Definitions of these words appear below, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary: Malignancy brings to mind horrific disease, or evil in the way a sorcerer would be. “Intangible”, “groping”, and “crouching” all have connotations of darkness and blindness, and also call up the feelings associated with being lost in an unknown place. Several words in particular assist the imagery of this passage. This image, which, through careful word choice on Bradburys’ part, brings to mind a creeping foe along the lines of Tolkeins’ “Gollum” and sets the tone of the entire chapter. The best example of figurative language in this passage is the image of the “unnamable” danger, the dread that comes out of the ravine as an almost physical force, affecting Toms’ safe and good “summer mood”, and chilling him to the bone. He felt the tremble…Why? But she was bigger, stronger, more intelligent than himself, wasn’t she? Did she, too, feel that intangible menace, that groping out of darkness, that crouching, malignancy down below? Was there, then, no strength in growing up? No solace in being an adult?” (42)
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