english language IGCSE

H is for hawk - quotes

"don't want you going home with the wrong bird" : humorous - FORESHADOWING the plot twist "my heart jumps sideways. she is a conjuring trick. A reptile. a fallen angel. A griffon from the pages of an illuminated bestiary" : SHORT SENTENCES + HYPERBOLE + METAPHOR - creates tension and drama throughout piece and highlights sense of expectation within the extract at seeing the animal "sunlight drenches us and everything is brilliance and fury" : PATHETIC FALLACY - god like image "her world was an aviary no longer than a living room" : ENTRAPMENT - sense of trap "enormous, enormous" : line 16, REPETITION - emphasis on size

H is for hawk - quotes

"one, two, three" : COUNTING + SHORT SENTENCES - creates tension and drama "she was smokier and darker and much bigger" : SYNDETIC LISTING - overwhelming "Oh" : SHORT PARA + interjection mirrors disappointment readers effect. tension and pause "It was the wrong bird, this was the younger one. The smaller one. This was not my hawk" : sadness at realization; she connects with the birds vulnerability and naivety - she feels powerless with larger bird, she wants the smaller bird because she couldn't control her fathers death

H is for hawk - quotes

"that light, leather hood was to keep the hawk from fearful sights, Like us" : DICHOTOMY (CONTRAST) between human and animals - IRONY "lets get that hood back on" : reflects CALM atmosphere that is outlined in the paragraph + contrasts with TENSE NATURE of prior paragraphs "All at once, I loved this man and fiercely. I grabbed the hood from the box and turned to the hawk" : FORESHADOW - something may go on between her and her owner. dealing with the loss of her FATHER - melodramatic : reliant on him

a passage to africa - audience

- aimed at holder, mature audiences (wealthy + privileged) - people who read war correspondence ; perhaps already familiar with Alagiah's writing and conflict in somalia (+ interested in learning more). an educated audience

H is for hawk - helen macdonald

- grief, loss + fear : falconry offers an escape, a remedy for grief over her fathers death. gives narrator an illusion that her father still exists - history + passage of time : explores history of falconry + the landscape. Narrative alternates between the contemporary era and 1930's. - natural world + wildness : explores meaning of wildness and the way human ideas are projected onto natural world - patience : goshawk is emblematic of patience. narrator knows chances of finding one are minimal but still looks for it

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "I feel to be standing there so strong + confident" : POSES TO READER AS QUESTION - we should reevaluate out views of the poor and be ashamed as ALAGIAH when we find out we aren't superior 2. "I resolved there and then that I would write the story of Gufgaduud" "I could muster" : 'I' repeated (determined) and the experience has been imprinted into his mind. - determined to share story and experience 3. 2ND LAST PARAGRAPH : short paragraph accentuates affect on reader. author inspired to share memories + humanity of somalis. his APPROACH to APATHETIC MEDIA WORLD

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "bodily functions" "clammy palms" "vomit" : detail makes it more real for reader 2. "an old woman will cover her shriveled body" : FEELS SHAME. emphasis on pity evoked expresses false hope of dying man who keeps his 'hoe' next to him as though he still hopes to go and 'till the soil once this is all over'. sowing things - very symbolic for hope of new life yet life is exterminated in this place 3. "they will shroud his corpse" : MODAL VER- certain it'll happen. despite his desire to return to work + hunger for dignity, he 'will' die. contrast evoke sense of tragic

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "by the time Amina had returned she had only one daughter. Habiba had died. no rage, no whimpering just a passing away" : intensifies PATHOS as death is described calmly and simply. Losing a life is very common is POVERTY and DESPERATION. (ironic + injustice). REPETITION and TRIPLET impact. - "Habiba was ten years old." use of a name and age to make it more personal which shows that he does feel emotionally connected. makes the reader feel uncomfortable. 2. "motionless deliverance" : sense that she's relived to pass away. free from earthly bonds, sadness, despair and suffering. 3. "famine away from headlines a famine of quiet, suffering and lonely death" : TRIPLET. world doesn't care for her death - EVOKES PATHOS as lonely suffering death is painful 4. "smell of decaying flesh" : use of smell senses creates vivid image of scene - "decaying" allows the reader to 'smell' the deterioration of the people "5. 'Take the Badale Road...' : long, detailed description of how to get there emphasises the remoteness of the village and how far from civilisation it is. The reader can sense the emptiness.

