Language paper 1 Flashcards
- Explore how the writer creates a sense of place and atmosphere in the following extract from “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte:
“[The Heights] was, once, the seat of the Earnshaws, and here Catherine used to play on the moors, and you may gather a green slip of turf on her grave now, if you like, that’s all. Miss Cathy and he were now very thick; but Hindley hated him: and to say the truth I did the same; and we plagued and went on with him shamefully, for I wasn’t reasonable enough to feel my injustice, and the mistress never put in a word on his behalf when she saw him wronged.”
In your response, you should:
identify and analyze the key language features and techniques used by the writer to create a sense of place and atmosphere
comment on the effects of these features and techniques on the reader
support your points with close reference to the extract.
In this extract from “Wuthering Heights”, Emily Bronte creates a sense of place and atmosphere by using a variety of language features and techniques.
One way that Bronte creates a sense of place is through the use of setting details. She establishes the physical location of the scene as “The Heights”, which was once the home of the Earnshaws. She also references the moors, which are a key feature of the landscape in the novel. These setting details help to ground the reader in the physical environment of the story and create a sense of place.
Bronte also creates a sense of atmosphere through the use of character relationships and dynamics. The narrator, Lockwood, describes the relationships between the characters, highlighting the tensions and conflicts that exist between them. Hindley, in particular, is described as hating Heathcliff, which creates a sense of foreboding and suggests that conflict is on the horizon. Lockwood’s admission that he also dislikes Heathcliff reinforces this sense of tension and creates a mood of unease.
In addition, Bronte uses tone to create a sense of atmosphere. The narrator’s confession that he “plagued and went on with [Heathcliff] shamefully” suggests a dark and troubling past. This admission creates a sense of guilt and remorse, which adds to the overall mood of the passage.
Overall, Bronte creates a vivid sense of place and atmosphere in this extract through the use of setting details, character relationships and dynamics, and tone. By establishing the physical environment of the story and highlighting the tensions and conflicts between the characters, she creates a sense of foreboding and unease that draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of the novel.
- How does the writer create a sense of tension and suspense in the following extract from “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins?
“Scott leans forward, and I can see the whites of his eyes. I feel myself shrink back, my heart pounding. He knows something. He must do, he wouldn’t be here otherwise. ‘What are you doing here?’ I whisper.”
In your response, you should:
identify and analyze the key language features and techniques used by the writer to create a sense of tension and suspense
comment on the effects of these features and techniques on the reader
support your points with close reference to the extract.
In this extract from “The Girl on the Train”, Paula Hawkins creates a sense of tension and suspense through her use of language features and techniques.
One way that Hawkins creates tension is through the use of dialogue. The short, terse sentences exchanged between the characters create a sense of urgency and unease. The fact that the narrator whispers her question suggests that she is afraid and trying to keep a low profile, which adds to the overall sense of tension.
Another technique that Hawkins uses to create suspense is through her description of the characters’ physical movements. The fact that Scott leans forward and the narrator shrinks back suggests a physical power dynamic at play, with Scott in a position of authority. This physicality adds to the tension and unease of the scene.
Hawkins also creates suspense through her use of characterization. The fact that the narrator believes Scott “knows something” suggests that there is information that has yet to be revealed. This creates a sense of anticipation in the reader, as they wonder what information Scott might have and what the consequences of that information might be.
Finally, Hawkins creates suspense through her use of descriptive language. The narrator’s description of her heart pounding and her shrinking back adds to the sense of fear and vulnerability in the scene. This description puts the reader in the narrator’s shoes and helps to heighten the tension of the moment.
Overall, Paula Hawkins creates a sense of tension and suspense in this extract through her use of dialogue, physical description, characterization, and descriptive language. By establishing a power dynamic between the characters, hinting at information that has yet to be revealed, and creating a sense of fear and vulnerability, she creates a gripping and suspenseful moment that keeps the reader on edge.
- How does the writer use language to convey the theme of grief in the following poem, “Out of the Blue” by Simon Armitage?
“Believe me, / if I could, I would / pluck / the grief out of your heart / like a thorn / and set you free.”
In your response, you should:
analyze the language features and techniques used by the writer to convey the theme of grief
comment on the effectiveness of these features and techniques in conveying the theme
support your points with close reference to the poem.
In the poem “Out of the Blue” by Simon Armitage, the writer uses language in order to convey the theme of grief in a poignant and effective way.
One way that Armitage conveys the theme of grief is through his use of metaphor. The comparison of grief to a thorn in the heart is a powerful and effective metaphor that highlights the pain and discomfort that comes with grief. The idea of plucking the thorn out of the heart is also a strong image that suggests a desire to ease the pain of the person who is grieving.
Another way that Armitage conveys the theme of grief is through his use of short, simple sentences. The brevity and directness of these sentences reflects the emotional intensity of the poem, and reinforces the idea that grief is a simple, visceral emotion that cannot be fully expressed through words.
Armitage also uses repetition in order to convey the theme of grief. The repetition of “Believe me” and “I would” highlights the speaker’s desperation to ease the grief of the person they are addressing. This repetition emphasizes the emotional intensity of the moment and reinforces the idea that grief is a powerful and all-consuming emotion.
