Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Question 1

Who wrote it

Answer 1

Ralston

Question 2

‘claustrophobic’ slot’ of the canyon, ‘narrows’

Answer 2

• adjective ‘claustrophobic’ to describe the small turned under chock stone
• Claustrophobic is a fear of closed spaces, sufferers may experience anxiety and panic when in closed spaces
• The sense of a narrow, confined place is developed in the final few sentences of the opening paragraph
• the ‘slot’ of the canyon, ‘narrows to a consistent three feet across at the lip of the drop off’
• This then gives the impression that what is to come next is only to be feared, perhaps foreshadowing terrible events
• This this creates a sense of foreboding when reading on, developing the idea of entrapment to the reader. Making them feel nervous

Question 3

‘This technique is known as stemming’

Answer 3

• Ralston is very experienced with rock climbing, with knowledge of the terms used
• ‘This technique is known as stemming’

Question 4

What tense

Answer 4

• ‘I come’ —> 1st person
• makes it more relatable and feel like a narrative for a story. We follow the events as they happen, increases tension

Question 5

‘Time dilates, as if I’m dreaming’ ‘rock ricochets’

Answer 5

• ‘Time dilates, as if I’m dreaming’
• This changes the pace of the story so that it exaggerates the stress and emotion of what happens next, because it is so important
• eyes dilate after death, his mind dilating time stresses the danger he was in
• ‘rock ricochets’ gives imagery of bullets ricocheting, with the alliteration of the harsh r sound it creates a semantic field of violence and danger.
• Lets the reader know the true danger he is in

Question 6

‘Good God, my hand.’ ‘I grimace and growl’

Answer 6

• ‘Good God, my hand.’
• Colloquial language, contrasts factual lang paragraph at the start, he feels not in control anymore
• also a short sentence, he is panicking and is thinking in irrational short thoughts, not really considering everything
• followed soon by ‘I grimace and growl’
• zoomorphism, he’s in pain like an animal caught in a trap -> develops idea of entrapment
• Reader sees a complete contrast of character from the start, he is now trapped and no longer in control of the situation

Question 7

Exclusively his perspective

Answer 7

• ‘I’ ‘my’ ‘I know’