With powerful diction, Cormac McCarthy describes a dramatic scene in the novel The Crossing. Emotions are expressed through actions rather than adjectives and dramatization is expressed through the tedious actions of the character and explicit detail. McCarthy creates a dramatic experience through particular literary techniques such as voice, style, point of view, repetition, parallelism, through philosophical references, and mood.

Strong words such as bristly and seething bring McCarthy's excerpt to life, however, the details are not overrun with difficult vocabulary that may distract the reader. Also, the author chooses to combine sentences which are short, blunt, and to the point, with sentences which are expanded and rich with meaning.

He touched the cold and perfect teeth. The eye turned to the fire gave back no light and he closed it with his thumb and sat by her and put his hand upon her bloodied forehead and closed his...