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "fused into the gentle V - shape of a boomerang" : REPRESENTS MUTILATION of her soul by experiences. provokes emotional response and accentuates pathos by showing unbearable pain. impact is INTENSIFIED by calm connotations of 'fused' and 'gentle' (mild acceptance) 2. "it was rotting, she was rotting" : REPETITION emphasizes struggle of survival 3. "and then there was the face I will never forget" : SINGLE LINE PARA, shows significance of this face. - revealing - (short and dramatic) - CLIMAX (reader finally finds out about the face) 4. "pity and revulsion, yes revulsion" : REPETITION - honesty and reveals what everyone knows but wont admit. feel guilty about his SUBTLE ACCUSATION. - repetition of the word "revulsion" makes it clear that the situation was revolting

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "ghoulish manner, like a ghost village" : SIMILE evokes sympathy. place is lifeless + depressing. EVOKES PATHOS and emphasizes abandonment. - semantic field of ghosts and death - "ghoulish" and verb "hunt" could show how menacing and predatory journalists are as they feed off the suffering of others. It is a morbid task that is perhaps quite dark. The use of his adjective may suggest that the reader feels like this is inhumane. 2. "the search for the shocking is like the craving for a drug" : SIMILE + DESENSITIZED TO SUFFERING - greed. The search for the picture is addictive. They've seen much of it thus are immune to it 3. "written off as the same old stuff the next" : accentuates how journalists are HEARTLESS + only care about producing a report 4. "wild, edible roots" : EVOKES PATHOS. woman is out to find edible roots which isn't even proper food. BESTIAL AND DESPERATE

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "hungry, lean and scared" : RULE OF THREE, adds emphasis + weight of the sense of them being ISOLATED, FORGOTTEN AND ABANDONED. Reader feels pity for the people in Somalia (creates sympathy) 2. "I criss crossed Somalia" " but there is one I'll never forget" : SUSPENSE created, life changing journey - important experience (it stands out). LAST SENTENCE of para creating a HOOK. 'never' : dramatic 3. "betrayed" : EMPHASIS. they were left behind by people who failed to protect them from HORRORS. We let them down by not helping. 'betrayed faces' : POLYSYNDETON, never ending cycle of SUFFERING. emotive language and pain is alluded to 4. "but there is one I will never forget." : suspense is created in the last sentence of the paragraph by indicating that he is going to explain something later. Has a regretful tone which sets a reflective atmosphere for the reader. - use of the word "never" is proves this has impacted on his life forever (something so terrible.)

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. "man had posed a question that cut to the heart" : METAPHOR emphasizes POWER of moment 2. "us and them" + "the rich world and the poor world" : shows the huge gap between everyones lives and the way which poor people are seen as 'them' (barely human.) yes this one smile has managed to bridge the gap for him

a passage to africa - structure

1. 'but there is one I will never forget' : introduction acts as HOOK. draws reader in (stands out). Intro shows where FOCUS of passage will turn to. SUSPENSE created + life changing 2. 'and then there was the face I will never forget' : passage broken into SHORT SENTENCE. changes the FOCUS. Climax of story. (short + dramatic for impact). reader and Alagiah finally finds out about the face showing its SIGNIFICANCE as it is specific + memorable 3. 'and then it clicked. that's what the smile had been about' : SHORT SENTENCE, understanding. Realization + clarity of the place (CLIMATIC). FAST PACE suggests it's overwhelming + confident about it 4. 'normally injured to stories of suffering..' : back to LONGER sentences, explaining his moment of realization. CONTRASTS to fast fast paced para before

a passage to africa - structure

1. Alagiah LISTS incidents : that have remained strong in his mind. finished piece with haunting image of man. Despite the haunting image the man was smiling. A CONTRADICTION to the emotion Alagiah felt 2. Simple + short sentence structure : evokes clinical tone - no emotion involved showing how desensitized journalists are to these experiences 3. direct address in final sentence : shift from addressing the reader --> addressing the man directly. READER suddenly feels as though they are a witness to a VERY PERSONAL EXCHANGE 4. juxtaposition / contrast : of reader at home in living room reader the story about thousands of people suffering. WESTERN VS DEVELOPED WORLD. Makes reader feel GUILTY 5. juxtaposition : between GENTLE + CHATTERING LEG offers contrast to the violence she has experienced from this dictator compared to the westernized culture

H is for hawk - structure

1. begins in MEDIA RES as the handler checks the crates. INFO + EMOTION will therefore be released as we read 2. starting with description of 1st hawk. SHORT SENTENCES + ASYNDETIC LISTING, suggests frequency and range of thoughts entering narrators mind emotions : horror -> awe revulsion -> attraction 3. her emotion contrast with calmness of 'the man' who cares about bird. UPSURGE OF EMOTIONS - 'I loved this man' which then reflects onto hawk 4. SADNESS at realization that it was the wrong bird : 'oh' 5. Bird 2/her bird : no awk/wonder. all is HORROR. italics introduce rising panic. - DIRECT SPEECH shows fractured nature of her emotional response 6. she's in wild FRENZY state. his decision is implied but we don't hear it

