Question

analyzing loaded language
once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy, by the fault lines of world wars and the electrified fence of communism. with the end of the cold war there was the creeping concern that without a focus for hatred and distrust, a sense of national identity would evaporate, that the left side of the hyphen - african - american, mexican - american, irish - american - would overwhelm the right.

• \a quilt of a country,\ anna quindlen

what is the denotative meaning of \electrified fence\?
what is the connotative meaning of \electrified fence\ in the passage?
what does the use of this phrase reveal about how the author views communism?

Explanation:

• Denotative meaning: A fence that is charged with electricity.
• Connotative meaning: A barrier or division (in the context of the Cold - War era, representing the ideological divide between the Western and Communist blocs).
• Author's view: The use of "electrified fence" to describe communism implies that the author views it as a harsh, divisive, and perhaps dangerous (like an electrified fence that can cause harm if touched) ideology that separated and divided people.

Answer:

• Denotative meaning: A fence with an electric current running through it.
• Connotative meaning: A symbol of division and separation (in the context of the Cold War, between the Western and Communist - aligned areas).
• Author's view: The author views communism as a divisive and perhaps menacing (like an electrified fence which is a barrier and can cause harm) force that separated different groups (in the context of the Cold War geopolitical situation).