127 Hours IGCSE English Language

Quote 1: “After comfirming that I don’t want to chimney down from the chockstones height, I squat and grip the rear of the lodged boulder, turning to face upcanyon. Sliding my belly over the front edge, I can lower myself and hang from my fully extended arms”.

Semantic field of movement “squat… grip… turning… sliding… lower” creates the impression that he is confident in this enviroment and that he is an athletic and highly skilled climber. By making the reader feel confident in his ability early into the extract, it makes his fall more shocking later.

The verb" “hang” reminds us that he is at a great height. This creates tension in the reader as he appears vulnerable.

The writer uses jargon such as “chimney” to creare the impression that he is an expert in his field; we feel confident in his abilities.

Quote 2: “My body’s weight applies enough torque to disturb it from its posiion. Instantly, I know this is trouble (…) The backlit chockstone falling toward my head consumes the sky”

Chockstone is described as “consuming” the sky, giving it a menacing, almost predatory quality, which makes the falling rock feel more threatening and unstoppable.

The adverb “instantly” emphasises the protagonists immediare realisation of danger, creating a sense of urgency and heightning the tension.

The noun “torque” shows awareness of the forces at play, highlighting the fragility of the situation he is in.

“Backlit chockstone” creates a vivid image of the rock illuminated from behind, making it appear even more threatening.

Quote 3: “The rock smashes my left hand (...) the boulder then crushes my right hand and ensnares my right arm at the wrist, palm in, thumb up, fingers extended; the rock slides (...) tearing the skin off the lateral side of my forearm. Then silence.”

Semantic field of impact “smashes… crushes… ensnares…” The violent connotations of these verbs create a sesne that Ralston is under attack; he is a helpless victim at the rock’s mercy.

The tripartite list “palm in, thump up, fingers extended” suggests that he remembers every detail of the event, even the precise positioning of his hand. This conveys how significant and life-altering this moment was.

The short sentence 'then silence' juxtaposes with the long, listing sentence before it; this emphasises how empty, lonely and quiet the moments were after the accident.

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