"Across the years I see my mother reading there on the low, narrow bench, the lamplight flickering on her face and on the earthen walls; I smell the dank odor of that room; and I hear the great weather raging at the door" (Momaday).
I like this passage because it is descriptive and vivid. The selection of words that Momaday uses to describe this memory makes it easy to imagine: low, narrow, flickering, dank, raging. These adjectives and verbs are simple words, but play a significant role; they set the mood of the subject being described. A low and narrow bench, a flickering lamplight, a dank smell of the room, and the raging weather. Not only is Momaday's word selection effective, but also how he presents them. He uses three of the five senses to make this piece of his memory more lively. Momaday shows and tells what he sees, smells and hear. How he described and presented this memory helped me better visualize the situation and surroundings. His word choice for this memory is literal and easy to perceive, and this is why I like this passage.
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