During our passage, I first saw flying fishes, which surprised me very much; they used frequently to fly across the ship, and many of them fell on the deck. I also now first saw the use of the quadrant; I had often with astonishment seen the mariners make observations with it, and I could not think what it meant. They at last took notice of my surprise; and one of them, willing to increase it, as well as to gratify my curiosity, made me one day look through it. The clouds appeared to me to be land, which disappeared as they passed along. This heightened my wonder; and I was now more persuaded than ever, that I was in another world, and that every thing about me was magic
Word element attached at the end of the word root
The two parts of this excerpt from W. W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw" show that show the White family doesn't believe in the talisman's power are:
"Sounds like the 'Arabian Nights,'" said Mrs. White, as she rose and began to set the supper.
The 'Arabian Nights' were stories made up by the narrator Scheherazade and told to the King over 1001 nights so that he would not kill her as he had done with so many other women in the past. In this way, it signifies that Mrs. White believes this story to be a made-up tale.
and
"Don't you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me." Her husband drew the talisman from his pocket, and all three burst into laughter
Mr. White is jokingly asking to be given four pairs of hands, something that isn't sensible or realistic, because he does not believe in the power of the talisman to grant wishes. In the end the three burst in laughter as they do not take the talisman, or the story of it's power, seriously.
A type of verbal bridge involves the repetition of key words.
