"Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West. The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it, and without a roof. What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him? He stands in his high house that overlooks the world. Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back, waiting for the messenger to bid him come. Been standing there before there was a where or a when or a then. She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now. She was sad and afraid too. Poor Jody! He ought not to have to wrassle in there by himself. She sent Sam in to suggest a visit, but Jody said No. These medical doctors wuz all right with the Godly sick, but they didn't know a thing about a case like his. He'd be all right just as soon as the two-headed man found what had been buried against him. He wasn't going to die at all. That was what he thought. But Sam told her different, so she knew. And then if he hadn't, the next morning she was bound to know, for people began to gather in the big yard under the palm and china-berry trees. People who would not have dared to foot the place before crept in and did not come to the house. Just squatted under the trees and waited. Rumor, the wingless bird, had shadowed over the town."

~ Death is perceived as a bird (a crow possibly) or probably a god who is able to go anywhere and everywhere with no protection needed. It watches over waiting to strike and take those who are about to die. Death has no boundaries so nothing is able to leave his sight of judgment.

~Jody is the only one stated "that said", to remind the reader maybe that she is the one telling the story.

There is the capitalization on No to emphasize emotion portrayed from Jody

~Uses dialect of "wuz" to show that this passage is mostly narration?

~Personifies death as maybe a character creating a erie feeling in the passage?

~trees is used again in this passage to maybe symbolize how it is used as protection to hide oneself from death approaching?