Analyzing Robert Frost's 'Touching The Void'

English Anthology
SECTION A
Touching the Void
-Long sentences suggest the build-up of fear.
-Dynamic verbs “splitting…rushing” etc… show speed and action.
-Pain metaphors “pain flooded”, “a fierce burning fire”
-Breaks in paragraphs can show a pause for the reader to realise the severity of the injury.
-In the first three paragraphs the pain and extent of injury are in the foreground whereas in the rest of Joe’s account, his mental state is the focus.
-Graphic description “grotesque distortion” to shock the reader.
-Short sentences in fourth paragraph show desperation and speed of thought.
-Use of conditional “if” to show uncertainty.
-Ellipses show movement between thought.
-“ruptured, twisted, crushed” is a cumulative triplet to convey
the extent of the injury.
-Ellipses at end of paragraph five show how Joe can’t bear to think about his injury.
-In paragraph six, his actions show an attempt to regain control.
-Facts and statistics show rational thought but also Joe’s hopeless situation and isolation.
-Loses control as the rational analysis of the situation gives way to the terror of being abandoned and death.
-The questions show pessimism as Joe knows that Simon is not supposed to help him and risk two lives to save one.
-Strong modal verbs show that Joe knows what Simon has to do “He would leave me”
Simon’s account
-The first three paragraphs show Simon to be calm and in control through language “braced myself”, “cautiously” and controlled frequent sentences which reflect the nature of Simon’s actions.
-Finalistic language is used towards Joe, showing the severity of the injury and giving an insight into Simon’s rational mind.
-Simon provides the rational voice of reason, analysing the situation and calculating, without emotion, the course of action.
-Modal verbs show thought and uncertainty “I might help him…I might die with him”
-Sentence structure changes with the mood of Simon’s thoughts.

Your Guide to Beach Safety
-Red and yellow used to make the leaflet eye catching.
-The title is beach-like with the font seemingly eroded.
-The 2nd person is used to communicate directly with the reader.
-Juxtaposition of “safe and fun” as they are normally contrasting words but the leaflet promises to make both possible. The image is an example of this as the children are having fun but safety is near with the lifeguard in the background.
-The triplet of “life” prefixes used in the slogan and the alliteration give it the rhythmic feel of action.
-The danger sign and yellow box to contrast with the red background draw attention to the important information within. The box is in the middle of the page and not surrounded by anything else so the reader’s attention is immediately drawn to it.
-The absolute “never” is used to stress the importance of not attempting a rescue.
-The imperatives “tell” and “call” give clear, concise instruction and convey the urgency with which the actions must be taken.
-The telephone numbers are in bold so they stand out. Anyone looking over the text will have their attention drawn to them, so they are easy to find.
-At the bottom of the page is easy access for more information.
-On the second page, an anecdote is used for effect. The first person makes an emotional appeal to the reader.
-A date and a picture are used to add believability to the story.
-The calm image of “water” turns into the dangerous and uncontrollable “whirlpool” in the same sentence, reflecting how quickly the sea can become dangerous.
-She says how she called 999, reinforcing their instruction to do so and proving that it is the correct thing to do.
-The modifier only in “it only took minutes” stresses the speed of the lifeguard’s response, praising them.
-The lifeguard is named to give her a human side.
-Others are encouraged to go to life guard patrolled beaches as she says “I’ll certainly always go to a lifeguard patrolled beach”.
-The modal “would have drowned” emphasises the importance of the lifeguards.
-There is a list of instruction detailing how to deal with rips. The points are short imperatives, separated by bullet points. Again, they repeat the message of calling for help when there is trouble.
-There are two visual aids. One is an explanation of what a rip is and how to escape one, the other is the rip warning sign. This is put at the heading so people will associate it with rips and remember this page with its information on how to deal with them.
-The flags are ordered from positive to negative.
-They are simple, with the simplest being plain red which is a universal sign for danger so, unsurprisingly, means not to go into the water. The bold absolute used in the description makes this very clear.
-The message to call lifeguards when there is a problem is repeated again at the foot of the page. It is in a blue box, contrasting with the yellow background so that it stands out.
-Hypophora is used as the title “swimming, surfing & bodyboarding” indirectly asks how to stay safe doing these activities.
-Refers people to another professional organisation, the British Surf Association, and leaves them with the means of finding out more with the “britsurf.co.uk” website.
-Short sentences get straight to the point. Readers take in and retain them better.
-A key point is put into a blue box at the bottom of the page to draw attention.
-The back page is an appeal for funding.
-Subheadings break up the text.
-The appeal is personalised with the pronoun “we” used to make the reader feel involved.
-Statistics are used such as “rescuing around 18,000 people every year” to stress the importance of the organisation and “running costs average over £335,000 a day” to stress the scale of the organisation and its need for funding.
-The antithesis “ordinary people, extraordinary acts” intrigues the reader, causing them to continue.
-The phrase “beaches need lifeguards” uses an imperative to dress an opinion as a fact.
-Emotive language is used in a plea on an individual level with “will you help us”.
-Children are innocent and helpless so the fact that the RNLI saves them, the next generation makes them appeal to people as they are a lifesaving and morally good service.
-The use of “Life first” which is part of the slogan, in the text shows the RNLI’s priorities. Life first is written in a different font in the slogan so that it stands out and is the last of the triplet so it is the one people think about after reading.
-Short concise points and generally basic language are used so it can be read and understood by everyone as it needs to inform people of all ages as anyone could require a lifeguard or have to get one.

Climate change webpage – Greenpeace UK
-The Greenpeace font is like handwriting, suggesting that the organisation believe in active work. It is also green, the colour associated with environmental work.
-A simple, blunt opening “the world is warming up”.
-Statistics are used to support arguments. However, the website lacks sources (e.g. surveys or quotes).
-Presents extreme scenarios such as “one-third of all land based species could face extinction”. However, the modal verb ‘could’ indicates that this is only an opinion – and a very unlikely one at that.
-The conjunctive “but” opens the second paragraph and sets up another point of view.
-There is alliteration in the opening phrase “catastrophic climate change” which makes people remember it, and sums up the first paragraph in three words.
-Viable options are presented such as “renewables and efficiency hybrid cars” which gives the article some credence.
-“now” “still” and “immediately” all imply that options are disappearing and so create a sense of urgency.
-Claims that hybrid cars have “been proven to work” is opinion presented as fact and ignores any context, such as their lack of appeal and high price compared to combustion engines.
-Hold people to account “political cowardice or industrial lobbying” and shaming those involved.
-The second person is used towards the end to involve the reader, with the plea “we need your help” and then merging the two to use “we” to refer to Greenpeace and the reader.
-Modal verbs indicate the possibility to change.
-The line “all that’s missing is the action itself” is separated from the rest of the text. It draws attention to itself by being isolated and gives the overall message that we have the ability to fight climate change, we just have to use it.
-The final line, like the first is simple and contains one idea. The use of “together” gives the sense of being part of a larger group and makes meaningful change seem possible to the reader. The words “climate chaos” are similar to climate change but more extreme, reflecting Greenpeace’s more extreme than average view.
-The repetition of “catastrophe” emphasises the problem and reflects how it is constantly there.
-The first line of each paragraph is short and gives a topic sentence which is memorable. This ensures that the main points are retained by the reader: that global warming is happening; that prevention is possible; that we need to act and; that the change has to be on a national scale.
-The whole piece suffers as it has a huge and well know bias with extreme views on environmental issues, as can be seen here. It is completely one-sided with no attempt at having a balanced argument.
-The side bar puts climate change on the same level as “peace” suggesting that they are linked.
-The picture is used to show the damage global warming causes.
-The dark sea, which has negative connotations as dark generally means bad, contrasts with the white ice, and its positive connotations. This gives the reader the idea that we must preserve the ice.

