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.