing demonstrates that the combination of humidity and heat in the room causes it to have difficulty providing enough cool air. This personification helps readers better visualize the condition of the object and the effects of the surrounding environment. Zentner uses the term: "Social contractual obligations and whatnot" in the book. By specifically integrating this choice of words, the author describes the qualities of the character who is speaking, which is Lidia. The use of academic vocabulary shows that Lydia has a high level of spoken language and is also an intelligent person. The word choice empowers the audience to further understand Lydia's characteristics and the wording of her conversation with others. Zentner implements the allusion in The Serpent King: “While everyone else at Forrestville High tries desperately to appear as if they don't live in Forrestville, we will embrace and own your rural Southerness, continuing in the vein of '70s Townes Van Zandt meets Ryan Adams of the Whiskeytown era.” The reference to the two American singer-songwriters provides readers with context about the characters' preferences in popular culture. As people read this sentence, they can make associations that allow them to connect more closely with the characters in the story. An example of a saying is given in the book by the author: “Dill blushed. Might as well rip the band-aid off. He quickly and calmly sang the required number a cappella.” This saying helps to emphasize Dill's sense of unease in his current situation. “Rip off the Band-Aid” does not interpret, literally, exactly what is stated. It instead figuratively suggests that Dill wants to do something as quickly as possible because of his difficulty. The situation you are facing is similar to the circumstance of ripping off a band-aid, where to relieve the pain, you need to do it quickly. With this language, the audience better understands the feelings Dill was experiencing and the point Zentner was trying to make. Zentner uses the simile: "Talking to his father made Dill feel like he was talking to a sentient brick wall that somehow knew about Jesus" in The Serpent King. Applying this simile allows Zentner to clarify how Dill's conversation with his father appears to negatively affect Dill. The author's comparison of "talking to a sentient brick wall" implies that Dill is experiencing a struggle in trying to communicate his thoughts to his father, since he seems to ignore them instead. Through this simile, readers gain insight into the type of relationship Dill has with his father, which insinuates a potential conflict between father and son. Zentner describes the bully character archetype: “'What's up, Dildo? Senior year!' Tyson said with mock excitement, raising his hand for a high five” in The Serpent King. The bully archetype shows a difficulty that Dill and his friends encounter at school. It symbolizes a person and a typical situation that most human beings recognize. While reading this part of the story, the audience is able to identify more closely with the characters because of the universal motif of the bully. The metaphor: "Even Christ.