between a rock and a hard place Flashcards
Ralston conveys the dangers of climbing by illustrating that someone even with his experience that you can make costly mistakes.
“stemming” “counterpressure” establishes ralstons expertise and experience, heightens eventual dramatic action despite his skill.
“ten feet downstream” indicates his experience and attention to detail and furthermore the need to be calculated and precise.
“I come to another drop off” imitates the precise considered and methodical manner of climbing.
Ralston constantly conveys to the reader the sudden danger that could affect him at any time and this builds up tension in the piece towards the climax.
“rounded rocks” the alliteration of the rocks cause us to focus on the rocks here just as Ralston is doing to ensure his safety.
“I’ll dangle…then take….” conditional phrases juxtaposes a sense of certainty and uncertainty conveyinghis constant thought process where he has to be careful.
“claustrophobic” “short” “slot” ralston foreshadows the accident by evoking a sense of confinement and imprisonment
ralston conveys to the reader how helpless he is against the rock therefore not only just causing him physical pain but also mental pain.
“consumes the sky” “i feel the stone respond.” suggest his instinctive sense of hoplessness nowhere to go, idea of consumption creates a tone of threat.
“my disbelief paralyses me” he is now a powerless victim to hte pain and panic that ensues him, emphasised by his helplessness.
“then silence. ““nothing” abrupt phrases represent sense of futility but also mirror his panicked fragmented thoughts.
paragraph 4
the author conveys the dangers of climbing by illustrating to the reader the aggressive nature of the rock by displaying his immense pain.
“searing hot pain” vivid imagery of burning emphasises the pain that he is going through that is so painful he can’t use the usual adjectives to describe it to the reader.
“flaring agony throws at me” metaphor conveys the short time ralston has had to come to terms with this immense pain .
“raging at full flood.” alliteration conveys how the author could not be in any more pain by “full” as it is so painful.
