Descriptive Writing Using the Paintings of Winslow Homer

Watson and the Shark John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark, National Gallery of Art, Ferdinand Lammot Belin Fund

Sample Paragraph Wenhua Tian 2007 Watson and the Shark Watson and the Shark is a painting by John Singleton Copely. In the foreground of the painting, one naked man is being attacked by a huge gray shark in the cold and choppy seawater. One small overloaded rowboat is near the naked man and the frightening shark. There are nine horrified men in this rowboat. They are trying to rescue the naked man. One young man takes a long spear and wants to kill the shark. Some people are reaching for his hand, and some are throwing a rope for him to catch. In the background of the painting, under the dark and cloudy sky, there are many ships stopping in the stormy harbor. The whole painting makes people feel tension and fear.

Background Information The power of a hurricane – &q=hurricane%20destruction%20youtube%20france&um=1&ihttp://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=H9VpwmtnOZc&eurl= &q=hurricane%20destruction%20youtube%20france&um=1&i –

The Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer The Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer, The Gulf Stream, Oil on canvas; 28 1/8 x 49 1/8 in. (71.4 x cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Wolfe Fund, 1906 ( ). Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

After the Hurricane by Winslow Homer Winslow Homer, American, ,After the Hurricane, Bahamas, 1899, Art Institute of Chicago

Example of Paragraph The Destructive Power of Nature The Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer shows how destructive the ocean can be. In this picture, a wounded (injured) man sits calmly in the face of danger. Fierce sharks are circling around him sitting on his damaged boat. The whole ocean shows its true powers causing powerful waves. The boat is lying helplessly under the mercy of the ocean. This is a great first draft! Remember, it’s not finished, but it has great promise.

Things to Remember Description not Narration –Is this narration or description? In about fifteen minutes after the storm, the man was exhausted, and couldn’t believe that he came out of the ocean churned by the stubborn wind. His boat is broken and he looks half dead, and since the storm has stopped the sky looks peaceful. From the moment he realized he was about to be eaten by shark, he laid motionless on top of the boat. In the ocean, you can see the ferocious sharks with sharp teeth waiting for him to fall off his small and old boat. Avoid I statements in academic writing. Double space your paragraph. Use an appropriate title (see page 89 in textbook). Verb forms/tenses (see handout)

Outlining – the Key to Unity and Coherence Outline your paragraph here: Topic Sentence: Remember a topic sentence includes the topic and what you want to tell the reader about the topic – what is the point of your paragraph? Example_______ by Winslow Homer makes the view feel __________. Supports and details –Support One:______________________________________________ –Detail:_____________________________________________________ –Support Two:_______________________________________________ –Detail:_____________________________________________________ –Support Three:______________________________________________ –Detail:_____________________________________________________ Conclusion: Remember to refer back to the controlling idea from the Topic Sentence. Example: For these reasons, the viewer has a feeling of __________ after looking at ______________ by Winslow Homer.

Unity and Coherence Unity – how do you create it? –Keeping your controlling idea in mind while you create your supports and details. Coherence – how do you create it? –Following logical pattern In this paragraph, discuss fully one object before moving on to another Using sentence types to link ideas together

Other paintings The Gulf Stream, Watercolor Study, 1899 Prout's Neck, Breakers, 1883