Leaving Cert English Reading Comprehension: At an event entitled The Joy of

Question

At an event entitled The Joy of Influence, organised by Andrew O'Hagan, six writers were asked to talk about an art-form, other than literature, that influenced them. This edited text, adapted from The Guardian newspaper, is based on the contributions of two writers, Alan Warner and John Lancester.

1. Scottish novelist, Alan Warner explores the influence of POP MUSIC on his writing.

While I am aware of the personal emotional heritage, as a writer I have to construct the emotional architecture of my characters – you can’t just reach in with a few so-called ‘pop-cultural references’ or effect. When I was fifteen and rock music was just starting to intensify, I really wanted to write classical music. I was always a really sheltered self-conscious kid, so I thought I could only be a real writer if I could inspire others with my writing. I develop a love for Bartók, Stravinsky and Ravel but I kept coming back to rock and pop music. In a small town, music helped me decide my future. It was my cultural and Deep Purple; it was forming my culture and I became weary of denying it.

Of course some pop music is not popular at all and it doesn’t try to be. After punk bands, I had a healthy disregard for audience approval. I was misunderstood by that arrogance but I was much convinced. I wanted to write back. It was pop music that helped me decide that great writers could come to me on my own terms alone.

2. Journalist and novelist, John Lanchester reflects on a new art form: VIDEO GAMES.

What’s exciting and interesting about video games is their newness. Video games are the first new artistic medium since television. They are more different from television than television was from cinema. They are the newest new thing since the arrival of the movies just over a century ago. That automatically control. Increasingly, it’s the case that the player makes the story, makes the game-world. This gives the medium a real kick off its own force. At its best, it can take you inside the world of a character with a force only somebody else could have, being freed to make the novel your own and about what you liked and didn’t like.

The novel is a work of someone else’s head, but the aspect of agency is fully present with video games, the fact that you make choices that genuinely affect the story, is fascinating and genuinely new.

I am sure that there is going to be some hybridisation between the two forms: a hybrid slowing towards the novel. I’m really looking forward to meeting the beautiful mutant.

At an event entitled The Joy of Influence, organised by Andrew O'Hagan, six writers were asked to talk about an art-form, other than literature, that influenced them - Leaving Cert English - Question 1 - 2014

Worked Solution & Example Answer:At an event entitled The Joy of Influence, organised by Andrew O'Hagan, six writers were asked to talk about an art-form, other than literature, that influenced them - Leaving Cert English - Question 1 - 2014

Outline, in your own words, what either Alan Warner or John Lanchester has to say about his chosen art-form in the above text.

Identify two observations from the text that you found thought-provoking: one by Alan Warner about pop-music and one by John Lanchester about video games. Give your personal response to both of these observations.

In your opinion, which of the above novelists, Alan Warner or John Lanchester, more effectively conveys his point of view? Explain your answer with reference to features of style evident in both of their contributions.

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