Climate Change: The Facts
-An article to inform young readers, as shown by basic language and simple structure. It is in a question and answer format with subheadings to break up the blocks of text.
-Title made up of simple noun phrases.
-The questions in the introduction set up the rest of the article.
-The phrase “impossible to ignore” stresses the importance of climate change by dressing up an opinion as fact.
-The clichéd image “hot potato” describes how nobody wants to deal with the issue. It is a childish phrase, supporting the assessment that this is an article for children.
-She says “the majority of scientists” which is very vague as no examples are given and reduces the reliability of the article.
-The statement that it is impossible to ignore is justified as she says “it is a reality and here to stay”.
-The chemical formula for carbon dioxide is given, suggesting that the article is for people with little subject knowledge.
-The choice of word “survive” indicates that even basic life would become unsustainable, let alone any quality of life.
-Using numbers makes the article move faster and are easier to read. A large number has a greater effect on the reader as a figure than as words.
-The use of the present tense for words such as “relentless” and “continuous” implies that climate change has been happening, is happening and will continue to happen.
-An unscientific phrase “bubbles of gas” is used.
-At the end of the 5th paragraph, the writer includes her first concrete fact and gives her source.
-The 6th paragraph is a topic sentence followed by a list of facts, which is an effective way of arguing as the conclusion is clearly proven, only the context or the facts themselves can be challenged.
-The word “addiction” is used to describe humanities reliance on fossil fuels, this has the negative connotations of drug abuse, suggesting that stopping using them will be difficult and unpleasant.
-The answer to the second question she posed is very vague “most people…having an effect” no specifics are given.
-Uses data from the IPCC which is a reputable source.
-Informal language of “mop up” and “sky high” is used suggesting this is not a paper for scientific peers.
-Hypophora is used in the 10th paragraph with the blunt answer of “No.” which dispels any doubt.
-Immature diction of “farting cows” is used as she tries to engage with readers on a basic humour level.
-Uses the discourse marker “what is more”.
-The idiom “sting in its tail” suggests an unexpected danger, as do the
plosives.
-The parallel phrases beginning with “steady rise” show the contrast between the two events.
-“Earth’s climate is highly complicated” is not explained at all and dumbed down so young people are given an idea of what the effect on it may be.
-Modal verbs “could” and “may” show that nothing is definite. The use of the conditional “if” compounds this.
-Technical language “methane clathrate compounds” is used to demonstrate the writer’s knowledge of the subject.
-The adverb “currently” suggests that there is time to change to avoid the consequences.
-The ocean is personified by “burping”, indicating that we do not want these gases to escape because, like burps, they are unpleasant. Alternatively, it may be like her use of “farting” – to engage with young readers on a basic level.
-The seriousness and lack of control we have is shown by describing the greenhouse effect as “runaway”.
-The timescale of 500 years emphasises the problem.
-There are no solutions and no counter-arguments, reducing the usefulness of the article.
-Primary colours make the images visually striking.
-Arrows and numbers direct readers.
-Blue means cold and red means hot (and danger) so the less red that goes into cities, the safer people are.
-The lack of colour or landmarks suggests that everyone, everywhere will be affected.
-The graph explicitly shows the danger with undisputed facts and then predictions to scare people.

A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat
-Interesting title, tells the reader to expect something beyond normal and draw attention to the piece.
-Calls it a “Wacky Races”, showing a foreign view that does not understand the race.
-Dialogue to set the scene.
-Humour during the boredom “the only action was a villager on a wobbly bicycle who nearly fell off”
There are 3 races: the donkey race, the spectator’s race to see and the writer’s race to record.
-Western judgement is challenged when the writer “assumes” that the race is cancelled but it still goes ahead. This sets a precedent of Western views being disproven throughout the race and the nature of having a donkey race through a city.
-Sensory images are used to bring the reader to the race “clouds of fumes” and “revved up the engine”
-Information is used to show the danger and make the account more believable as the author has given some facts to back up her claims of the race’s danger “speeds of 40kph”.
-The 5th paragraph is purely descriptive to build the atmosphere, the triplet of “horns tooting, bells ringing and special rattles” describes the noise of the race and the men “standing on top of…hanging out of…perched on” vehicles which demonstrates the causal danger in the culture of Karachi.
-Dynamic verbs “jostled…swerve” show speed and action.
-Levine uses relatable metaphors to describe the race in a way that Western readers can understand. She calls it “Formula One without rules” and “a city-centre rush hour gone anarchic”. Anarchic suggests that any rules no longer apply as everyone is swept up in the fever of the race and common sense and self-preservation go out of the window.
-The writer uses humour to engage the reader. Having demonstrated the carnage of the race, she makes the comment “(no lane discipline here)” just before stating how oncoming traffic had to drive into a ditch in order to avoid the crush of spectator vehicles.
-Sentence types build momentum, as the race goes on the sentences get longer and the short sentences that were common at the beginning of the passage have been replaced with compound and complex sentences.
-Paragraph 8 is a narrative which further builds momentum and reaches a climax in its last sentence as the story shifts from jovial to serious. The paragraph break reflects the stunned silence after the crash.
-There is some irony prior to the crash as they are coming up to the finishing line “the hospital gate” when the crash happens.
-The mood changes in the 9th paragraph. It begins with the simple sentence “And then the trouble began”
-The economic importance of the race is brought to attention with “over a hundred punters” and bookmakers trying to get the race re-run.
-The triplet of reactions “voices were raised, fists were out and tempers rising” showing aggression and the excitement of the race boiling over. It also shows a cultural difference as in the West a race with money being put on it would be sorted out with rules and order rather than violence.
-Levine brings some humour into the situation again in the penultimate paragraph as she draw a parallel with Ross Kemp by saying “It’s starting to get nasty, I think we should leave” something the Westerns can understand in the strange race that has been described.
-The final paragraph is an evaluation of the event of the past page and a half.
-The tension is lifted in the first half-line of the final paragraph as Levine’s driver’s laugh the incident off. But the second half of the sentence is serious as she reflects on what could have happened.
-Tension builds throughout the passage. It begins quietly, in a deserted street. As the racers arrive, the anticipation builds. The crowd all cheer in unison but there is tension experienced by the drivers, shown by the jostling for position before one falls and the atmosphere darkens.

A passage to Africa
-Powerful opening image shows the volume and scale of suffering.
-Dates and locations are given as it is a report. This contrasts with the content and the way Alagiah presents his travel showing the difference between the developed and undeveloped worlds. During his journey, that wall is torn down which is reflected in the final words “I owe you one”
-At the beginning of the extract, Alagiah is very casual. He “jotted” in his notebook because if he doesn’t arrive at the exact location, he’ll arrive at somewhere similar to file his report. This shows how widespread the problem is and how detached he is from it.
-The wildness and isolation of the area are commented on as he describes it as “the back of beyond”.
-The lack of infrastructure is brought to the attention of the reader by the “end of the tarmac” in the Western world, this would cause shock and outrage but in a country ravaged by war and famine, it is completely insignificant. This is an example of the social gulf between the two worlds.
-The phrase “like a ghost village” tells of the human and social consequences of the war. It gives the reader an indication of what is to come and is one of numerous references to being in a state between life and death that Alagiah makes during the passage.
-The second paragraph loses the formality of the first and is a more personal account. It is a story rather than a report.
-The darker side of journalism is exposed when the simile “like the craving for a drug” is used.
-Emotive language is used to make the reader sympathise further with the Somalis. He describes two “young” girls which makes the reader understand that the condition of life in Somalia affects everyone, not one, not even children (a symbol of innocence) is spared.
-The triplet of “simple, frictionless, motionless” shows the ease with which death takes over the lives of the Somalis as they don’t have the means to fight it.
-“quiet suffering and lonely death” is the shocking reality of the suffering.
-Sensory imaging “the smell of decaying flesh” is used to disgust the reader whilst making them sympathetic and bringing them into the situation.
-Parallel phrasing compares the woman to her wound “it was rotting; she was rotting”, making her seem dehumanised by her wound.
-The truth of the report gives it a greater impact on the reader and Alagiah’s reactions make it seem more likely to be truthful. He reacts with a mixture of “pity” the expected response “and revulsion. Yes, revulsion” the author has to repeat his feeling to make the reader sure he meant what is written as it goes against all expectations, making the passage seem more believeable.
-The page ends on a vivid description of a disgusting scene. The page ends here so the reader dwells on the image Alagiah has painted whilst turning the page.
-The first page is emotionless, in contrast with the writing after the incident with the smiling man. The change in mood emphasises the effect the smile had on him.
-The futility of the Somalis struggle against terminal hunger is presented in the symbolism “his hoe next to the mat with which…they will shroud his corpse” and in the language. The conditional “if” and phrase “once this is all over” show a hopeless optimism as death is inevitable, as seen throughout the passage.
-“-how could it be?-“the punctuation breaks up the sentence and indicates a loss for words to describe the situation with.
-The insight into Somali minds in the 9th paragraphs shows them to have the same reactions and feelings as Westerners so builds a connection. The second set of parallel triplets in the next paragraph emphasises the distance between Alagiah and the man, however they are both human and connect over the smile.
-Parallel phrasing triplets in the 10th paragraph stresses the profound effect the encounter has on Alagiah.
-Answerless question at the end of the paragraph raises a moral question. Its position means that it is prominent and the reader has to think about it during the pause between paragraphs.
-The final paragraph is a microcosm of the passage, the first half is emotionless and as a report should be. The second half is far more personal and not what would be expected in a BBC report – similar to how Alagiah wouldn’t expect an embarrassed smile in a famine ravished country.

