A person creates a relationship or connection with anything based on how it acts around them. In this passage Ann Petry uses imagery, figurative language, along with her selection of detail to portray Lutie Johnson's relationship to the harsh setting.
Petry begins the passage utilizing the selection of detail, as she describes everything about the suburb.
"It rattled the tops of garbage cans, sucked windows shades out through
the top of the opened windows and set them flapping back against the
windows." The imagery is of course very vivid as well, because Petry goes into such great detail. This helps the reader to connect/relate to the urban setting.
Also, Petry utilizes repetitive figurative language with a surplus of personification. This is where Petry uses what she wrote in lines 1-35 to her advantage, because now her reader already has a feel and connection of what life is like in the suburb so when she drops all this figurative language on the reader, the reader can easily identify and relate to Lutie Johnson. It now becomes easy to see that she sees her surroundings as bothersome and
unappreciated.
"Three rooms, steam heat, parquet floors, respectable tenants,
Reasonable." Petry uses this quote to finish off the passage and it lets
the reader know that after all these harsh and negative feelings you
get from reading, Lutie finally finds a sanctuary and in which you assume she will hastily enter. This provides the reader with a happy ending, which in turn makes you believe that no matter how harsh the environment is, life in the suburb is not completely miserable.
Lutie's relationship with the urban setting is defined by Petry's visual imagery, personification, and figurative language. These elements help the reader identify with Lutie and her search for shelter.
