Albert's English Journal

Compare the methods poets use to present their points of view in ‘next to of course god america i’ (page 48) and in one other poem from Conflict.

plan – next to of course god America I is about patriotism in the United States, about war the Americans go through. They do it in almost a mocking way with phrases like  “heroic happy dead” and changing lyrics to the American national anthem, changing the lyrics to  patriotism in America.

Flag is also about patriotism in America but not war related like next to of course god America I.  In this they tell us that the flag represents the Americans proud of ear country. Doing everything they can for it no matter what.

Comparing them both they are similar and different to each other. Both are about American patriotism, one is on war the other is on pride. Both are mocking with for examples; “heroic happy dead” in next to of course god America I, it adds a sickening statement but also some dark humour too. As for flag  you will see the phrase “it’s just a piece of cloth” many times. Showing that Americans are almost looking at a piece of cloth like it’s their life.

Select an incident which you think is particularly tense and exciting in touching the void. How does Simpson create tension and excitement in this incident?

The incident I chose in the  book was when Simon cut the rope while joe was hanging.  What makes it so tense and exciting is the language devices used.

The first quote I found exciting was “heck! I couldn’t be dead and feel that!”  Him not being aware he’s dead if he’s dead is telling us that he’s in shock. Probably in shock that he’s not dead yet after falling from Simon cutting the rope.  The fact he’s still alive it probably gives him the instant thought of “I wouldn’t know if I’m dead”  this would create excitement because even the readers themselves would be in shock that joe survived a  100 meter fall.

the next quote I found exciting had a curse word which  can create excitement or tension depending on the context. “Alive! We’ll fuck me!”  Just like the last quote he’s surprised like us that he survived a fatal fall like that. Surprised enough he uses the classic British catchphrase “well fuck me” he could also be relieved too because when I use that  cat phrase myself I always say it in a relieved tone.  Of course using curse words is exciting because it’s always controversy.

the next quote involves a worry in joes mind. “I couldn’t conceive of him dead, not now, not after I survived.”  Joe is now hoping that Simon is still alive, especially after joe just survived a 100 meter fall with a leg already broken. Now he needs help to get out of there! This would be intense because having  Simon dead just after joe went through all of that still alive is just one big inconvenience.

the next quote I picked out shows some actual language device, personification. “I swore bitterly, and  the echoes from  the darkness made it a futile gesture.”  The phrase of the darkness made it a futile gesture is quite eerie. The darkness itself almost becoming human trying to tell joe that there’s no point in trying to call for Simon.  Of course this creates tension because joe is now trapped in something that he can’t escape with one leg blocking all his cries for help.

Now for the final quote. This one is intense for us but exciting for joe as it’s creepy. “Crying and laughing at high pitch as something I curled within me, something tight and twisted in my guts that laughed itself apart and left me.” This is pretty weird because no body would laugh in a situation where  you’re almost dead.  But laughing something out of your guts is something to question. It really does create tension now because to the readers joe could be going insane right now.

Relationship between climbers – “he asked me if I was okay” this shows that Simon cares in a little way . ” I already owe Simon” joe saying he owes Simon for having him involved every way with all the publicity.

landscape – “I felt as if I was about to be attacked from behind at any moment.” This is where joe is visiting the mountain for the filming and is feeling fear. Fear as if the mountain will attack him. “This was the place where I had known I was going to die. Those ridge lines should have been the last thing I would ever see” Simon in a panic at the mountains  making him think he should of came back.

Technical climbing terms – “Okay joe, begin to crawl towards the rocky narrows please. In your own time.” This is interesting because the man on the radio is almost forcing joe to rein act the horror of crawling again. Quite haunting. “Pretending to crawl and fall and horas I had done seventeen years earlier. Why couldn’t they have just used an actor out here? I kept asking myself.” This is where joe had to act out what happened and at this point it must be torture for him going through what mentally screwed him up.

Moral justification of the choice to cut the rope –  “the rope cutting had clearly touched a nerve”  touching the nerve clearly shows the controversy of the situation, people agree and disagree with the choice that Simon made. But joe claims he wrote it as honestly as he could so people won’t bash Simon for making that decision to almost kill joe to save himself.