The Explorer’s Daughter
-The passage describes, then informs, then commentates and finishes with evaluating.
-Technical terms of “pods” and “fjords” are used to show the writers knowledge.
- The natural beauty of the area is described “spectral play of colour” and the barren landscape becomes a utopia with the metaphor “glittering kingdom”.
-The language “butter-gold” gives a sense of warmth and tranquillity, completely at odds with the freezing conditions and brutal reality of hunting narwhales.
-The phrase “of man and whale” is deliberately ambiguous as it adds a mystery to the hunt and talks of it as one would a ritual, suggesting a deeper (possibly religious) meaning for the Eskimos in addition to the resources gained from the whale. The phrasing may also indicate that the men and whales are entangled in a battle both in the short term of the hunt and in the long term of survival on the freezing planes and that the two species are inseparably linked.
-Both the punctuation and the language used in “tricks of the shifting light…” suggest uncertainty.
-In the second paragraph, the information about the migratory patterns of the narwhales validates the account.
-The adjectives in the third paragraph stress the importance of the narwhale’s resources “essential…necessary…valuable”
-The use of “carving protective tupilaks” gives support to the idea that the hunt had a religious or cultural meaning. A tupilak is an avenging monster fashioned out of animal parts and brought to life by rituals.
-In the fourth paragraph, suspense is built through the women’s reactions’ e.g. “small gasp” and the use of the present participle.
- The use of the compound adjective “much-needed” increases the power of the adjective.
-The simile at the end of the page captures rising tensions. Being at the end of the page, it forces the reader to pause to turn which increases tension further.
-The author sympathises with the narwhale, as shown at the top of the second page. She says that “they talk”, as talking is an action closely associated with humans, Herbert is making a link which encourages the reader to value the narwhale almost as much as a person.
-The phrase “sit so very still” contrasts with the movement of the hunt and demonstrates the discipline of the hunters.
-The use of the word “gently” is a contrast as well, it contrasts with the action that the reader knows will occur once the Eskimo has aimed.
-She encounters a dilemma as her head wills on the man whilst her heart wills on the narwhale.
-A cumulative triplet of “to dive, to leave, to survive” is used for emphasis.
-The final paragraph has an uncertain tone, showing the effect of the hunt on the author.
-There is juxtaposition contrast as beauty and practicality are discussed in neighbouring sentences
-The use of the word “but” shows Herbert weighing up the arguments.
-In the final line, she gives her verdict as a fact when it is only really an opinion.

Explorers, or boys messing about? Either way, taxpayer gets rescue bill
-Omission of articles in the title make it shorter and give it a greater interest to a reader, who is less likely to read a long title.
-The description of “boys” ridicules the men and highlights their immaturity.
-The title involves the reader as this is something that is shown to affect them – as the “taxpayer”. This gives the article an interest to a wide variety of people.
-The verb “plucked” makes the men sound helpless, suggesting that they are useless and ill-prepared as they didn’t have a rescue plan of their own.
-An article to inform but is heavily influenced by the writers opinion.
Negative language is used such as “farce” and “tragedy” to convey that the writer does not approve of what they did.
-Upon reading further, the reader discovers that this is not the first time the men have been threatened with military actions by the Russians. This indicates that they are not prepared to be explorers as they fail to do basic research. Having been through this “farce” once, any sensible person would take extra precautions before attempting a similar feat. This highlights the immature nature of the men that the writer is presenting.
-Times and places are used to make the article appear more reliable and be more informative for the reader. The fact that the crash occurred in the sea off Antarctica indicates to the reader that they were in a barren and, of course, cold place. This makes their lack of preparation and rescue plane appear even more irresponsible as the environment is so hostile and people have died because of it.
-The description of the “nine-hour rescue” from “icy water” dramatizes the incident to exaggerate the danger the men were in and the inconvenience that was
caused.
-The triplet of services involved “Royal Navy, the RAF and British coastguards” exaggerates the scale of the rescue mission and suggests that many people were involved, implying that it was expensive and caused a lot of trouble.
-The writer tries to turn readers against the men by saying that the episode had cost British and Chilean taxpayers “tens of thousands”. The way the men have been described in the previous paragraphs – as unprepared and incapable – makes this seem worse.
-“Experts” agree with the writer, making him sound reliable. However, there are no names mentioned or quotations used as evidence so his claim is unsupported and therefore has less of an effect. However, the technical language that the writer shows that he is knowledgeable about the subject and the use of dashes makes what he says seem like a side comment, suggesting that it is obvious that the machine was not suitable and the fact that it “has a single engine” makes it unsuitable for such a journey, it does not need to be explicitly said. If a reader, who probably has no knowledge of aviation technology can deduce this when these “explorers” were unable to then it shows that anyone member of the public could have avoided this disaster. It also makes the writer seem intelligent, contrasting with the men and giving readers reason to support the writer.
-The fact that there was “confusion about what the men were trying to achieve” shows that they were unable to even promote their expedition. The confusion is a theme throughout the episode as neither Mr Brooks nor Mr Smith are portrayed as having control of the situation at any point. This foreshadows the nature of the expedition and raises the question in the reader’s mind of ‘if nobody knew, then what was the point?’ This makes them sound more like “boys messing about” than genuine “explorers”.
-The verb “trying” indicates that the men were failing to achieve anything, adding to the idea that the expedition had no real purpose.
-The quotation “Trusty helicopter” is put in to ridicule the men who show such confidence in a machine that is clearly inadequate and proved so. The idea of being able to trust a machine almost personifies it, hinting that the men had some attachment to the machine which would have influenced their judgement. If this was the case, it goes further to show the men as unfit for such expedition
-The fact that even Mr Brooks’ wife did not know what “the pair were up to” reinforces the idea of confusion surrounding the voyage. The way she is reported describing them makes them sound like children as “a pair” are thought of as inseparable, which has childish connotations. However, this is reported speech so will be influenced by the writer who may twist what is said. Had it been direct speech it would have been a fat more potent comment.
-Direst speech from Ms Vestey is used, she says “boys messing about with a helicopter”, thus confirming the answer to the question posed in the title. It makes them sound as if they were playing with the helicopter, using it for pleasure rather than any serious exploration.
-The nickname “Q” suggests a childish nature. Q is a fictional character from James Bond so the writer may have included this fact to draw a parallel between the fictional explorer he perceives Mr Brooks to be or to show that Mr Brooks may think he is a James Bond character, and acts accordingly which would mean risking dangerous situations. Therefore it is made likely that the accident is his fault.
-Verbs “ditched” and “scrambled” are used which indicate that the men had no control over the situation.
-The way in which Mr Brooks asks for the “emergency people” shows a lack of preparation as he did not even know which services help people stuck after helicopter crashes. The phrase used “emergency people” sounds very childish, adding to the reader’s ideas that they were unfit to undertake this.
-Their only back-up came via a “wedding present” suggesting that they were unprofessional as they did not buy specialist equipment for the trip – possibly because they would not have gained sponsorship if people were confused as to what they were doing. It could be being suggested that the trip was an inevitable failure due to a lack of funding. The fact that Me Brooks had used the helicopter before lends weight to this idea as using the same one again saves money.
-They had to be picked up by a “Chilean naval vessel” and a “Royal Navy ice patrol ship” was involved. The image of a navy ship is generally one of a destroyer in the reader’s mind. The fact that the Royal Navy ship had 2 helicopters on board stresses how big it must have been, emphasising the disruption caused and the resources that had to be diverted – the ship was distracted from its task of “surveying uncharted waters” which is made to sound very important as a reader associated the phrase “uncharted waters” with danger so the men have disrupted a danger prevention activity.
-They did have survival suits, showing that they were not completely unprepared.
-The quotation from an Artic explorer, who has authority on the matter in the reader’s mind, “nothing short of a miracle they survived” appears positive at first but is actually a criticism as they should not have been in the situation in the first place and stresses the real danger the men put themselves in due to their lack of preparation and inability to deal with an emergency.
-The writer includes the men’s impressive history of adventuring and mechanical expertise but he does so in the middle of the piece, with negative paragraphs both preceding and proceeding them. The reader is least likely to remember what was in the middle of an article so the writer has put this in to show he is giving a balanced report but he knows that the reader will leave with the impression that they were behaving in an unprofessional way and quite possible that they were trying to do things that they were incapable of.
-Mr Smith’s experiences are described as “claims” in order to cast doubt over them.
-Opening the paragraph after with “despite” suggests the men have an inability to learn and should know better as they are seasoned adventurers. It is put there to negate all of the positive things said about them as cumulated experience is not enough to avoid a disaster.
-The lack of a year when the writer says “in April” makes it sound as if it was very recent, despite being nearly a year ago at the most recent.
-The failure of the last expedition seems to also be down to a lack of preparation and poor planning showing that the men do not learn. It is not actually the same pair as in the helicopter crash even though the newspaper makes it sound so, putting unfair criticism on Mr Smith, who was only air support.
-Like “despite” earlier in the piece, the paragraph opens with “but” setting the paragraph up to negate the impressive things in the previous one.
-The threat to “life them off the ice” makes the men sound helpless and out of their depth. It also shows just how big a mistake they made as the Russians were prepared to go to a lot of effort to physically remove them, should they cross the border.
-Their failure is compounded as the writer reveals one of the aims which the reader can clearly see, failed spectacularly, they actually proved the opposite.
-A mocking tone is used with the paragraph being opened with “Ironically”.
-The writer finally has a quote from a named expert from a trusted source who agrees with him. Endres talks of his “surprise” saying “I wouldn’t use a helicopter like that…they were pushing it to the maximum” this implies poor planning and childish behaviour as no sensible person would push something with such obvious potential dangers to its limit and risk their life.
-Even the men’s spokesperson says “it was not known what had gone wrong” which makes the men sound amateur as two supposed experts were unable to figure out what the problem was, giving reason to the writer’s description of Mr Smith’s expertise as “claims”. He goes on to say “the flying conditions had been excellent” implying that they have no excuses (wind, poor visibility etc…) and thus leaving no other reason for the crash other than poor piloting.
-The readers are the ones who are presented as suffering as a consequence as the “taxpayer would pick up the bill” this provokes anger towards the men as “it was highly unlikely that it would recover any money”. In the middle of the paragraph it is stated that this is the same service any injured Briton would receive abroad but this is deliberately underplayed as the writer wants to paint the men in a negative light.
-The childish description of the punishment once again demeans the men but it seems far too lenient when all of the misdemeanours of the men which are described are looked at. In this way, the writer causes the reader to go away with a feeling of resentment and that they have been cheated by the men.

