In Joseph Conrad's description of the Thames River, the tone is heavily influenced by syntax, diction, sentence structure, and literary device. The overall tone of this passage is mysterious - as shown by the darker images and references to power. The description of the Thames also alludes to the stories of great adventures throughout history, representing the adventure also associated with this grand river. The first paragraph has a descriptive purpose - It describes the overall image of the town. The images used and the diction portrays a sense of wonder, of longing for the adventure. There are descriptive terms used such as "interminable , luminous , and "welded together . These terms, descriptive of an image, seem to depict a beautiful, powerful, city; yet the paragraph shifts to a foreshadowing tone in the last few lines. Words such as "mournful," and "brooding" illustrate a darker story ahead. In the first few lines of the narrative portion Conrad uses calm, almost serene, imagery and diction: "The water shone pacifically, the sky, without a speck." This is highly in contrast to the latter stages of the same paragraph where the story takes on a darker quality: "the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became more sombre. This second paragraph mimics the form of the first paragraph, creating a feeling of foreboding in the reader. The third paragraph is shorter than the first two, and it dramatically changes the tone of the paragraph. The images show a physical shift in the scenery; "The sun sank low  and the light "[went] out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom brooding over a crowd of men . This image of the darkening sky casts a menacing veil over the story, and projects an image that reflects the tone of a mystery novel. There are many strong images in this paragraph such as the "dull red [sun] without rays and without heat . All the images have one thing in common: the t