Sunday, February 2, 2020

“Imagine Jumping Into a Pool Filled With Milk and Opening Your Eyes”—Use of Visual, Evocative Expression to Emphasize One’s Point

This example is from the immediate aftermath of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others. As news reporters and law enforcement officials frantically combed the area looking for eyewitnesses to the tragedy, the comments by a Scott Daehlin made it all the way to that day’s ABC Evening News. Why? Because Mr. Daehlin, presumably one of numerous Los Angeles County residents who had seen or heard the chopper just before it went down, was brilliantly imaginative during his brief exchange with the reporter.  Here’s how that conversation went:

ABC reporter: “How thick was the fog?”
Mr. Daehlin: “It was thick! Imagine jumping into a pool filled with milk and opening your eyes.”
ABC reporter: “...You can hear the helicopter?”
Mr. Daehlin: “Yes, but I can’t see anything. All of a sudden, it’s above me—I can hear it but can’t see it.”
 
I salute Scott Daehlin for coming up with such an amazingly vivid and evocative metaphorical expression to make his point. Very inspiring!
 
© Copyright 2020  V.J. Singal

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