From touching The Void

Question 1

“Impact catapulted me”

Answer 1

A metaphor

Question 2

“Simon would be ripped off the mountain”

Answer 2

Future tense, which means that direct thoughts are incorporated into the autobiography

Question 3

“he couldn’t hold this”

Answer 3

This is a definite prediction of the future

Question 4

What does the first and second paragraph contain?

Answer 4

A high concentration of dynamic verbs (violent), short and simple sentences and happening quickly which reflect the number of things and sensations going through Joe’s head.

Question 5

What tense is the first paragraph in?

Answer 5

Most of the first paragraph is in the past tense apart from his direct thought in the future tense, which makes the sentence more immediate.

Question 6

“Still, silent”

Answer 6

Sibilance

Question 7

“My thoughts raced madly”

Answer 7

This is a metaphor and madly is an adverb to intensify the situation.

Question 8

“Pain flooded down my thigh - a fierce burning fire”

Answer 8

Mixed metaphor of two opposite elements to suggest that the pain is both burning and flooding, this also emphasises how much it hurts.

Question 9

“Seeming to ball in my groin”

Answer 9

Extended metaphor

Question 10

“Building and building”

Answer 10

Repetition

Question 11

“Ragged gasps”

Answer 11

Metaphor

Question 12

“My leg! … My leg!”

Answer 12

Direct thought and a short sentence

Question 13

“Grotesque distortion”

Answer 13

Complex adjectives used to create strong imagery - emotive language

Question 14

“Burnt my groin”

Answer 14

Continuation of the extended metaphor of fire

Question 15

“That had nothing to do with my knee”

Answer 15

Direct thought

Question 16

“Hanging against the snow”

Answer 16

Description

Question 17

“The pain eased”

Answer 17

Lifting of the tension (we think things are going to get better)

Question 18

“A wave of nausea surged over me”

Answer 18

More metaphors linked with water, provides cohesion

Question 19

“Something terrible, something dark with dread”

Answer 19

Alliteration, over the top

Question 20

“I’ve broken my leg”

Answer 20

Direct thought

Question 21

“… If it’s broken … If …”

Answer 21

Ellipsis used to show broken up thought process and panic

Question 22

“My knee exploded. Bone grated”

Answer 22

Strong image

Question 23

“The fireball rushed from growing to knee”

Answer 23

Continuation of fire metaphor, cohesion

Question 24

“I screamed.”

Answer 24

Short sentences (paragraph 5)

Question 25

“It wasn’t just broken”

Answer 25

Build upon the worst

Question 26

“Ruptured, twisted, crushed”

Answer 26

Harsh adjectives to increase the impact of the description

Question 27

“Head spin”

Answer 27

Idiomatic expression

Question 28

“Searing spasm”

Answer 28

Sibilance

Question 29

“I would never get over it”

“I could feel myself teetering”

Answer 29

These both have 2 meanings has 2 meanings: 1 literal and 1 idiomatic

Question 30

“It seemed to grow”

Answer 30

This is an example of his subjective perception

Question 31

“Left here?Alone? …”

Answer 31

Rhetorical questions

Question 32

“I felt like screaming, and I felt like swearing, but stayed silent”

Answer 32

Sibilance

Question 33

What about paragraph 5 makes us lose hope for him?

Answer 33

He is very definite about the future being bad and he is using lots of direct thoughts.

Question 34

What does taking us inside both of the main character heads achieve?

Answer 34

Means Simpson is able to show how their moods change at different times.

Question 35

“I felt tired and was grateful to be able to follow Joe’s tracks instead of breaking trail.”

Answer 35

Talks about his feelings - engages the reader

Question 36

“Trudged”

Answer 36

Descriptive but true

Question 37

“Rope lashed out”

Answer 37

Giving it life - personification

Question 38

“Braced myself… Nothing happened”

Answer 38

Anti climax

Question 39

“Footsteps cautiously”

Answer 39

He’s suggested as being quite scared

Question 40

“Surprise”

Answer 40

Unexpected (thought he would be in agonising pain)

Question 41

“You’re dead”

Answer 41

Direct thought in the second person directly addressed to Joe

Question 42

How is paragraph 5 of Simon’s account persuasive?

Answer 42

Because he is persuading himself that Joe is dead and that he could die he is also persuading the reader at the same time.

Question 43

“Open face”

Answer 43

Semantic field vocabulary

Question 44

1) “pathetic”
2) “without any emotion”
3) “dispassionately”

Answer 44

Passage seems to give a pessimistic view on human personality. Inhumanely cold and selfish as well as having a callous attitude towards death.

Question 45

Repetition of the first person pronoun “I”.

Answer 45

Showing that he is mostly thinking about himself.

Question 46

In general what is Simons account like?

Answer 46

Literal account, not much figurative language, very dispassionate. He is passive of Joe’s situation

Question 47

In general what is Joe’s account like?

Answer 47

Joe’s account is more emotional and very rich with imagery. He also uses lots of figurative language to express sensations along with descriptions and metaphors to add dram a and to allow the reader to empathise with him. As well as this he uses the word “if” and increasingly short sentences to create tension and uncertainty.

Question 48

“As I crested the rise”

Answer 48

Semantic field vocab

Question 49

“I had no doubt about that”

Answer 49

Simon is again persuading himself & the reader