Preview

Fear and Danger - Stuart: A Life Backwards

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1382 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Fear and Danger - Stuart: A Life Backwards
Fear and Danger Essay
This extract is situated in chapter twelve of the text and describes a riot that took place in Whitemoor prison, Cambridgeshire whilst Stuart was imprisoned for stealing from an “open-counter post office”. In this extract Masters offers us an account of the events that took place, beginning with an article from The Times newspaper and continuing from the point of view of Stuart. For the first time, in this extract, we see an event where Stuart is the one who fears for his life, as he has been put into a prison for a minor crime, amongst terrorists, psychopaths and professional gangsters.
Masters uses the simple sentence, ‘Two days after Stuart arrived there was a riot’, to introduce what the next part of the story is about and to draw the reader in, making them want to know more about what happened. He goes on to give the facts through his use of formal register and intertextuality, by using the newspaper extract which acts as a direct contrast to what follows i.e. the biased way in which the account of the riot is told by Stuart. This tells us that Masters doesn’t necessarily trust the view with which Stuart has witnessed and recounted the story.
The use of Dynamic verbs such as ‘tremble’, ‘smashing’ and ‘threatened’ are effectively used throughout the extract to keep the exciting pace and emphasise the violence and action of the scene. This is also achieved through the use of alliteration, fricatives e.g. ‘furniture, flared, flames and fire’, plosives e.g. ‘table-tennis tables’ and bilabials, such as, ‘between balconies’. The use of fricatives also accentuates the imagery of the spreading fire.
The use of proper nouns such as names ‘Colin Richards’, places ‘Walton on the Naze’ and the magazine ‘National Geographics’ all give a sense of realism to the account of the riot and help to draw the reader into the story. The reality of the situation is also helped by the inclusion of profanities in the quoted speech, for example, ‘If you don’t

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    DBQ writing tips

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages

    3. Sometimes the documents are intended to trigger reader memory – for example, a first hand account of a labor protest turned violent in 1896 means they want you to recognize that they are talking about the Haymarket Square Riot.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    People have fears for many things from spiders to clowns. Due to the attacks on September 11, 2001, many Americans can now add another fear to that list. Something that was considered to be a convenience since it’s invention is now something people are replacing with long drives in their personal vehicles, buses and train rides for long distances. In some of these cases, one also goes…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As Pittacus Lore once said, “I know what I’m capable of; I am a soldier now, a warrior. I am someone to fear, not hunt.” Fear is caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous. In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the main character Rainsford is repeatedly trying to convince his friend Whitney that the animals they hunt and hang on their walls have no sense of emotion or fear. But when he learns the unbearable feeling and anxiety of being the huntee, he is convinced otherwise.…

    • 192 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the novel, “Little Scarlet”, the author Walter Mosley is discussing the ordeal the riots have created in Watts. In 1965, riots had become the only way for people to express their feelings towards racial inequality. The 1965 riots also highlighted issues within the police department. The novel exposed crimes that were going on as a result of the riots. Throughout the novel, Walter Mosley introduces various characters to paint a picture of society in 1965. Mosley uses a murder as a twisted plot for justice. The murder case forces Rawlins to address the ethnic tribulations of the 1965 watts riots.…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Glasgow 5th March 1971

    • 1369 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Edwin Morgan’s vivid visual poem “Glasgow 5 March 1971” deals with the themes of violence, crime, apathy and responsibility.This poem is all about street violence and how people don’t get involved. “Glasgow 5 March 1971” is a very dramatic visual poem about a “young man and his girl” who get pushed through a window by some thieves and are not helped by the passing drivers. The poet is commenting on the individualism of modern society and telling us not to stand by and watch others suffer and that we need to stop the violence in our society. It is about how society accepts violence without objecting, whilst pretending to object. In this poem, Morgan freezes a dramatic moment in time in a vivid manner. This essay will show how the poet uses an attention-grabbing opening, effective word choice and imagery to capture a moment in time which changes everything. It will then go on to show how realistic violence, everyday characters and an underlying message help to present the poet’s ideas and to add excitement and emotion to the incident he describes.…

    • 1369 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    -The use of descriptive language such as ‘stagger’ and ‘gasp’ depicts the violent transformation process. The effect of descriptive language in this passage creates a close relationship between the character and the audience as it positions the reader ‘in’ the story and makes them feel involved. The adjectives also enhance the suspense involved in finding the true horror of Jekyll and Hyde’s fight for dominance.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociology and Hall Et Al.

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Throughout each era of sporadic moral panic in terms of the youth threatening social order, there has emerged groups that have fit the criteria and Cohen concerns himself primarily with the ‘Mods and Rockers’ that fought in seaside towns in the UK in the 1960’s. His belief is that the mediation of these events led to the construction of ‘Folk Devils’ (Cohen 1973) which in turn both outraged and terrified people, but this fear was out of proportion in relation to what actually took place. For Cohen, public opinion, reaction and emotion was provoked from the way the media exposed the facts of such events; it was out of proportion in relation to what actually happened and therefore the media ‘played a major role in fostering irrational fears about anti-social behaviour’ (Kelly & Toynbee P 370)…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Discuss how Barker presents the theme of imprisonment and feelings of ‘being trapped’ through the characters of Burns and Prior in ‘Regeneration’…

    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Language is much more than just a means of communication. It is an important part of our culture, and it is necessary for freedom of expression. It is one of the most important parts of our being. “Scorched” is a play by the Lebanese writer Wajdi Mouawad. Upon the death of Nawal, her twin children relive her life by searching for their missing father and brother they never knew about in Nawal’s homeland to fulfill her will. During their journey, they learn about her difficult childhood and her history as a prisoner of war until they eventually discover the shocking truth about their own origins. The play portrays how words can be powerful through symbolism and metaphors.…

    • 694 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Garbage Man

    • 738 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Another interesting part about this passage that I liked was the fact that the riot scene is exactly what Tod pictured when he talked about painting his picture that he would call “The Burning of Los Angeles.” The mob is the main portion of the painting, and Faye would be the one whom the crowd is chasing. The whole idea of the angry mob is to depict the people of Los Angeles who are…

    • 738 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “Life has no plot. It is by far more interesting than anything you can say about it…” –Erica Jong, Fear of Flying…

    • 398 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    turn taking

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Conversation analysis is an approach to the studure of repressed rage as the massacre in the library came to an end. Klebold journal…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the Jailer, the common man illustrates cowardice when he refuses Sir Thomas More more time with his family. Sir Thomas More accepts that he cannot risk the life of the Common man and this brings to light the integrity that Sir Thomas More…

    • 730 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Freedom Writers Adversity

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “Freedom Writers” highlights the challenges one must experience in order to change their values. These challenges are evident through a montage of archive news footage in the establishing scene which emphasises on the dangers, violence and destruction caused from riots. This sets a tense atmosphere for the audience giving insight to the historical…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Critical Reading

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages

    7. The author compares and contrasts the James Brothers with other criminals. – but, though, and…

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics