An immensely tall, angular figure ... His gown hung round him in long folds like the wings of a bat, and his wig was perched slightly askew over a lantern jawed face with a blue chin, soulful spaniel-brown eyes and a turned-down mouth like a slit. But for his garb, you would have said that he was a dyspeptic undertaker in a town where nobody ever died.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A vivid physical description suggests a man who looks grim and out of place, like an undertaker in a town without death.
- In plain terms
- He looks like a sad undertaker even though nobody there has died.
- What can you take from it?
- Clothing and posture can create a misleading impression of a person's role.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does appearance shape identity?
- What makes a figure memorable?
Another view
It relies heavily on visual metaphors that may not translate well.
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