Taking on the World
-The pretext gives the reader an impression of the scale of the task, by listing numerous difficulties, and shows MacArthur to be confident and courageous to even attempt.
-Contrast between Ellen’s Christmas and the reader’s.
-She is shown to be organised “preparing, making sure, worked through”.
-She is careful of her work “flaking it neatly” and of her safety “I would be wearing a helmet”.
-She is brave “It would not be difficult to break bones up there”. This also shows her fear and understanding but she has the confidence in her ability to go up regardless.
-The ellipses at the end of paragraph two show Ellen’s fear as her doesn’t want to think about the danger. Putting that thought at the end of the paragraph makes the reader think about it for a little longer than otherwise which builds up tension.
-Vulnerability is shown in her phrasing “a world over which I had no control” and how she describes herself as a “passive observer”.
-She is realistic and knows her limits “I knew that I would not have the energy”. This reinforces the readers understanding of the difficulty of the task and her competence as a sailor.
-Repetition of “harder and harder” emphasises the difficulty. It is a long phrase with sharp sounds which mirrors the climb – long and arduous.
-Her determination, tenacity and physical strength are shown “hanging on by just one arm”
-The phrase “by the third spreader” is used as a paragraph marker to show the progression of the story to the reader.
-Repetition of “tugged and tugged” and “it had to come, quite simply the rope had to come free” emphasise the struggle and show both her mental and physical strength.
-She is shown to be brave by leaving her new found safety having experienced the danger.
-The monologue shows Ellen’s mental strength and the ellipses show her focus.
-Once she makes it, exhaustion takes its toll and her mental strength wavers.
-On the way down, she shows fear “I had my heart in my mouth”
-Conversational tone of the last paragraph “I felt like a million dollars” show her relief and the importance of the job.
-The technical language shows complexity and Ellen’s expertise.

Chinese Cinderella
-Pretext prepares the reader for a different culture as there are different expectations and attitudes in different eras and places.
-Family outcast, emotive language is used to make the reader empathise with Adeline.
-High status in society, low status in family.
-“relentlessly” is an emotive phrase, it indicates that Adeline doesn’t want school to end and time is moving too quickly for her liking.
-The hyperbole “forever” reflects her pessimistic mind-set.
-The opening is slow with “steadily” and “forever” used to keep the pace slow so it builds up to the climax, when she meets her father.
-The metaphor “My heart was not in it” shows Adeline’s sadness.
-“The radio warned of a possible typhoon the next day” adds another element of danger and builds tension. Could be foreshadowing a huge change in Adeline’s life the next day.
-The toothache simile is effective because it is a relatable pain. Toothache is a physical pain, so the simile informs us that her mental torture is so great it causes her physical pain.
-Monopoly, a game about making money foreshadows Adeline making some real money.
-“I was losing steadily” fortune in the game contrasts with the fortune she experiences in real life. The short term increase is the money she wins, in the long term, it is the respect and attention she gains from her family.
-The alliteration of strong F sounds in “full of foreboding” makes it sound aggressive.
-The chauffeur is unemotional towards Adeline, building the impression of her family’s hostility towards her.
-“I wondered what I had done wrong” gives an impression of how her family treat her. Adeline’s worry is ironic as, for once, the family are so pleased with her that they are bringing her home.
-Even the chauffeur is rude to Adeline, showing her low status in the family.
-The family moved house and didn’t tell Adeline, showing how unimportant she is to them.
-No one greets Adeline at the door.
-Parallel phrases with the repetition of “your”.
-The way in which Adeline has to go to her father rather than visa-versa shows the balance of power in their relationship.
-Contrast between Adeline’s life of work and her family’s life of pleasure.
-The word “summoned” suggests a servant-master like relationship between Adeline and her father.
-“Holy of Holies” compares her father’s room to a place of religious significance. By extending the analogy, Adeline sees Father as God-like. The room is a place she would not normally go.
-“Why…” shows confusion and apprehension but also curiosity. Builds suspense.
-There is a foreboding tone throughout the first page.
-Her fear of her Father and feeling out of place are shown in the way she “timidly” knocks” on the door.
-“looking relaxed in his slippers” is an unexpected turn of events, contrasting with what was expected as shown by Adeline’s reaction.
-The question “Dare I let my guard down?” shows their lack of relationship as she cannot be emotionally open with her own father.
-The imperative “Sit down! Sit down!” replaces a greeting. The excitement builds suspense and is at odds with what was expected.
-“Don’t look so scared” is ironic considering Adeline’s earlier thoughts – is this a trick?
-Father tries to create a relationship with Adeline, as shown by the use of “we” to show togetherness and the lightening of the tone.
-Formal newspaper article with a typically informative structure, consisting of complex sentences.
-The article ends informally, addressing Adeline personally “we are proud of you” emotive language is used to convey the respect of the country.
-The adjective “prestigious” enhances Adeline’s achievement and the talk of “honour” shows the extent of her achievement as honour is an important part of Eastern tradition.
-The triplet shows disbelief. It is isolated to reflect Adeline’s feeling of detachment from the world due to her amazement.
-Father is a very competitive person and like to feel superior. His feelings reflect his achievements (a child’s achievements look good for the whole family.)
-He has never been proud of Adeline, or rather, her achievements as he never told C.Y. about his daughter before the competition victory. He can now boast about her for his benefit. When he tells C.Y. he is finally acknowledging her.
-The modifier “quite” is used to bring the adjective “pleased” down, showing that Adeline cannot afford to be complacent.
-Congratulatory last sentence.
-Very strong metaphors show Adeline’s extreme happiness.
-Father’s emphasis on “you” by putting it in italics shows a lack of confidence in his daughter.
-Adeline’s response is modest and self-deprecating by playing down the achievement that had just been built up.
-The phrase “now or never” builds up to a climax.
-Uses “May I” to be polite and appease her father.
-Adeline compares herself to her brothers to show how unfair it would be to treat them differently, especially as she is the only family member to win an international competition.
-The interrogative questions asked of her mean that Adeline has had to keep her guard.
-The heart is used as a symbol of her emotions, the word “lurch” shows surprise and huge excitement.
-Fragment of “Study?” shows disbelief.
-The short sentence of “I thought” shows the snap back to reality as Adeline has to answer seriously, her future may depend on it. It reflects the short time that she had to think.
-The powerful simile of “Going to England is like entering heaven” shows that University is the ultimate aim in Adeline’s life.
-Rhetorical questions show Adeline getting ahead of herself.
-The use of “but” to start the next paragraph indicates a change of tone.
-Adeline’s thought process is explained as she tries to make the most of her achievement.
-Her two simple sentence answers radiate confidence and determination.
-The strong verb “scoffed” is Father mocking Adeline for her answer. He belittles her, which fits in with his desire to be superior.
-Father appears to be all-powerful and all-knowing, enhancing his God-like status.
-Exaggeration shows Adeline’s apparent stupidity “You are going to starve”. Irony in his insult as she just won a competition based in London, so she can write better than English students.
-The simple sentences build tension and show conflict. They show that Adeline has lost her confidence and feels small.
-The use of the definite verb “will”, shows the command that Father has over Adeline and the lack of control she has over her own life.
-Father’s command paragraph ends with a rhetorical question.
-The quotation of the Wordsworth poem shows the respect Adeline has for English culture, and with it, English education. This, along with the reputation top English universities have, explains Adeline’s joy.
-She ends the passage in agreement with her father and opens up to him in a final show of gratitude.

