2.4 Short Text Statements September 8, 2009

Statements that you can use in your 2.4 essays 🙂

 

Short text statements

 

In the short story ‘The Bath’ the bath is compared to a grave symbolizing the danger in performing everyday tasks. For example, she sees her mind and body as two different things, working against each other; “surprising her bad back and powerless wrists into performing feats they might normally rebel against.” She sees her body as the enemy, not a friend, meaning that the old lady is a danger to herself.

 

When Mr. Page brings the bouquet of berries to his wife as she lies in a coma the berries symbolize hope in his wife waking up. “Perhaps his wife, lying in a strange secret garden where those instruments tended her, would notice the berries.” The red berries are life through blood, representing the natural in the outside world and contrasting with the artificial of the machines keeping Mrs. Paget alive. Frame uses the symbol in the short story in order to present ideas of hope and the natural world.

 

The scene set in the graved in ‘The Bath’ emphasizes the loneliness of elderly life. For example, “I shout for help, she thought, no one will hear me. No on e in the world will hear me” shows the isolated loneliness of the old lady and her theory as she feels very lonely without her husband. “I looked after my husband’s grave for 17 years” also shows her heart is still with her husband and in a way shows her wishes either for him or to join him in death.

 

In ‘The Bath’ the old woman is constantly saying “No one will hear me, no one, no one”, reinforcing the idea to herself that she is alone now, though occasionally she dares to think how much easier it would be if her husband were alive, or if she were dead. In ‘Winter Garden’ the words “no change, no change” are constantly repeated throughout the story to emphasise how trapped and isolated Mr. Paget feels. Frame uses repetition in both texts to support the isolation of her main characters.

 

In ‘Winter Garden’, the language technique of dialogue used by the neighbours communicates the loneliness of the main character. A quote from the story is “ties him to the garden”. This shows us that his garden is like a replacement wife and now that she’s in hospital on life support he puts all his attention to his garden. This is to keep him busy and to hide his loneliness from the world. There is “no change” which shows his loneliness because he can’t escape from his life and the pain his wife’s sickness has caused him.

 

Frame uses internal monologue the to express the feelings of helplessness and desperation that the old lady goes through while in the bath and trying to get out. She says “If I shout for help no one will hear me. No one in the world will hear me. No one will know if I’m in the bath and can’t get out.” The main character in ‘Winter Garden’, Mr. Paget, expresses this helplessness of life; “Would she not be better dead then lying silent, unknowing in a world where he could not reach her.” Frame uses internal monologue to highlight the isolation and despair of these characters – they must speak to themselves ultimately because they have no one to talk with.

 

In ‘The Bath’, the language technique of transitioning from third person narration to first person narration, when the main character talks to herself, is used to communicate the loneliness of the main character. Frame uses this to emphasise and bring sympathy from readers due to the fact that when elderly people have been living by themselves for years, they get lonely and crave the company of others. By talking to themselves it gives them comfort.

 

Frame uses metaphor when the old lady of ‘The Bath’ is describing the bath tub as an insurmountable obstacle to her; “The edge of the bath …cliff edge” shows how afraid she is of the challenges of looking after herself now that she is older. The bath is also “yellow stained”, making it seem aged just like the main character. Frame presents her as believing the bath is something she cannot escape, an enemy to her survival.

 

In the short text ‘Winter Garden’, Frame uses contrast from the environment of the hospital where there is “no change” to the ever-changing seasons in the garden , to highlight both the idea of mortality and immortality. When winter comes, representing old age, Mrs. Paget dies along with the garden, although we see Mr. Paget still tending the garden in spring, symbolising both his never-ending love and nature continuing after death.

Past Short Text Questions (2.4)

Past 2.4 Exam Questions

 

• For EACH of the texts, analyse how the writer influenced you to think differently about an important idea or issue.
• For EACH of the texts, analyse how at least ONE setting helped develop an important theme.
• For EACH of the texts, analyse how language techniques shaped your attitude toward ONE OR TWO characters or individuals.
•  For EACH of the texts, analyse how the writer used symbolism and / or figurative language to develop an important idea.
• For EACH of the texts, analyse how techniques were used to strengthen or change your opinion of a particular topic or issue.
•  For EACH of the texts, analyse how the writer(s) presented a positive OR negative view of humanity and / or society.
  Note: You may discuss a positive view in one of your texts and a negative view in the other.
  
•  For EACH of the texts, analyse techniques that made you feel sympathetic to a main character.
  Note:“Sympathetic to” could include “feel sorry for” and/or “feel positively toward”.
  “Character” can refer to an individual in a non-fiction text.
• Analyse how EACH of the texts was made to be BOTH entertaining AND thought-provoking.
• For EACH of your studied texts, analyse how language features made at least TWO of the author’s descriptions more vivid for you.
  Note: “Descriptions” could include descriptions of people, places, ideas; “vivid” could mean easy to imagine, lifelike, powerful, etc.
•  For EACH of your studied texts, analyse how symbolism was used to develop a main theme.
• For EACH of your studied texts, analyse how actions OR dialogue helped you to understand ONE main character / individual.
•  For EACH of your studied texts, analyse TWO ways the author made the text appealing to a specific audience.
   Note: You should clearly identify who the specific audience for each text is. “Appealing” can be interpreted as “attractive” and / or “persuasive”.
• For EACH of your studied texts, analyse how TWO methods used by the author affected your opinion of an important issue or idea.

2.4 Janet Frame Biography August 30, 2009

Info on short story author Janet Frame