Santa Ana Winds

In "The Santa Ana" from the Los Angles Notebook, Joan Didion strategically uses syntax throughout her paper to help capture specific emotions dealing with the mysterious, disastrous Santa Ana winds. Didion frequently uses sentence structure and juxtaposition to create a flow in her writing and to portray the winds as controlling the people's behavior that ultimately cannot control them their self. Sentence number two is wordy, filled with commas, and ongoing details to describe the effects of the winds. She uses a long, unorganized sentence structure to show how the winds are uncontrollable and unpredictable, like the sentence that describes it. The sentence gives you a sense of unrestricted behavior of the winds. Didion then goes on to use short, simple, controlled sentences to portray direct restricted thought. Sentence five and six stand out to the reader to show exact details within the sentence, making them pause at the thought of what is being said. She uses this syntax technique to call attention to the short choppy sentences, and how you get a controlled feeling based on how they were written. Juxtaposition is the second major syntax technique that stood out. The paper is broken into three parts with the first paragraph relating to nature, the second to humans, and the third to science. By using juxtaposition it compares three different emotions and feelings from the paragraph to paragraph. The first relates with nature explaining specific details like "blowing up sandstorms", "drying the hills" to intertwine her sentences to what they are in nature. Meanwhile in paragraph two Didion describes the insane behavior the winds cause. She then goes on to paragraph three and analyzes all the scientific details that are involved with the winds. Didion even goes on to talk about the "unusually high ratio of positive to negative ions" that is brought about with the winds. By using these syntax strategies it allows you to break down the passage and develop a better sense of the physical and emotional feeling that's meant to be felt as you read the passage. Didion has a respected fear for The Santa Ana Winds and uses this fear to move a psychological feeling in your mind portrayed to these great winds.