Repetition, diction and simile in The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy In Cormac McCarthy's novel The Crossing, there is a dramatic sequence described by the narrator. The author uses many different techniques to convey the impact of the experience on the narrator. Some of these techniques are: repetition, diction and simile. Of the techniques mentioned above, the most obvious is repetition. The author uses the word “and” a total of thirty-three times. However, the simple use of the word is not what needs to be noted. What is interesting is the placement of the word. In sentences where the wolf is mentioned, the word “and” is used twenty times. This amount is 150% higher than the number of times the author chose to include the word "and" in sentences that did not mention the wolf. There are times when it would be just as easy, if not easier, for the author to omit the word “and.” McCormac, for example, could have said, “he touched the cold, perfect teeth.” However, “and” has been inserted again for the purpose...