Literary Critique “Edward Hopper and the House by the Railroad

English M01B
November 6 2024
Literary Critique “Edward Hopper and the House by the Railroad”
House by the Railroad by Edward Hopper is one of the artist’s characteristic paintings
that illustrates a very modern look and feel. Hopper produced closely observed urban views,
landscapes mainly of New England and interior scenes which are sparsely populated with figures
or devoid of them entirely. Hopper has interpreted that his paintings were straightforward
representations of the real world and that they are often filled with an unmistakable sense of
loneliness, estrangement, stillness, and mystery. Light, whether natural or artificial, plays a
central role in conjuring mood. House by the Railroad painting can be described in terms of
portraying a sense of isolation and ostracization. Through Hopper’s applications of figurative
language and imagery, the author constructed a visual narrative emphasizing the abysmal
isolation and mystery of house’s architecture.
( Hopper is expressing himself through his paintings )The poem accentuates
personification with expressing the house. For example, “This strange, gawky house has the
expression of someone being stared at,”This house is ashamed of itself, ashamed of its fantastic
mansard rooftop”. “He is as brutal as sunlight,” could be a simile. Being as brutal as sunlight is
an insightful description. And explaining the guy who had the ease as relentless. Their choice of
wording is very subtly eerie, “ashamed, relentless, desperately, desolate, vacant, devoid of
meaning and gawky. “The house must have done something horrible.
To the people who once lived here” Personification with the house doing something
“horrible” to the people who once lived there. “He is a last afternoon shadow moving” is a
metaphor.
The house seems to be painted like a Victorian looking house, The house itself is a very
light, faded white color. The red on the top of the building pops out and sticks out like a sore
thumb. It gives it that pop of color needed to set the tone for the rest of the painting. The rest of
the painting has very dark shadows and overcast from the building and its surroundings. The blue
sky is very light and faint whilst the windows are lightly tinted yellow. The tracks that are
showcased at the bottom of the painting portrays earthy reds and browns for the railroad track.
The dark colors of the railroad give a neutral and earthy feel to the painting.( effect of the visuals
and shapes, isolation, darkness mystery communicate certain themes ) I feel like the railroad ties
it all together and gives more contrast to the ostracized light colored building. House by the
Railroad hardly has any contrasting colors, the colors are very neutral and basic in terms of the
color wheel, all of which contribute to the color harmony. The house casts dark contrasted
shadows and light that differentiates it from light and dark clear. A wide variety of geometrical
patterns and shapes can be observed in Edward Hopper’s House by the Railroad, such as the
house’s square and rectangular shapes, the columns’ cylindrical shape, and the windows’
semi-circular curves, which have organic shapes.
(device and the impact) (idea trying to communicate) (key terms)
(topic sentence personification, metaphors, tangible emotions through observation of the house)
(find evidence) what does it do in executing tangibility of emotion or tone) mystery, imagery
ambiguous time in space. Intangible landscape. Mood being created with different literary
devices and imagery.
Topic sentence, (transitional phrase) in particular in addition furthermore, context phrase,
presentation of evidence, analysis, closing sentence . take-away visuals
1000 Words. 12 point type/double-spaced. MLA format.This poem sets a deserted tone, the
emotion portrays the overall feel throughout the poem and gives effectiveness to the
personification of the house and surroundings. This poem is set in a very isolating and depraved
environment. There is personification expressed with the house, the house is being described as
strange and gawky. The house is also personified when Edward talks about the house being
ashamed of itself. Some stylistic components of figurative language that were used include
similes, metaphors, symbolism, imagery and repetition.