I believe that the theme of Simon Winchester's "Ascension in the Moonlight," is to appreciate the minute details in life, and to notice the beauty in nature. Winchester writes of many details throughout his story such as the "hissing white silence of dead ocean air" and "the purest white shell powder, illuminated by the immense pale moon, and with a clear sky full of a blizzard of stars." Not only do these both show appreciation for detail, they also show the importance of nature. These two instances show that Winchester paid a lot of attention to detail, almost as if he was seeing the world for the first time. Something as small as strawberries and creme made all the difference to Winchester, and something as magical as the birthing of turtles gave Winchester an almost extra-teristral experience.
A huge part of Winchester's story is imagery. The amount of description he uses allows for me to feel as if I was experiencing the journey right along side him, he describes Paul as "short, fair-haired, very pinkish, precise, rimlessly bespectacled." This description allows for a clear imagine in my head. Another form of language that strikes me as effective are the similes used throughout. One simile in particular that stuck out to me is "and the ocean - looking like an unblemished sheet of hammered pewter - stretched empty to every horizon." Not only does Winchester use description, but he uses a simile to do so. The simile is unique in the way that most people do not compare the ocean to a thin sheet of metal, yet it still brings an image to the mind. His use of description and imagery is very effective in creating a story with flavor and excitement. Drawing attention to even the smallest of details.
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