a passage to africa - George alagiah Flashcards
Emotive Language
“Hungry, lean, scared and betrayed.”
“The ghoulish manner of journalists.”
Effect: Highlights the emotional weight of the suffering.
Forces the reader to feel discomfort and empathy.
List / Asyndeton
“There was the old woman… rotting by the roadside; the abandoned body of a child; a body with a shattered leg…”
Effect: The list feels relentless, mirroring the overwhelming scale of tragedy.
Creates a cumulative effect of suffering.
Metaphor
“A thousand hungry, lean, scared and betrayed faces.”
Effect: Suggests a blurred mass of suffering, not just individuals.
Reflects the dehumanising nature of extreme poverty.
Alliteration
“Surreptitious, guilty thrill.”
“Simple, frictionless, motionless deliverance.”
Effect: Adds rhythm and emphasis to his reflection.
Makes the descriptions more memorable and intense.
Juxtaposition
“The kind of smile you might give if you had done something wrong.” (from a dying man)
Effect: Contrasts life and death, dignity and despair, which creates a haunting emotional impact.
Challenges the reader’s expectations.
First-person narrative
“I saw…” / “I remember…” / “I never found out what the man’s name was.”
Effect: Creates a sense of personal reflection and honesty.
Makes the story feel authentic, drawing the reader into his internal conflict.
Direct Address / Rhetorical Questions
“How should I feel to be standing there so confident?”
“What was it about that smile?”
Effect: Involves the reader in the moral dilemma.
Promotes self-questioning and introspection.
Irony
“The kind of smile you might give if you had done something wrong — when you knew you were in the wrong.”
Effect: Deeply unsettling — the dying man comforts the well-fed journalist.
Shows the inversion of power and dignity.
Loaded Imagery / Vivid Description
“It was rotting; she was rotting.”
“The shattered leg had to be dragged across the road.”
Effect: Brutal, vivid detail forces the reader to confront the raw reality.
Meant to shock and evoke guilt.
First-person Reflective Structure
The whole passage is written from Alagiah’s point of view, reflecting on a past event.
Effect: Feels personal, honest, and confessional.
Draws the reader into his internal conflict — not just what he saw, but how he felt.
Non-linear Time Shift
Begins with a general overview of war reporting → moves into a specific memory.
Effect: Creates contrast between the impersonal routine of journalism and the uniqueness of this one moment.
Shows how one experience stood out from many others.
Gradual Build-up of Descriptions
Starts with disturbing images of suffering — builds to the emotional climax of the man’s unexpected smile.
Effect: Heightens tension and emotional intensity.
Leads the reader from horror to something profound and human.
Contrast Between Tone and Content
Begins cold and factual (journalistic tone), then becomes more emotional and introspective.
Effect: Reflects Alagiah’s internal journey from detached observer to emotionally affected human being.
Mirrors the shift from professionalism to personal realisation.
Turning Point / Volta
“And then there was the face I will never forget.”
Effect: This is the pivotal structural moment.
Marks a shift from external horror to internal transformation — the real message of the passage.
Use of Short Paragraphs for Emphasis
Particularly around the smile and final reflections.
Effect: Highlights key thoughts and emotional reactions.
Creates pause and makes the reader focus on specific moments.
Ending with Reflection / Open Question
“What was it about that smile?”
Effect: Leaves the reader in a state of reflection, just like the writer.
There’s no clear conclusion, inviting the audience to think deeper about what they’ve read.
Circular Structure (Subtle)
Starts and ends with the idea of journalism and truth, but changes the tone entirely.
Effect: The beginning describes routine; the end questions it, suggesting growth and change in the writer’s perspective.
