In the poem "The Prelude" by William Wordsworth, the speaker talks about an experience in the woods. He finds a boat, paddles out, but turns back when he sees a rock looming over him. The speaker uses devices such as diction, imagery, and tone to convey a sense of pleasure at the beginning and one of fear towards the end. Diction plays an important role in conveying the senses of pleasure in the beginning and …showed first 75 words of 371 total…

…showed last 75 words of 371 total…the beginning and despairing near the end. The speaker compares himself to a master rower and is ambitious to go wherever he may in the first part, but feels forsaken by the beauty of nature after he turns his back, abandoning his boyish enthusiasm. Wordsworth masterfully uses diction, imagery, and tone in "The Prelude" to illustrate a transition from adventurous delight to embarrassing retreat. The speaker changes on his journey, abandoning all his previous beliefs.