The Iron Giant

“How far had he walked? Nobody knows. Where had he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows.”

The atmosphere is filled with mystery and intrigue at the initial presentation of the Iron Man. His origins are unknown, as are his purpose and his intentions. The author tests the reader here to determine if the reader will choose to judge the Iron Man the same way the farmers do. Repetition is used to mimic the line of questions that someone might go through upon discovering the Iron Man.

“Gleefully it picked up the eye, and tucked it under its middle finger. The eye peered out, between the forefinger and thumb. Now the hand could see.”

The use of the adverb “gleefully” is intentional and adds a layer of personification to the Iron Man’s parts as they find one another. There is emotion behind them as well as a clear motivation to reunite. This stylistic choice sets the foundation for understanding the Iron Man as a complex and multifaceted character.

“An eye! There it was, blinking at them speechlessly beside a black and white pebble.”

The use of an exclamation mark adds emphasis and implies that the narrative has shifted toward the inner “thoughts” of the Iron Man’s parts. Detailed imagery is used in this scene, as each movement that each part makes is described, as is what they see and touch.