Finally, Armitage uses sensory imagery in order to convey the theme of grief. The idea of “plucking” the thorn out of the heart is a physical image that emphasizes the pain and discomfort of grief. This physicality is reinforced by the idea of “setting you free”, which suggests a release from the emotional burden of grief.
Overall, Simon Armitage uses language in a powerful and effective way in order to convey the theme of grief in “Out of the Blue”. Through the use of metaphor, short, simple sentences, repetition, and sensory imagery, Armitage creates a poignant and emotionally intense poem that effectively conveys the pain and discomfort of grief, as well as the speaker’s desire to ease that pain.
- How does Ishiguro use language to create a sense of foreboding in the following extract from “Never Let Me Go”?
“We knew, of course, that when she appeared like this, there was nothing we could say to make her feel better. There was a real sadness in her voice – she wasn’t pretending. But the fact was, she might easily have gone on for ever, her sadness undiminished, if Ruth hadn’t taken charge as she did.”
In your response, you should:
analyze the language features and techniques used by Ishiguro to create a sense of foreboding
comment on the effectiveness of these features and techniques in creating a sense of foreboding
support your points with close reference to the extract.
In this extract from “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro, the writer uses language in order to create a sense of foreboding and tension within the reader.
One way that Ishiguro creates a sense of foreboding is through his use of understatement. The fact that the characters “knew, of course” that there was nothing they could do to make the person feel better suggests a resigned acceptance of the situation. However, this understatement also hints at a deeper sense of unease or helplessness that the characters are feeling, which creates a sense of foreboding in the reader.
Another way that Ishiguro creates a sense of foreboding is through his use of foreshadowing. The fact that the character’s sadness is described as “real” suggests that there is a deeper emotional significance to this moment. The use of the word “ever” suggests a sense of timelessness or infinity, which foreshadows a sense of impending doom or inescapability.
Ishiguro also creates a sense of foreboding through his use of contrast. The fact that Ruth takes “charge” and resolves the situation suggests a sense of control and power. However, this sense of control is contrasted with the character’s “real sadness”, which creates a sense of tension and unease. This contrast between control and helplessness reinforces the idea that something ominous is on the horizon.
Finally, Ishiguro creates a sense of foreboding through his use of a subjective narrator. The fact that the story is being told from the perspective of one of the characters means that the reader is only given limited information about the situation. This limited perspective creates a sense of uncertainty and tension, as the reader is left wondering what is going to happen next.
Overall, Kazuo Ishiguro uses language in a variety of ways in order to create a sense of foreboding in this extract from “Never Let Me Go”. Through his use of understatement, foreshadowing, contrast, and a subjective narrator, Ishiguro creates a tense and uneasy atmosphere that suggests that something ominous is about to happen.
How does Ishiguro present the importance of shared experiences in shaping the characters’ identities in the extract from “Never Let Me Go”?
Extract:
We were fifteen and we’d come to the Hailsham school only a few months before. We were the youngest there, by a good couple of years, and the ones who’d been there ages hardly noticed us at first. They were used to new kids coming and going in the normal way - they’d made their friends and enemies, their allegiances and feuds, and they had their own ways of doing things. But we new ones had something none of them had ever had, something that gave us an immediate bond. We were all Hailsham students who’d been brought up together, almost from the time we were born. Our guardians (we used to call them teachers) must have been pleased when they realized how well we were getting on. I suppose they looked forward to the time when they could start introducing distractions, show us other things in the world outside Hailsham. That was when they began bringing in stuff from the outside world. Music, films, plays, paintings, all sorts of things. We’d get these regular deliveries, and then a special announcement would be made, and we’d file into the assembly room or the Little Dining Hall, and there’d be the latest arrival, lying on a table with a real cloth, or propped up against the screen in front of the blackboard. There was this one time, I remember, they showed us Citizen Kane, but I didn’t enjoy it much. It was all about this guy, Mr Kane, who owned a newspaper and all these people were trying to find out what his dying words meant. I suppose it was clever and all that. There was one part I sort of liked, though. It was when this woman from the newspaper was talking to Mr Kane’s butler, trying to find out what the dying words were, and the butler just said: ‘Rosebud.’ They spend the rest of the film trying to find out what it meant, and it was really good, the way it was filmed, but I didn’t understand why it was so special.
In the extract from “Never Let Me Go”, Ishiguro presents the idea that shared experiences play a significant role in shaping the characters’ identities. The narrator describes how the fact that all of the students at Hailsham were brought up together from a young age created an immediate bond among them, even though they had only been at the school for a few months. This bond is further emphasized by the fact that they were the youngest students there and the older students hardly noticed them at first. The narrator suggests that this shared experience of growing up together is something that none of the older students had ever had, and that it gives the new students a sense of belonging and connection to each other.
Furthermore, Ishiguro shows how the shared experiences at Hailsham are important in shaping the characters’ understanding of the world outside the school. The guardians bring in various cultural artifacts like music, films, and paintings, and the students experience these things together as a community. For instance, the narrator recalls watching Citizen Kane with her fellow students, and how the film was an opportunity for them to experience something new together. However, despite not fully understanding the film, the narrator recognizes the significance of the shared experience of watching it with her peers.
Overall, through the narrator’s reflection on her time at Hailsham, Ishiguro suggests that shared experiences are essential in shaping.
