In "Meteor" by John Whyndham, explore the ways the writer uses language to vividly portray a radically different perspective of life on earth.What...

In general terms, because the text of Wyndham's "Meteor"
isn't available on-line, when examining a text to determine how an author creates an
affect like "radically different perspective of life on earth," look first for the use
of literal language versus figurative language. Many specifics fall under the heading
"figurative language." Look for idioms, which are sayings that are only understood
through the culture in which they are used, for example, "You're a Babe Ruth!" is based
on American culture (yes, idioms can become internationally known). Look for metaphor
and simile. These are literary techniques whereby two unlike things are compared to each
other, such as love compared to a thorn. Look for imagery in which sensory perceptions
are stated or described. Imagery conjures mental pictures and involves mention or
description of tastes, smells, sounds, the feel of things, and the sight of things.
These may describe things, like spiraling green leaves cascading in the slanting wind on
a summer day, or may simply state things, like he was struck by the acrid
smell.

And yes, look for irony. Since you are specifically
examining language (not plot structure) look for verbal irony instead of situational or
dramatic irony. Verbal irony presents narrative or dialogic statements that mean
something other than what they appear to mean (sarcasm is similar but has a different
emotional motive and intent), as in "Thanks for your help," to someone who has not been
helpful at all. Also look for allusions. These may be allusions--references--to Earth's
history, great individuals, literature, myths, legends, etc., or allusions to the
alien's history, great leaders, etc., as a hypothetical example, General Izackopodil of
the Fourteenth Inter-Universal Teleportation Conference. Look for the diction level. Is
the vocabulary consistent with an ordinary conversation (middle diction)? Is it
consistent with formal discourse or even technical or academic discourse (high
diction)?

While you examine diction, look for metonymy and
synecdoche, which are tropes (figures of speech) that substitute one word for another.
Metonymy substitutes a related object or concept for a larger general concept, as in
Shelley's "deep blue" for sky. A synecdoche, which is a form of metonymy, substitutes a
part of the whole object or concept for the whole object or concept itself, as in "all
hands on deck" in which the hands of a sailor substitutes for the whole sailor. Finally
look for words that reveal psychological aspects of a character, words like
feel and think, and motive words like
want. To relate this to yourself, you will in the process identify
the language that has a psychological affect on you: language that makes you feel fear,
anger, worry, disgust, etc. And of course these psychological reactions will be focused
on the new perspective on a view of Earth that Wyndham is developing. So, you won't
focus on what you know of Earth, you'll focus on what psychological affect the language
of the narrative produces on you. [It's a good idea to confirm this with your instructor
before progressing.]