127 hours: Difficulties faced

Question 1

Paragraph 1 : Experienced climber who faces difficulties when things go wrong

Answer 1

Opening four paragraphs; semantic field of technical climbing terms - reassure reader of confidence and knowledge + awareness of surroundings

Shift in paragraph 5 - ‘chockstone falling to head consumes the sky’ - hyperbole highlights reality of immeasurable danger, builds suspense and fear

Question 2

Paragraph 2: Suspense further built when reader sees difficulties that Ralston experiences

Answer 2

“line 36” - lists sequence of events highlighting severity of circumstances, developing reader understanding of the extremity of incident which he struggles to break out of
Emotive verb choices increase tension by gruesome imagery of rock wedging arm against south wall, showing relentless jeopardy

Question 3

Paragraph 3: Difficulties faced by structural techniques employed to convey Ralston’s hardship when arm stuck

Answer 3

‘I yank my arm’ - unsuccessful attempt to pull arm away from boulder implied by short sentence.
“Come on… move! Nothing” - direct speech followed by impact sentence shows attempt to free himself was fatal + state of mind & isolation + limited movement and hopelessness

Question 4

Paragraph 4: presented as a climber who’s lacks control of situation when faced by dilemma

Answer 4

‘line 48’ personification shows how fate has taken control by nature creating an unsure outcome

‘get your hand out of there!’ talking to himself , colloquial language gives insight to turmoil, stress and panic