The opening paragraphs of Text A are influenced by Chuck Palahniuk’s: ’Fight Club’ in which the progression of time is depicted much like a countdown: ’Sixty seconds’. Short paragraphs are also used in creating tension, for example: ’O’clock’. The effect of this minor sentence as a paragraph draws all the reader’s attention to the conclusion of time whilst foreshadowing the impending doom of the protagonist. Similarly the stimulus for the interior monologue in the later stages of the story derives from James Joyce’s use of stream of consciousness in ’Ulysses’.
Text B makes frequent use of complex and compound/complex sentences: ’each member of the tribe performing his or her individual role so that the tribe, as a whole, can prosper and survive.’ The purpose of this complex sentence is to juxtapose the differing societies. In this instance, the comparison between our society and the Amazonia society serves as important evidence for a balanced argument. The compound/complex sentence: ‘Bullying has always occurred; it is a primitive instinct and reverberates through not only our species but the animal kingdom too.’ is used here to impose the endfocus of the introduction.
The short story is written in the present tense and interchanges between the first and third person. This can be seen in the latter stages of the story whereby the use of elided first person singular pronoun (’I’m’) serves as transition from the third person singular pronoun: ’he’ to the first person singular: ’I’. The single use of direct speech, “Did you miss us?” connotes isolation surrounding the protagonist. This theme is further intensified through the use of the passive voice: ’is pinned to the wall’ as it portrays the protagonist as a victim as well as make the reader question why he is in the situation.
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Dissimilarly Text B consistently uses the present tense with use of the implied future in the modal: ’we can prevent’, in the concluding paragraph. This is appropriate for this style of writing as the use of implied future, paralleled with frequent use of the inclusive plural: ’we’, gives a sense of unison and responsibility. To exaggerate the impact on the reader, Text B uses a high register: polysyllabic lexis such as the modifying adjective ’fundamental’ and stative verbs ’perceived’, ’maintained’ give sequence to the article. Following on from this, Text B creates emphasis by using repetition: the finite verb, ’to dominate’, the transitive verb: ’dominating’ and the abstract noun: ’dominance’. In Text A, the repetition of the noun phrase: ’Nothingness; absolute nothing… No tunnel, no bright lights. Just nothing…’ serves as a vital mechanism in engaging the reader. The use of the broken lexis and syntactical inversion in this phrase create an emphatic atmosphere that foregrounds mystery and magic realism hence captivating the reader; leaving them with unanswered questions.
Text A integrates various sentence moods in the development of pace and drama. The use of the declarative: ’he arranges his work’, ’tears down the terraced street’ entertains the reader through development of tension whereas the use of the interrogative: ’Am I real?’ diverts their attention to the emotions of the protagonist. Similarly to this, Text B makes frequent use of the imperative: ’must be addressed’ to influence the reader into taking action, while use of the interrogative during the initial paragraphs: ’But is this bullying?’ foregrounds future themes.
Text A employs extensive figurative language, for example, the personification of time: ’Time increases its pace.’ This abstract noun phrase coincides with the lexical set of time (’TIME’, ’Ten to three’, ’faster’) in addition to implying a greater sense of magic realism. Another example of figurative language can be seen through the use of the metaphor: ’three gigantic shadows’, the use of the attributive adjective: ’gigantic’ intensifies the depersonification of the three bullies thus creating a dystopian atmosphere that allows the reader to feel empathy for the protagonist.
Text A makes use of multiple lexical sets in the portrayal of different images for instance, a lexical set of movement is developed through the use of dynamic verbs such as ’chasing’, ’glances’ and ’launches’. Likewise the progressive present participle ’becoming’ is used instead of the simple finite aspect ’becomes’ in order to create a minor sentence that denotes the idea of passing time. The unusual use of ‘bombard’ as a transitive verb is also used to reflect the size and momentum of the three bullies throughout the chase. Text B features fewer dynamic verbs but instead presents a range of modal and auxiliary verbs such as the obligatory modal verb: ’must’. The repetition of this plays a vital role development of ideas and in this case serves as a “call to action”. The frequent use of emotive adjectives are also comparable; adjectives such as ’tragic’ and ’detrimental’ are used to create a parallel between the theme of bullying and society in Text B.
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Text A uses onomatopoeia to impose the vividness of the chase: ’CRASH’. The use of this dynamic verb startles the reader and creates a greater involvement with the story. Text A makes frequent use of fricative and plosive alliteration: ’scent of stale cigarettes’, ’faster and faster’. This represents the varying tones of the story, for example, the use of the fricative: ’faster and faster’ depicts the fast pace of the passage hence compelling the reader to continue. Text B also features similar phonological techniques to emphasise the importance of certain arguments. For example: ’supposedly, socially developed and sophisticated?’ the use of sibilance here intensifies the use of the interrogative thus allowing the reader to reflect on the denoted topics.
Both texts depict the theme of bullying. However the ways in which these texts portray this theme vary immensely: Text A depicts the microcosm- the life of a struggling protagonist and the surrounding themes of isolation. Text B however illustrates the impact of bullying in society: the macrocosm. And it is through this juxtaposition that allows the similarities and comparisons between form, syntax, lexis and phonology to be made.
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samjohns1234livecouk (student)