SECTION B
Disabled
-The title is just a description of the man’s physical condition. No mental, emotional or historical information as people only see his physical state.
-The description “wheeled chair” shows that the chair is the focus rather than the man in it.
-The phrase “waiting for dark” is a euphemism for waiting for death.
-His discomfort is shown as he is said to “shiver” in the chair and his hatred of the wheelchair is shown through the language with “ghastly” a harsh sounding word used to describe his hated chair.
-“Voices of boys…Voices of play” show regret for being unable, which is emphasised by the repetition and parallel phrasing.
-In the second stanza, plosive constantans show his strength prior to the injury.
-He reminisces about how “girls glanced lovelier” at him, but in his present state will not come near him.
-Anger is shown in his belief that losing his legs was a waste as he describes it as “threw away”.
-The third and fourth stanzas recount the story of how the man became disabled.
-The definite word “never” conveys the severity of the injury.
-His blood was shed in another country “lost his colour very far from here”. Colour is a theme for blood throughout the poem.
-Again, the injury is made to seem a waste. He describes it as “Poured” down as shell-hole.
-A “leap of purple” – another colour reference to blood.
-The fourth stanza contrasts with the third. There is irony as he “liked a blood-smear down his leg” and his current injury is so severe that he has lost a leg.
-The difference between his life before and after the war is shown. Before, his greatest concern was about football, now he can no longer play.
-Happiness before the war is shown in the first three lines.
-He was drunk when he joined and regrets the decision. The reasons for joining show naivety as the main one is to impress a girl.
-He signs up as an underage recruit. Wilfred Owen holds “they” (the recruitment office) responsible as he describes them recording his life rather than him telling the lie. Thus making them the active ones who are committing the wrongdoing.
-Capitalisation personifies Fear, making it into an evil being.
-He doesn’t understand the war due to the censored media. Owen is having another swipe at the British government for keeping the population in the dark.
-Like many recruits, swayed by the recruitment campaign, he thinks of ideals, not the reality of fighting.
-The ‘d’ sounds in “drafted out with drums” are onomatopoeic for drums.
-The frequent caesura and enjambment shows the chaos of war.
-There is contrast between the crowds who cheered him going to war and the “some cheered him home” showing how he has gone down in the eyes of people. The cheer he received having risked his life for his country is not even “as crowds cheer goal”. This indicates that he is in a worse position socially than when he left to fight, so he lost his legs for nothing. He has had his moments of glory firstly during football games and then peaking as he marched off to fight. He is now a wreck, with the best of his life behind him.
-One person cared for him as a person, the use of “only” and “solemn” make it very clear that out of all those who saw him go, only one is welcoming him back, the rest have turned their backs on him.
-In the final stanza “will” is used to show how, with his legs, he has lost his freedom. This is compounded by the governed life he is made to endure in “institutes” following their “rules”. He has no choice left in his life and has had all liberty taken.
-There is irony as due to going to war to please a woman, women no longer even look at him. They prefer “strong men that were whole” which is what he used to be. The language used towards the men conveys a sense of longing as he desperately wished to escape the confines of his wheelchair and be a normal man again.
-A child is put to bed, so the question of “put him into bed?” shows that he has been brought down to the level of a child with his adult capabilities and freedoms removed. The childlike repetition of “why don’t they come?” compounds the childishness as well as showing his desperate state.
-The anonymity of the man shows this to be an experience of many men after WWI (the time of Owen’s writing) and makes it more relatable as it could be about anybody.
-The irregular rhyme scheme are to show the irregular life the man leads as he loses control of his life.

Out, Out-
-The title is from Macbeth’s speech on the futility and fragility of life. The quotation is cut short to reflect the boy’s life which was also cut short. The quotation would finish “brief candle” which is left unspoken, but is a fitting description of the life as the poem is about the death of a child who would only have had a brief time alive.
-The lines end in different places to give the poem a saw shape.
-The description “snarled and rattled” in the first line makes the saw seem alive. This is a technique used throughout the poem.
-Sense imagery “sweet-scented stuff” and sibilance. The image that this creates is very peaceful and the language used makes it a gentle phrase, especially when read aloud. This contrasts with the harsh sounds and death later on in the poem. The change in language reflects the contents change in mood and demonstrates how quickly a life can be lost.
-Light is a universal motif for life, so “the sunset” foreshadows the ending of a life.
-The phrase “snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled” is used again, reinforcing the idea of the saw being alive. The repetitive nature of the words reflects the repetitive nature of the job.
-The boy longed for a break “call it a day” but he gets no respite. The narrator disagrees with the boy’s situation, using the words boy and child to evoke the reader’s sympathy and distinguish him from an adult who should be doing this sort of work. The narrator says “I wish”, showing how he cares about the boy’s wellbeing but he is the only one.
-The personification of the saw half way through the poem, gives it intelligence as the saw tries to “prove” that it “knew what supper meant”. This follows onto the saw’s evil intentions as it “leaped out of the boy’s hand” and injured him badly. The saw could also be interpreted as being a wild animal, throughout the poem it has snarled and rattled, words often used to describe wild creatures, and is unable to resist its instinct to eat.
-The accident happened because, although a “big boy”, he is just that, a boy. He was tired from the lack of rest and got distracted by the call to supper – as children do.
-The frenetic situation that developed after the accident is show through the use of caesuras to break up the poem. Earlier on there were few stops and the poem ran smoothly. The flow of the words may symbolise the flow of blood around his body. Before the accident, he was healthy but afterwards, the blood spurts out of his hand.
-The façade of adulthood that had been carried out by the boy doing man’s work is torn apart after the accident. The line “Doing a man’s work, though a child at heart” directly tells the reader of his premature adulthood. The inner childish turmoil is shown when he cries “Don’t let him, sister”.
-There is a sombre mood towards the end of the poem, once the severity of the situation is realised. Contrasting with the earlier descriptive language, showing the boy’s carefree attitude, is the “dark of ether”. The word dark sums up the mood and the anaesthetic language shows the seriousness of the situation.
-The fragment “Little-less-nothing” shows how easily he slipped from life into death and the fragility of life that the title suggested. The fragment started with “Little” showing how small he really is.
-After the death, the focus shifts from the boy to “they”.
-The language in the final two lines conveys his family’s quick acceptance of his death and the speed with which they resume normal life, suggests that life is not as precious to them as it is to us. The short, simple sentences at the end mirror the short, simple life of the boy.

