WRITER’S EFFECT (LANGUAGE ANALYSIS)
1. What is it?
- To select words or phrases from a specific part of the text
to explain their usage and their effect on the reader
2. Example:
The mist creeps up to the gate and closer to us all the time, the
cold whispers of the wind blow against my skin. Threatening
trees highlighted in the path of light, temporarily created by the
glistening moon which ensures we are forced to look in only one
direction, even if we wish to go another way.
a) What kind of image does the writer want to create?
- The image of a scary place
- mystery
- An isolated area
b) What words/phrases does the writer use to show the image
above?
- The mist creeps up
- Threatening trees
- Cold whispers of the wind blow against my skin
c) What kind of figurative language is used?
- Personification
d) What is the effect?
- Sense of fear and ‘creeps up’ suggests that the
narrator is aware of the presence of the mist, but its
slow movement might suggest suspense.
3. What to focus on?
a) Imagery (any kind of powerful words and images that
create visual images in our head - senses)
b) Figurative language
i) Metaphors (comparison of two
ideas/concepts/objects without using ‘like’ or ‘as’
- The world is a sea of anonymous faces.)
ii) Similes (Comparison with ‘like’ or ‘as’ – He was
acting like a donkey.)
iii) Personification (giving human attributes to non
human - The tree branch waved in the wind.)
iv) Hyperbole (Exaggeration - He is as tall as Mount
Everest.)
v) Oxymoron (Two words that are the opposite - It is
terribly good.)
vi) Allusion (a reference to a
place/person/thing/event/other literary work
with which the reader is familiar - His smile is like
kryptonite to me.)
vii) Irony (contradictory statements/situations reveal
a reality that is different from what appears to
be true - Hansel and Gretel story)
viii) Sarcasm (to mock something by saying
something different than what they actually
mean)
ix) Pathetic fallacy (giving human feelings to nonhumans - often used to describe the
environment - to create tone and mood - The
friendly sun shone down brightly at the guests.)
c) Parts of speech (nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc.)
d) Sentence types
i) Imperatives (Please close the door.)
ii) Declaratives (It is a nice day.)
iii) Interrogatives (Who shaved the cat?)
iv) Exclamatives (It was blue!)
v)
Simple sentences (to create suspense, to be
dramatic)
vi) Long sentences (to emphasise)
e) Punctuation (... ! ? “ … “)
… (ellipsis) - suspense/mystery
! (exclamation mark) - shocked/surprise/extreme emotions
? - confusion/curiosity
Short sentences - suspense/dramatic
Long sentences - to emphasise
Example of question 2(c):
1. Explain how the writer suggests the man’s experiences and
feelings as he starts the sharp incline on the hill. (3 marks)
I can see my own contorted expression, looking out, gargoylelike, over the bike handlebars, forming part of that ‘family
entertainment’.
‘Dad, this is the forest, right?’
I nod and pant.
‘It’ll soon be ten per cent gradient, Dad.’
I change my gear, and my legs heave a sigh of relief.
Sample answer:
‘... my legs heave a sigh of relief.’
The writer’s image here makes it seem that the man has been
through such a tiring and long journey cycling up the hill. The
personification ‘heave a sigh…’ suggests that his legs are finally
able to relax after paddling up the hill.
Practice:
1. Explain how the writer suggests the feelings of the men
about camping out in the open on this particular night.
At eleven o’clock we gratefully pitched camp. Sleeping on camp
beds in the open with the gentle warm breezes caressing our
faces was wonderful.
‘... gentle warm breezes caressing our faces was wonderful.’ [1]
The writer’s image here makes it seem that the breeze was
soothing them down after a long hike. [1] The personification
‘caressing’ suggests that the breeze was stroking their faces
lovingly to calm them down after having to climb up difficult
trails. [1]
2. Explain how the writer suggests his thoughts and feelings
that evening.
After more walking / cycling we closed the day making camp by
Lake O’Hara. I’d found a great spot with inspirational views of
snowy peaks. Vivian seemed concerned about wildlife,
particularly bears: ‘I’ve been camping on petrol station
forecourts.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes. I thought it was safer.’
Vivian wasn’t exactly happy but began to erect her tent and
unpack. I did the same, somewhat faster, then cooked us dinner
on my trusty stove. Vivian’s stove was one of the many things
she’d thrown away.
3. Explain how the writer suggests what the narrator thinks
about the burger bun.
The job I’d lost was at the corporate headquarters of a very new
company. It wrote software to design and bake the perfect
burger bun: smooth crunchy skin, soft interior. It was my first
job out of art school. I started as a designer, making marketing
materials to explain and promote this tasty treat: menus,
diagrams and posters for store windows.
4. Explain how the writer suggests the narrator’s attitude to
preparing for the trip.
Trek-training began in earnest. My carefully planned route
passed fortuitously close to a favourite café in case of
emergency. I’d anticipated I’d need a few jabs for Peru, but the
cheery list of disorders I needed vaccinating against was reeled
off by my doctor with more than a little glee.
5. Explain how the writer suggests Jane’s feelings that day.
A surge of memories flooded back. Gradually in those days I’d
pieced together fragments from their daily lives, feeding habits,
travel routes and social structure. Thinking back I relived the
thrill of watching Greybeard fishing for termites with stems of
grass – picking a wide blade of grass and trimming it carefully
so it could be poked into the narrow passage of the termite
mound. What a discovery – humans weren’t the only tool-making
animals!
Example of question 2(d):
Explain how the writer uses language to convey meaning and to
create effect in these paragraphs. Choose three examples of
words or phrases from each paragraph to support your answer.
(15 marks)
Paragraph 2 In front of us lay the leaden expanse of the Dead Sea. Was it
true that it was impossible to sink in it? I tried for myself while
Helmuth looked on and smiled. You lie on top of the water,
motionless, like a cork. Swimming in the conventional sense is
not possible, since hands and feet flail around in the air like
useless paddles. According to the brochures, one could ‘read a
newspaper undisturbed or hold up a sunshade’. A local
photographer lurked nearby.
Sample answer:
The overall impression of the language in the second
paragraph creates the humorous reality of attempting to swim
in the Dead Sea. First, the writer begins by describing the man
as ‘lying on the top of the water, motionless, like a cork’. The
writer’s use of simile ‘like a cork’ suggests that the man
effortlessly bobs up and down, without the need to make any
movement himself. Next, the writer goes on to describe the
man’s hands and feet as being ‘like useless paddles’. The
writer’s use of simile shows a humorous image of the man’s
limbs serving no purpose when it comes to propelling him
forward. Finally, the writer describes one being able to ‘read a
newspaper undisturbed or hold up a sunshade’. The use of
imagery here creates an idealised image of what it is like to
experience the Dead Sea which contrasts with the reality as it is
full with tourists and photographers that disrupts the
opportunity to relax.
The overall impression of the language in paragraph 10 creates a fiercely
protective image of the narrator towards others’ views on her husband joining
the Ironman. First, the writer begins by describing the narrator’s reaction as ‘I’d
snarl to anyone who dared to question …’. The verb ‘snarl’ suggests that the
narrator would answer back fiercely like an aggressive wild creature protecting
its own. Next, the writer goes on to describe that the narrator ‘enjoyed mercilessly
shaming …’. The juxtaposition of ‘enjoyed’ and ‘mercilessly’ shows that the
narrator had no remorse and even took pleasure in making the partner feel bad.
Finally, the writer describes the narrator ‘beam[ed] with immeasurable pride’. This
indicates that the narrator’s protectiveness was due to the immense satisfaction
and joy for her husband’s determination and accomplishments.