It takes a talented writer to make a dramatic story out of a
             little girl climbing a tree. This passage was obviously written by a
             talented writer. A unique introduction is but one of the things that gives
             this story a dramatic tone.
            
             A large portion of short stories that are considered "literary
             classics" begin with scenes bursting at the seams with vivid imagery,
             painting life-like pictures of the setting. This author, however, chose a
             different approach. The beginning to this tale is a comparatively simple
             one, describing what could be viewed as an average little hilltop with some
             trees; but it is not this that creates drama, even mysterious drama. In the
             midst of this quaint little forest, there is this "great pine-tree,"
             seeming rather out of place. We are given little description of this tree,
             and it is precisely that which begins the dramatic effect. Why is the tree
             there? What makes it special? What has happened that it is so much bigger
             than those surrounding it? The reader does not know. We have a mystery, and
             "mystery" is nearly synonymous with "drama." We are then told, again
             without much imagery, of the woodchoppers that had "felled its mates," but
             had died "long ago." Now the tree is a living legend, another archetypical
             source of drama. The lack of emphasis on the landscape, combined with the
             focus on the tree's singular presence and its interesting background, makes
             for a dramatic feeling indeed.
            
             After the introduction, the author reverts back to more
             customary methods of writing for her dramatic effect, such as diction and
             imagery. At the very end of the first paragraph, we see ellipses. Ellipses
             are practically suspense reincarnate, and suspense is a key element to
             drama. This occurs purposefully right after the sentence discussing the
             "hot" and "still air below." This is symbolic of a hard or oppressed life,
             with the tree as a symbol of freedom. Now we have a tale of escape. In the
             beginni...