The kite on the common

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

Jonah carried the kite to the common as carefully as if its thin wooden frame were made of glass. He had painted a red star across the paper, measuring each point twice, and its blue ribbons stirred behind him in the morning breeze. By the time the schoolmaster and several families had gathered, however, the leaves on the surrounding trees hung motionless.

Jonah ran. The string tightened, but the kite merely gave a bright shiver before folding itself upon the grass. He straightened its tail and tried from the opposite end of the field. Then he tried from the hill. Each time, fewer voices called advice. Soon the schoolmaster consulted his watch, the families wandered towards the road, and Jonah stopped looking behind him. At last, a sudden gust carried the red star above the hedges. Jonah watched it climb in the emptying field, holding the string firmly but making no sound.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to present Jonah’s disappointment with the kite trial. Support your answer with references to the passage.