Refugee Blues
Throughout the poem, Auden compares the plight of the German Jews to that of black Americans. He does this through the style, the poem is written like a blues song, explicitly mentioned in the title, and has the call and response feature found in traditional African music and black American plantation songs.
It is written in the first person in order to show the plight of the Jews from one of their perspectives which makes the reader more sympathetic towards them as the reader is brought into the situation and sees into the mind of a German Jew
The divide between Jews and non-Jews is the focus, the first stanza shows their isolation “yet there’s no place for us”, despite the vast socio-economic spread of the city. The second shows their lack of freedoms “we cannot go there”.
The third line evokes sympathy from the reader as the phrase “my dear” is always present. This has the connotations that the narrator is talking to a woman, who are seen as more fragile than men, and shows that the Jews are normal, caring humans.
The Jews are shown to have nothing “once we had a country”, as this is written before the creation of Israel, the Arabs lived in the Jews old Middle Eastern land. They don’t even have an identity with “old passports” – this again shows persecution as Jews could not renew their passports, denying them freedom of movement. This symbolises their lack of belonging and explains their distance from other people.
The man made documents cannot be recovered like the yew can as it goes through its natural cycle. Both the yew and churchyard it is in suggest death, which is the first indication of the fate that awaits Jews.
In the fourth, fifth and sixth stanzas, they are rejected. Firstly by another country due to legal reasons, then by a helpful organisation who are the only people to be nice to them but have their hands tied politically and finally by other people who are scared of the impact of the refugees.
The mournful tone of the fourth stanza, in which he says “officially dead” makes it seem as if the refugees feel that they are unfortunate to still be living and that death may be better than their current situation.
The whole poem is representing the long term struggle of the Jews but in the short term, they have the daily struggle of “where shall we go to-day”
There is religious tension between Jews and Christians, who think the Jews will “steal our daily bread”.
Hitler’s wish to exterminate the Jews is made explicit in stanza seven. The thunder is personified as his order, showing it to be powerful and unstoppable.
The treatment of Jews is contrasted with that of animals as a dog is clothed and a cat is sheltered, showing the Jews to be below animals in the estimations of the Germans. This fits with the Nazi’s beliefs that the Jews are sub-human.
The whole human race is then compared with animals. The freedom of the fish, so close physically close yet so far away that it is unobtainable, the “as if” shows the fish to not be truly free as they do not have free will like humans, but they have more freedoms than Jews. And the freedom of the birds as they have no politicians, therefore no persecution and no war, and they can “sing at their ease” which is equivalent to humans believing what they want in public.
The dream shows the subconscious desires of the refugees however, even in a dream building there is no space. This shows how Jews have been rejected for so long that they can no longer remember what it is like to have somewhere to call home and it is so unlikely that they will get a new home, they can’t even imagine it happening.
The final stanza comes back to reality. The snow symbolises winter, the end of the year and the end of the refugees’ lives. The bleak white landscape it creates reflects the hopelessness felt by the refugees and the large number of ten thousand mentioned shows the scale of the Jewish extermination and how unlikely survival is with both man and nature working to kill the Jews (many refugees die during their escape attempts due to the elements).
The use of “you and me” to end the poem gives it a very personal note and makes the reader sympathise with the Jews. It is written as if the 10,000 soldiers are searching for two people, which is how it would have felt for the refugees, and makes them underdogs. This makes British readers support them as their journey has been tough so far and we love to see an underdog prevail.

An Unknown Girl
Shows contrast between the culture of the east and west.
The author, Monzia Alvi, has origins in both Pakistan and Britain. The poem depicts her trying to fit in in India, having lived her whole life in London, she does not feel like she belongs in India.
The use of the first person and the imperfect brings the reader into the scene as the events are described as if they are happening in front of their eyes.
The title has a double meaning; the Indian girl is unknown to the poet, nothing more than one girl among thousands at the bazaar and the poet is unknown as she is the intruder into the Indian culture.
Concrete nouns are used to build a sense of place before the imagery is used to show the author’s emotions.
The exotic beauty of the eastern culture is ruined as it is “studded with neon”, a feature common in the west.
The poem is given an exotic feel with the choices of language, the Indian words hennaing and kameez make it clear that the culture is far from that which the reader is accustomed to.
The unknown girl is the personified spirit of India, this is shown in the effect she has on the reader who longs to return to her. It also explains why she has individuality as she is no single person, just a figure made out of the author’s experiences in India. The hennaing is described as a very skilful act “steadies” “very deftly” which contrasts with the “few rupees” she is paid for it, as it is really a common act. The author’s emotions make it into something more than it is as she marvels at the culture she thinks she belongs to. This is expressed in the way she describes what is really a poverty-stricken bazaar with exotic colours of “amber” and “peach” and the soft sounds of “curtain cloth and sofa cloth canopy me” convey amazement at her surroundings.
Imagery is used to show the girl’s cultural changes. The “brown veins” show a short but strong cultural connection that takes over her whole body as she is immersed in it. The way that she “clings” to the henna shows how she wants to keep the connection she has re-established with her eastern roots.
However, she is really a British girl as she clings to her new-found culture like “people who cling to the sides of a train” so only on the outside. Inside she is, and always will be a product of British upbringing. The simile is effective as it shows her desperation to hold on and is an India inspired simile.
However, by embracing her eastern roots, the “dummies in shop windows” which are the embodiment of western commercialised culture, “tilt and stare” as she is an intruder due to becoming part of eastern culture. This shows how the author feels the two cultures are ultimately separated and alienated from each other.
The juxtaposition of “Miss India 1993” shows the western influence in the East.
The phrase “I’ll scrape off the dry brown line before I sleep” suggests that the impression of India, like the tattoo will fade after a time. This is compounded by the contrast between “new” and “fade”. The fact that it will fade in a week shows just how temporary it is.
Soft vowel sounds towards the end show the mystery and beauty of the tattoo, and with it India, slowly fading.
India becomes just a memory and the pull of Asia affects her back in England as he want to reconnect with her roots again. The image of outstretched hands changes from the literal early in the poem to metaphorical towards the end to convey the loss she feels at leaving the country.

Electricity Comes to Cocoa Bottom
The title suggests slave plantation poverty through the reference to Cocoa, which was a huge export due to slavery in the 1800’s. It also suggests backwardness as Bottom is a synonym of last and worst implying that the area is the lowest.
Jamaica is suggested as Mr Samuel is a traditional name and everyone is outside at night, showing it is a hot climate.
The way “electric lights” are described stresses the wonder of electricity.
The tense changes from past to present participle as the poem changes from general to specific details.
The sunset signifies the change from day to night as the life of the residents’ changes with the electricity. Sunset is when the lights begin to function, lighting up the darkness and improving the peoples’ lives.
The present participles of “waiting” and “watching” involves the reader.
Adults such as Grannie Patterson “peeped through the crack” showing that she is scared of the light and the god-like power Mr Samuel is given in the poem OR the adults don’t want to be seen to be as excited as the children.
Man has power over nature as the light of the fireflies is dwarfed by that of electricity.
The “pencil line” that is the cable shows man’s effect on nature. The natural beauty is ruined and some of the light is blocked out, implying that he is damaging life.
“Kling-klings” and bamboo are exotic creatures, painting an image of an exotic, undeveloped island in the mind of the reader.
The darkness overcomes everything, even the wind and comes in softly but inevitably. The sibilance in the description and the soft sounds act out what they describe.
The end of the first stanza is two short, finalistic words. Being on the end of the stanza the reader dwells on the words during the break between the stanzas.
The second stanza begins with the single word “Light”. The way the word is isolated and the punctuation show amazement at the light.
Mr Samuel is described as a “silhouette” which portrays him as a mysterious and powerful figure who wields the light.
The repetition of “Light! Marvellous light!” repeated from the beginning of the stanza shows continued amazement.
Repetition builds up “swelling and swelling”.
The stanza ends with hyperpnoea as the amazement towards the light makes it obvious that none of the people in the crowd would have the technology to record such an occasion. The answer and the dash leave the reader hanging. As there is a pause between the stanzas, the line is left in the reader’s head.
The “dark journey” contrasts with the light of earlier in the poem. It shows how it was only a fleeting moment and the return to the normality of “lamps” from the adventure of “electric lights” to the basic life the islanders lead.
The final line is an anti-climax.
The manipulation of senses, colours and lights for visual, the breeze for physical and the “tweet-a-whit” for audial.

