In this extract, there is an attempt to show the narrator’s experiences of a future world - Edexcel - GCSE English Language - Question 4 - 2018 - Paper 1

The passage opens with a strong focus upon the visual senses, creating a vivid portrayal of the future world from the narrator's perspective. Phrases like 'The grey downpour', 'the intense blue of the summer sky', and 'brown shreds of cloud' conjure up powerful images, thus establishing a strong visual image of the setting.

Moreover, the first-person narrative is highly effective in conveying access to the narrator’s thoughts throughout the piece. The use of contrasts, such as the narrator’s initial sense of being 'like the trailing garments of a ghost', emphasizes a shift from confusion to clarity as they begin to perceive the future world in a more defined way.

There is identifiable tension when the narrator reflects on their experiences, especially as they notice others interacting with the new environment. The gradual increase in the number of future people, described as 'perhaps eight or ten', builds tension and emphasizes their curiosity about this new realm.

Additionally, the weather is described with a sense of confusion as it intermingles 'a grey downpour' with the 'blue of the summer sky', suggesting the unpredictability of the future experience. This duality mirrors the narrator's mixed emotions and creates a vivid atmosphere.

The lack of fear or trepidation in the text is significant, portraying the future not merely as a threat but as an opportunity, contrasting the initially described 'fragile thing' with moments of innocence and light-heartedness among the people the narrator observes.

Characters that the narrator encounters initially appear as 'creatures' but gradually take on human-like attributes, providing a clearer sense of reality.

In the final analysis, the narrator reflects on their emotions, which encompass both warmth and discomfort in these new interactions, creating depth to their experiences. This articulation of feeling—as portrayed through nuanced language—heightens the impact of the narrator’s journey and ensures the reader understands the complexities of adapting to a new reality.