English Past Paper
English Past Paper
Johann Hosterbach
The investigated passage is an extract from “ Fallen Angels” by Harper Collins, published in 2001. In this passage a young apprentice called Simon is stuck in a grave and tells the reader about him and his family as the narrator of this extract.
What observations can be made about the narrator?
The narrator of this passage is a boy named Simon, probably aged between 10 and 15. His grandfather and father are both experienced grave diggers and the employer of this graves is called Mr Jackson.
The boy Simon is an unpaid apprentice “ learning a trade”. He is following in his grandfather and fathers footsteps because his grandfather used to work in the grave and his father still does “Our Pa knows this place better’n anybody. He can take apart any grave, remembered who’s buried how far down and whether it’s sand or clay. He learned it all from our Grandpa”.
According to the passage, Simon seems to have a strong personality. He is not panicking, even though he is stuck in a grave. He is calm and remembers his fathers advice about what to do when the grave collapses “ Our Pa always tells me to put a hand over my face and stick my other hand up if I’m down a grave and it falls in. Then I’ll have an air hole through the dirt and they can see by my fingers where I am”. He knows the area around the graves and the grave themselves very well because he is a sensible person “ For the deeper graves we use grave-boards to shore up the sides, but we don’t bother with little ones like this….”. When Mr Jackson, his employer comes to the grave, he talks so confidently to him that he misses the opportunity to get out of the grave. He doesn’t have the chance to ask him for help. “What are you doing down there Simon?” “ Just resting, Sir”. His boss Mr Jackson thinks that Simon is a cheeky person because he calls him “ insolent”. The dialog between the employer and Simon gives the reader the chance to see what Simon is like and how he speaks
Johann Hosterbach
The investigated passage is an extract from “ Fallen Angels” by Harper Collins, published in 2001. In this passage a young apprentice called Simon is stuck in a grave and tells the reader about him and his family as the narrator of this extract.
What observations can be made about the narrator?
The narrator of this passage is a boy named Simon, probably aged between 10 and 15. His grandfather and father are both experienced grave diggers and the employer of this graves is called Mr Jackson.
The boy Simon is an unpaid apprentice “ learning a trade”. He is following in his grandfather and fathers footsteps because his grandfather used to work in the grave and his father still does “Our Pa knows this place better’n anybody. He can take apart any grave, remembered who’s buried how far down and whether it’s sand or clay. He learned it all from our Grandpa”.
According to the passage, Simon seems to have a strong personality. He is not panicking, even though he is stuck in a grave. He is calm and remembers his fathers advice about what to do when the grave collapses “ Our Pa always tells me to put a hand over my face and stick my other hand up if I’m down a grave and it falls in. Then I’ll have an air hole through the dirt and they can see by my fingers where I am”. He knows the area around the graves and the grave themselves very well because he is a sensible person “ For the deeper graves we use grave-boards to shore up the sides, but we don’t bother with little ones like this….”. When Mr Jackson, his employer comes to the grave, he talks so confidently to him that he misses the opportunity to get out of the grave. He doesn’t have the chance to ask him for help. “What are you doing down there Simon?” “ Just resting, Sir”. His boss Mr Jackson thinks that Simon is a cheeky person because he calls him “ insolent”. The dialog between the employer and Simon gives the reader the chance to see what Simon is like and how he speaks