ENGLISH: A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat (Prose)

Tricolon

"quick reflexes nerves of steel and ... effective horn" " voices raised fists were out and tempers rising" " horns tooting bells ringing and special rattles."

Metaphor

" wacky racers"

Hyperbole

" waiting for an eternity" "rush hour gone anarchic "

personification

" vehicles jostled" " traffic... had to dive into a ditch " " swallowed up by the crowd."

writing in first person

" we drove off " " i really enjoyed that"

overall tone and pace of article

The article is written in a fairly informal and relaxed manner in keeping with the event being described, namely a donkey race. The pace of article picks up as the race unfolds in order to help get across the speed at which things were happening

layout

The article is set out in several short paragraphs which allows Emma Levine to write about a number of different parts of the race. she manages to cover a period of time before the race, the actual race and a short period of time after the race is covered in one and a half pages. this has allowed her to be descriptive about certain aspects of the race without it being too long winded and boring for the reader. the relatively short sections are also in keeping with the chaotic, fat moving race which jumps from scene to scene.

unusual title

" a game of polo with a headless goat"

structure

The passage is chronologically structured. We enter before the race and follow it through to its conclusion. it begins immediately as the writer is already driving off to film the race without any preamble. the slow pace of the opening is contrasted later with the speed of the donkeys. there is the use of ellipsis to indicate the editing of parts of the race from the account and excitement builds as the speed increases further toward the end of the race. an abrupt short sentence, following a complex sentence, indicates the end of the race. the passage comes full circle and ends with humor. structurally the passage entwines three races: the donkey race; the race to get the pictures taken and the spectators who race.

connotations of danger

" roaring" " perched" - perched is used many times to show that they are getting in more danger. " achieve speeds up to"

allusions to American cartoon

" wacky racers"

Darwinian reference suggests driving is a matter of life and death

" it was survival of the fittest."

sense of danger and tension

" but it's starting to get nasty"

Metaphor

" fired with enthusiasm"

Metaphor

"formula 1 without rules"

Repetition

"coming coming"

Audience

The language used is very descriptive and should appeal to a broad audience from teenagers to adults as text can be followed and understood by both.

What is the purpose of the extract?

To inform readers about the culture and traditions of people in foreign places.
To describe the events in detail and to entertain and engage the reader.

What sort of text is it?

It is a travelogue (a book which describes travel in a foreign country - non-fiction).

Tension

'Are they coming?'

Visual humour (Reflects how unusual they must have looked waiting to film the event. They are a spectacle in themselves as a western film crew being watched by the locals. Use of visual humour here creates a break in the suspense - lightens the tone.)

'a villager on a wobbly bicycle, who nearly fell off ...'
'This was Formula One without rules'

Use of hyphens: provides additional information, almost as an afterthought, adds a sense of incredulity to the events - as if we can capture the writer's disbelief at what she was witnessing.

'- for it was a main road -'