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In lines 28-42, how does the writer use language and structure to show Sir Michael’s thoughts and feelings about Lucy? Support your views with reference to the text. - Edexcel - GCSE English Language - Question 3 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 3
In lines 28-42, how does the writer use language and structure to show Sir Michael’s thoughts and feelings about Lucy? Support your views with reference to the text... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:In lines 28-42, how does the writer use language and structure to show Sir Michael’s thoughts and feelings about Lucy? Support your views with reference to the text. - Edexcel - GCSE English Language - Question 3 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Language: How is Lucy Perceived?
Answer
The writer uses a repetition of 'if you don’t' to indicate Sir Michael's concerns about the establishment of Lucy's feelings. This reflects how his love is intertwined with uncertainties and expectations regarding their relationship.
Additionally, phrases indicating the business-like proposal of marriage, such as 'is it a bargain, Lucy?', show his conflicted feelings, diverting from standard romantic expressions by suggesting a transactional nature.
Step 2
Emotional Undertones: Contradictions and Vulnerability
Answer
The text employs contradictory language to showcase Sir Michael's emotional conflict: terms like 'glad' and 'foolish' bear witness to his compromise and anxiety. Here, Sir Michael expresses joy in Lucy’s response while simultaneously portraying himself as vulnerable. This layering of emotions makes his feelings more relatable.
Furthermore, using abstract nouns reflects his fears and aspirations, indicating that his love is riddled with uncertainty, thereby establishing a dynamic emotional range.
Step 3
Structure: Reflecting Emotions
Answer
The use of a list of three reveals the depth of Sir Michael's emotional landscape, detailing 'all the doubts and fears and timid aspirations' he harbors regarding Lucy.
Moreover, the writer incorporates structural devices such as parenthesis, providing a self-deprecating glimpse into his romantic side, which reinforces his insecurities: 'this foolish old man'. This structure enriches our understanding of his contradictory nature towards love.
Step 4
Final Reflection: Hope and Acceptance
Answer
In the closing lines, the final sentences in the passage use a metaphor of death: 'the death of that hope'. This illustrates the culmination of Sir Michael's emotional journey, from hope to despair and the subsequent acceptance of his feelings about Lucy, underscoring the complex dynamics involved in their relationship.