The Last Night
The Jews have accepted that their life is nearly over “final message”.
The pencils foreshadow the decimation of the Jews to come as very few, if any, of them will survive.
The normal action of “wrote” contrasts with the abnormal circumstances and the “sobbing passion” with which it is done, creating a sense of surrealism.
The innocence and fragility of youth is shown in the soft sounds used in “the soft bloom of his cheek”.
The way the boys lie “in the dung” with their limbs “intertwined” creates an image of dead bodies in mass graves – like some of the concentration camps had. This is continued in the adults as they are “slumped”.
The ignorance of the children is shown by their “ability to fall asleep” and made clearer as the adults, who are aware of the situation, are all awake and “Talking in lowered voices”.
The children are described as “spared” which is ironic as none of the Jews, not even the children, are spared.
There is an allusion to the last supper in the way that people refuse to have the coffee, knowing that it will be their last outside the camp.
The fear the adults have is evident as the noise of a bus triggers “a quickening of muscle and nerve”.
A normal thing, a “homely” bus, is turned into an evil contraption.
The movement of the “trembling” bus reflects the feelings of the people.
The “filthy straw” shows the squalid conditions they have had to survive. As the passage gives the sense that the camp will be worse, the reader wonders how awful the conditions there will be. It is what animals are given to sleep on, showing that the NAZIs viewed Jews as ‘sub-human’ as Hitler called them.
The “shower” makes the reader think of the gas chambers and the reality of the boys’ situation.
The 10th paragraph ends with a short sentence which contrasts with the longer one preceding it. The shorter one evokes empathy and is more memorable.
The clause “for ever” hangs apart due to the comma. The pause gives it added emphasis and enormity and separates it from the rest of the text as the motherly love is some apart from all of the horror surrounding them. It is the final two words on the page so the reader dwells on them whilst turning the page, allowing them extra time, forever compared to most of the other words, to sink in so the reader understands the deeper meaning of the words.
“Held on hard” shows the family bond. The boys want to keep a physical contact, not have to just remember each other.
A “baby of a few weeks” is brought onto the bus. This young child is a symbol of innocence, who cannot have done anything to merit death – in this way the author is condemning the NAZI extermination. It shows that nobody was spared.
The final paragraph is made up of 3 lines but only one sentence. This gives it a slow but steady pace. It is full of irrelevant details as the boys, in their heightened sense of danger take in everything around them and want to make the most of their last moments in the outside world. By slowing the pace, the author creates a sense of suspense as the passage has been building up to their arrival. But action does take place, showing that their arrival is inevitable.

Veronica
The reader shares Okeke’s concerns as he is the narrator and is emotionally involved.
They have contrasting families; Okeke’s help him to go to school and reach his potential “started at the secondary school…stayed with my uncle” whereas Veronica has a cruel father and a “weak mother” so she must raise her siblings.
Veronica has to work hard. Whilst Okeke is at school, she has to “fetch water from the stream” and chop firewood.
She is physically abused as Okeke hear her screams at night.
It is implied that Okeke is happier as Veronica is “even poorer” and “for all the misery of her own life she never seemed to envy mine”, showing that she accepts her place in the world which is a theme throughout.
On the other hand, Okeke is ambitious and wants to make his way up in the world so he wins “a scholarship to the University” overcoming the barrier of poverty. His aspiration is shown when he says “it was the break I had hardly dared hope for” showing his dislike for village life.
Veronica’s loyalty is shown as she says “they are my family, that is enough” when encouraged to leave and better herself. She also says “my own place is here” which again shows loyalty but also a lack of ambition as she accepts that could not even become a secretary.
The twig symbolises their friendship. When Okeke goes to university, their friendship is broken and although Okeke wants to visit initially, he soon forgets – she “vanishes from sight”.
The gender barrier is also against Veronica as she says “I have to go and cook” showing that their society stick to traditional roles. The use of the word ‘have’ makes it seem like it is a necessity and the off-hand way in which she says it implies that it is something that she does all the time.
She puts his address “in her bosom”, putting it physically close to her heart.
Both of them are upset by the separation as she might have tears in her eyes and he thinks she had them, suggesting that he was looking fondly at her one last time.
The social gulf is stressed by Okeke’s shock at the village life. Emotive language of “squalor” is used to emphasise the poor living conditions. He describes the inhabitants as not living but “surviving” indicating that they have no quality of life.
The complex language shows how Okeke has developed but the village has not. This contrasts with Veronica’s language “You are big man now, not so?” which is basic and monosyllabic, the product of a lack of education.
Veronica is a microcosm of this as she “was squatting” – makes the reader think of squatters and shanty towns. This image is reinforced by the ways she is using cardboard to fan flames as those people have to use whatever they can find.
Her life has become worse as the ten years have taken more of a toll than they should have. She fails to better herself as she marries a field worker.
She describes herself as “managing” which, as Okeke observed before is probably a bit of an exaggeration, they are only just surviving. She also says she has been “blessed us with a son” which is ironic as her situation is so dire that it seems more like God has abandoned the villagers.
Okeke has become disillusioned with the city culture, saying that women are only interested in “money and cars”, giving a cynical view of the society he lives in.
Okeke’s care for Veronica is shown. She was the only person from his village he asked his parents about and he had to “force her to accept…some money” and wishes he could have given her more. When he returns to the devastation he goes straight to her hut suggesting that she was the reason for his return and his weeping may have been thinking of her.
The tragic language “cold and limp” are used to describe the condition Veronica is in to both describe her and make an emotional appeal to the reader.
Veronica sticks to her values and says that now her husband and child have been killed “there is nothing left for me in this world”.
She still lacks the optimism Okeke has. He says that she is a young woman and can recover from this, she accepts her fate and decides to die.
The comparison to a “ten-year-old child” shows the extent of her physical decline in a way a reader can relate to. However, mentally she was never more than a 10 year old.
The contrast of the two characters is made clear with one being a desperate woman dead from starvation and the other being a wealthy man with a car.
He buries her at the stream, the last place they met before he left. This shows that he remembers that and it is of symbolic importance to him, emphasising how important she was to him.
The story promotes education as the gulf between their lives, despite coming from the same place, is so huge by the end of the passage that it is clear that education improves lives to no end.

The Necklace
“Fate” is personified as Loisel believes that some supernatural force is deliberately working against her wishes.
Triplets such as “no dowry, no expectations, no means” are used often for emphasis.
The second paragraph is informative.
There is a contrast between the “peeling walls, the battered chairs and the ugly curtains” that Loisel is “torture(d)” by and the “great dressing-rooms dressed with old silk”. The lack of rhythm and plosives emphasises how poor the conditions she lives in are and contrasts with the soft sounds and alliteration of what she wants.
The long and detailed descriptions of what Loisel wants, as she makes several, show that she spends a lot of time dreaming and is unhappy with her life.
She is very materialistic, jewellery and fine clothes mean everything to her as without them, she has “nothing” showing that wealth and the accompanying status are very important to her.
The assonance of “eagerly and extracted” make it an excited, quick motion and show her excitement at getting the letter.
She thinks she is far above her station and undervalues her husband’s efforts to please her as she “tossed the invitation peevishly”.
Ellipsis in M. Loisel’s speech indicates confusion and disappointment at his wife’s reaction.
Loisel’s pride is shown as although she wants to go to the reception she refuses to as she has nothing to wear and will not embarrass herself.
Seeing such an opportunity to mingle with the level of society she feels that she belongs to pass by causes Loisel to make a “supreme effort” to “control her sorrow”.
M. Loisel suggests that the dress Loisel buys needs to be suitable for “other occasions” shows that he is good at good at balancing money.
Loisel’s prediction that the night will cost them 400 francs is proleptic irony as it bankrupts them.
A triplet of synonyms is used to emphasise Loisel’s feelings “sad, worried, anxious”.
Loisel begins to adopt the behaviour of an upper class woman using words such as “vexes”, contrasting with her down-to-earth husband. This shows how excited she is and how she finally feel as that she is where she belongs.
She uses the idiom “I’ll look like a church mouse” to show her bareness. A mouse suggests that she will feel small, insignificant and overlooked by all of the woman and a church adds a notion of simplicity and dullness, far from the glamour of a Parisian ball.
“immoderate” is used to describe Loisel’s desire for the necklace, a complete understatement, especially as it triggers a physical response from Loisel, suggesting that she has a basic instinct to have fine jewellery as it causes her heart to beat faster.
The triplet of “ecstatically, wildly, intoxicated with pleasure” shows the effect the dance has upon Loisel. The words allude to it having the effect of a drug, to appealing to her on an instinctive level (like the necklace did) and to the effect of alcohol on a person.
The joy she feels at being admired contrasts with the despair she will feel once she loses the necklace. Ironically, one of the things she used to become so happy will bring far greater despair. Ironically, the necklace, so important to her, is not noticed by the other men, her grace, elegance and beauty is.
The cabs are “ashamed to parade their poverty in the full light of day” which draws a parallel with Loisel and her coat.
Ellipses show confusion and a growing sense of panic when she cannot find the necklace.
Her vanity leads to her downfall and despite it being her fault, she does nothing to help her husband find the necklace.
The short sentence “it cost forty thousand francs” conveys the shock of the situation.
The fact that M. Loisel has to give up the money left to him by his father has an emotional effect on the reader. M. Loisel is pitied as he tries very hard to please his wife, often at the expense of his own enjoyment and he takes the greatest fall for her carelessness.
The simple sentence “ he would have to borrow the rest” shows the stark realisation that his life is about to change. It is on the end of the paragraph because it is an all-consuming thought and makes him see his future as very bleak.
Loisel’s adaptation to her new life is described as “heroic” showing her previous aloofness. It is ironic as normally people do not view themselves as heroes for doing daily tasks.
The adverb “grindingly” suggests repetitive, destructive actions that wear her down both mentally and physically.
The triplet of G sounds in “grindingly…ghastly…greasy” reflect Loisel’s disgust.
Loisel has to stay in an attic room which is the worst kind of room and is as far away from the attention she craves as it is possible to be. It is ironic that a necklace that was used to get attention has taken all attention away from her.
The long list of long sentences makes it seem that Loisel has to do more than she actually has to. M. Loisel’s work is harder but as he does not complain, he is only given two lines, which are informative whereas Loisel’s were descriptive.
The use of “still” when describing Forestier shows that her life has not changed whilst Loisel’s has been completely changed.
Loisel feels guilty but the repayment releases her.
The short sentences in the exchange show confusion.
The truth that is revealed at the end makes the story a parable advocating open honesty and anti-vanity.
The story ends with ellipsis leaving the reader hanging.

