Death of a River Guide - the fourth day

            The passage depicts a brief scene of interaction between Aljaz, the Cockroach, and a group of tourists. Written in the third person narrative, the narrator appears to be an observer of the events unfolding. With the river being presented as a hostile environment, the reader immediately senses the tension in the atmosphere, as created by the narrator's account. The passage clearly presents the connection between nature and human beings, and effectively enhances the atmosphere by building up the power of the river. The reader faces the misfortunes of the characters, which elicit sympathy; simultaneously, the protagonist and reader are forced to appreciate nature's power and potential. .
             The passage opens with a foreboding of the tension to follow as Aljaz sees the "dense riverbank bush". This gives a negative image of the river, and thus faced with repulsive attitude. The fact that the river becomes a "rapid" creates a hostile image of the river. The tension in the atmosphere is further emphasized through the use of adjectives such as "big", "furious", and "confused". The use of the adverb "frighteningly" is also made to effectively enhance the discomfort of the situation. Through the portrayal of the Cockroach's blunt nature, an uneasy atmosphere is created. The Cockroach says, "This is serious".
             Aljaz's statement that "we have hit the river in a bad way" hints a sort of battle between the human beings and nature. It therefore portrays the river's motives. Consequently, "the rain" forms an alliance with the river, and the power of the river is built, as the rain was initially "light and occasional, then heavier and heavier", and finally "smashes down on the river". The use of long sentences symbolizes the river as it conveys a sense intimidation and portrays the river as erratic, and also symbolizes the complexity of their predicament.
             Similarly, the repetitions in the fifth paragraph serves to build the tension.