A passage to Africa - quotes

1. last paragraphs : REPETITION of 'smile' - shows disbelief and feels the need to repeat it over and over again to reassure himself that it was REAL 2. "so my nameless friend if you're still alive, I owe you one" : UNIVERSAL STORY (people still suffering) UNUSUAL ENDING : contrasts with reporter/subject distinction earlier informal phrase suggests closeness between then and reinforces Alagiah's gratitude. had a powerful impact on reporter tone : too casual

a passage to africa - purpose

1. writing reflectively + his attitudes towards the events : seems to have changed since he originally reported on the event. Seems most clear in the final line when he discusses his regret at not knowing the mans name. suggests his purpose + empathy level is different 2. evoke pathos : for somali people 3. shock audience : shows how reporters work 4. gives insight on the experience : in somalia (tell story of gufgaduud) 5. explore + challenge : power strength and dignity (question the difference between our lives)

A passage to Africa - quotes

1."fleeting, meeting of eyes" : sudden change of FOCUS suggests importance of 'face'. transient : doesn't last long (small moment big effect) 2. "it was not a smile of greeting, it was not a smile of joy" : REPETITION OF SMILE - unexpected reaction and can't define smile 3. "and then it clicked, that's what the smile had been about" : short sentence to show understanding + realization. fast pace and climatic 4. "I was unsettled by this one smile in a way I've never been before" : UNUSUAL as man had no reason to smile. reminding AUTHOR and READERS that there are others still suffering in abandonment 5. "how could it be?" : RHETORICAL QUESTION, questions himself 6. "it moved me in a way" : impact as he's at loss of words - repeated to convey his emotions (SIGNIFICANT)

A passage to Africa - voice

1st person narrative not afraid to use emotive language to heighten emotional impact of his writing

h is for hawk - voice

1st person, removed subjective narrative focused on the birds and the narrator. Bird handler remains anonymous. he's seen as competent in counterpoint to the awestruck, utterly incompetent macdonald

A passage to africa - genre

AUTOBIOGRAPHY. allows reflection rather than straight-forward narrative and suggests a readership interested in Alagiah's feelings about his work

A passage to Africa - context

Alagiah is a BBC newsreader. He used to be a REPORTER + he was sent to Africa to cover the events that unfolded in 1990's somalia At this time, there was a CIVIL WAR and the people encountered many difficulties

A passage to Africa - George Alagiah themes

Horror and isolation : explores famine + disease and its effects Dignity in war : challenges our own power + strength

h is for hawk - ideas, context and authors purpose

Macdonald is describing the moment she meets the animal that she's about to train for the 1st time she seems scared of the larger bird + wants to train the one the man brought out first macdonald became an experienced falconer after her fathers death. she was attempting to accept his death + needed a new hobby

a passage to africa - tone

PRAGMATIC, matter of fact yet deeply EMOTIVE + DISTURBING switches from emotionless, pity --> casual

a passage to africa - ideas

describing a visit to africa. he is discussing the horrors that he saw on his visit + how they haunted him

h is for hawk - genre

extract from novel/autobiography. The chapter ending is cut here, creating a cliff hanger

H is for hawk - structure

only covers a few minutes of time : starts CALMLY but tension BUILDS with short sentences as the first hawk is released. Within the passage, 2 long paras are used to describe hawks as they're released. A lot of LISTING as 1st impressions are made The shock realization that the 1st hawk is the wrong one : signaled by 4 short sentences set apart in brief paras --> followed by single world exclamation 'oh' The horror at the appearance of 2nd hawk with panicked REPETITION of 'this isnt my hawk' (links to opening para). Piece ends on note of HIGH SUSPENSE as she pleads in desperation to SWAP HAWLS + reader along with author awaits the decision

a passage to africa - purpose

present dilemma of journalist with clarity + power. the 'active' reporter and the 'passive' subject. considers his role in the famine as a reporter not an aid worker. Writing moves from dreadful sights narrative in Gufgaduud to the consideration of the 'ghoulish' behavior of journalists in these cases

h is for hawk - purpose

to explore attraction of the terrifying + to move the narrative forward macdonald has ordered a falcon from eastern europe when this section begins the tension of the arrival of the bird is already high. moment of truth