Strung all around

Let’s look at the first sentence a few different ways. First, it has three clauses. Can you find them all?

Strung all around with coloured lights, there was what looked like a war memorial in the middle, partly obscured by a windblown Christmas tree.

Rowling uses these three clauses to control our imaginary eye.

Strung all around with coloured lights, there was what looked like a war memorial in the middle, partly obscured by a windblown Christmas tree.

She starts in close with a detail, widens to show the thing, and then gets even wider to show something obscuring the view.

But notice how nothing is clearly seen? This helps create the sense that the heroes are isolated.

Can you find the same pattern in these examples?

Tied off with a red rope, there was what looked like a wooden boat in the water, half-covered by a mouldy canvas tarpaulin.

Covered with gleaming oil, there was what looked like a giant engine at the base of the wall, partly hidden by a blistering cloud of steam.

Topped by a statue of a young boy, there was some kind of fountain in the middle, almost concealed beneath a black thorny hedge.

Write your own variation. Hint: start by writing down the thing, then add the features and details you need.

Gothic in the Deathly Hallows: Isolating the heroes