A Passage To Africa

Question 1

AI language features

Answer 1

Imagery: “A festering wound the size of my hand.”
Effect: Creates a vivid and harrowing picture of suffering.

First-person narrative: “I saw a thousand hungry, lean, scared, and betrayed faces.”
Effect: Personalizes the account and draws readers into the writer’s experience.

Contrast: “It was a simple, frictionless, motionless delivery of words.”
Effect: Highlights the apathy in the face of suffering.

Metaphor: “The smell of decaying flesh.”
Effect: Conveys the physical and emotional impact of the scene.

Alliteration: “Hungry, lean, scared, and betrayed.”
Effect: Adds rhythm and emphasizes the dire conditions.

Question 2

AI structure features

Answer 2

Reflective tone: Throughout the piece.
Effect: Allows the reader to process the writer’s moral dilemmas.

Circular structure: Ending ties back to the title.
Effect: Reinforces the theme of a personal journey.

Focus shifts: From specific individuals to the wider crisis.
Effect: Balances personal and collective perspectives.

Climactic moment: “The face that spoke to me.”
Effect: Builds tension and emphasizes the emotional impact.

Use of short sentences: “This is the reality.”
Effect: Creates impact and pauses for reflection.

Question 3

Q5

Answer 3

Start and Finish: Opens with graphic imagery of suffering in Somalia to draw attention to the harsh realities of famine; ends with a reflective focus on a single face, symbolizing human connection amid tragedy.

Tone, Mood, Atmosphere: Serious, somber, and reflective; atmosphere is bleak but laced with moments of empathy.

Writer’s Attitude: Compassionate but introspective, questioning the ethics of journalism and the impact of such stories on the audience.

Message of Text: Suffering is universal and personal; journalism can connect people but often fails to fully capture the human experience.

Presentation of Self: Alagiah presents himself as empathetic yet conflicted, openly questioning the morality of his work.

Settings Described: Somalia is depicted through stark, vivid descriptions that convey its harshness and the desperation of its people.