A Hero
Father is cruel in his technique as he “sneered” at Swami.
The story has a moralistic tone as Father says “courage is everything”. He asks Swami if he has courage, setting the story up for him to teach Swami courage.
Swami’s expresses terror at this.
Swami shows intelligence as he is diplomatic and haggles for time. But his father is inflexible and assertive saying Swami “must” sleep alone and that it is “disgraceful sleeping beside granny”.
Father blames Mother for the way in which Swami is being brought up showing the tensions that exist in the marriage.
There are also tensions between Swami’s mother and granny as they are estranged. Swami’s mother accuses granny of “spoiling” Swami.
Granny’s care and concern for Swami contrast with Father’s lack of sympathy.
Swami and his granny are very close, he tells her to “please, shut up, granny” and she babies him asking is says “don’t you want a story”.
Swami is very overly dramatic as he says “if I don’t sleep at once I shall perhaps die”.
Swami negotiates to stall and to improve his position.
This behaviour is typical is Swami’s Father who has a “strain of cruelty”
Complex language is used to emphasise key moments “his Father’s tenacity at such moments”.
Granny is protective of Swami, questioning Father when he disturbs Swami.
Swami tests his Father’s logic to the limit to try and get concessions such as leaving the door open.
The “strain of cruelty” noted earlier is evident as Father threatens to make Swami, the “laughing-stock” of school which is a punishment which requires effort on Father’s part but is the worst sort of punishment for a child showing that he is determined to make Swami do this.
Father thinks that he is doing Swami a good thing as he wants him to “cultivate good habits”.
Swami becomes wound up with the fear and feels that everyone is working against him. His Father, the newspaper and even the tiger who “spared” the boy which makes it sound as if the tiger made a conscience decision to let the boy escape (which to Swami, it did).
Swami especially hates the boy who he calls “a monster” because he blames the boy for having to go through this very minor suffering. Ironic considering what the boy had to do – fight a tiger, escape up a tree and wait with a tiger below him.
The ellipsis show Swami’s imagination getting carried away, as it does throughout the night.
Swami dreams up evil supernatural things as he is very superstitious, due to the society he lives in, and believes in devils and ghosts.
The long paragraph shows the extent of his fears and his racing mind as he constantly jumps from thought to thought, thinking about 4 different instances when people were victims of supernatural attacks.
Sense imagery is used with onomatopoeia such as “ticking of the clock…insects humming” which conveys the stillness of the room and brings the reader in.
This causes Swami to become panicked, as shown by the adverbs used to describe what he does “hurriedly got up…desperately tried to escape”
When he has the nightmare about being in the boy’s position is when he is scared the most, showing how cowardly Swami is in comparison and justifying Father’s actions to an extent. When he wakes up, the short sentences show his fear and create pace and suspense, building up to an anti-climax when he bites the burglar.
The burglar is a feeble, comic figure who is humiliated by a little boy, despite being “one of the most notorious house-breakers of the district”.
The description of the burglar creates an amusing image “lay amidst the furniture with a bleeding ankle”. The description of his wound emphasises just how pathetic he is.
Swami becomes an accidental hero, showing humility as he does not think he has become anything more than he was. He doesn’t even talk to his Father.
Swami avoids conflict as he says that he will become a policeman, despite knowing that he will not.
His mother asserts her opinion in the end, unlike at the beginning, as he is concerned for Swami.
Father appreciates cunning, calling his son a “clever boy” when Swami goes to sleep before Father comes home.
At the end, Father gives in, the women and Swami triumph and the conflict is resolved but in bad faith as Father says “don’t blame me afterwards” indicating that he thinks Swami’s mother is not bringing him up properly.
The story is almost a fairy-tale as it happened far away, the tiger gives a sense of an exotic place and Thailand is called Siam, which it has not been since 1950.

King Schahriar and his Brother
A lot of description as this story has to set the scene and build characters for a number of other stories.
The story opens with a geographical description which leads into the history of the previous king and then some description of the two brothers.
Schahriar was a good king who breaks ancient laws to make his brother a king and his subjects “heaped blessings” on his head.
He is still troubled by family matters as his father was the “best monarch of his time” and “after ten years…things had not ceased to trouble him” with regards to being unable to share his thrown with his brother. This shows that he does not move on from family matters and explains why he executes women for so long.
The Sultan’s love for his wife is expressed with hyperbole “more that all the world” and superlatives “greatest…most beautiful” to emphasise the love and explain why his reaction was so extreme.
Her deeds are so bad that they are never openly stated as they shame the king.
With his reputation at stake, the King is “obliged” to do his duty and enforce the “law of the land” so she is put to death.
“The blow was so heavy that his mind almost gave way” makes it seem like a physical injury, it was so bad. It indicates that he became mentally unstable, which is followed by a change in the tone of the story as he “declared” the Sultana to be “wicked” as if his love died with her.
The way he talks about women “the fewer the world contained the better” suggests a genocide.
He proceeds to find “a fresh wife” which makes him sound like a hunter looking for prey, indicating his position of power.
Gender inequality and the supreme power of kings is evident here as everyone is powerless to stop the King.
The narrator is removed from events hence his descriptions are emotionless “unhappy brides…reluctance”. The narrator does not want to become emotionally involved as there are more stories to come and he does not want to get hurt.
In the phrase “A girl married and a wife dead” 4 words separate the words ‘girl’ and ‘dead’ emphasising how their life was cut short.
Schahriar is no longer like his father as “cries and lamentations” are heard in the town and instead of “blessings”, the Sultan now receives the opposite – “curses” which reflects how public opinion of him has reversed.
The parallel phrases “a father weeping for the loss…a mother trembling for the fate” shows people’s distress and the scale of the killing. The present participle involves the reader.
The “grand-vizir” is a major character but never named as it is his role, not him personally that is important.
The alliteration of “clever and courageous”, the superlatives of “highest degree…best” and hyperbole “beauty excelled that of any girl in the kingdom” the use of the word kingdom making it seem a greater achievement that Persia alone as it suggests a greater territory. She is the opposite of everything that the king has decided women are.
Long sentences on the second page mirror the slow passing of time building suspense as awaits her fate.
Scheherazade’s selflessness makes the reader side with her.
Dialogue gives the story a personal feeling and shows the emotion in this momentous decision that the removed narrator cannot. It also shows exactly what happened, unlike reported speech which can twist meanings or emphasis.
In 7 lines the grand-visir goes from “I shall never consent” to “give way” which keeps the story moving and demonstrates Scheherazade’s powers of persuasion, indicating to the reader that her plan might work.
The Grand-visir is torn by conflicting loyalties “Though a father, I am also your subject”.
The final sentence is short, leaving the reader in suspense as the whole story built up to this moment and the reader is intrigued to see the plan, which the reader is only given a vague idea of, unfold and its success or failure.
There is a parallel between Schahriar and his brother and Scheherazade and her sister as the word “tender” is used to describe both relationships.