Extract from “World WAR Z”

1. Extract from “World WAR Z” Soo Bin Lee

2. Extract The boy jerked and I heard his left arm snap. Jagged ends of both radius and ulna bones stabbed through his grey flesh. Although the boy didn’t cry out, didn’t even seem to notice, it was enough for both assistants to leap back and run from the room. I instinctively retreated several paces myself. I am too embarrassed to admit this; I have been a doctor for most of my adult life. I was trained and… you could even say “raised” by the People’s Liberation Army. I’ve treated more than my share of combat injuries, faced my own death on more than one occasion, and now I was scared, truly scared, of this frail child. The boy began to twist in my direction, his arm ripped completely free. Flesh and muscle tore from one another until there was nothing except the stump. His now free right arm, still tied to the severed left hand, dragged his body across the floor.

3. Extract- continued I hurried outside, locking the door behind me. I tried yo compose myself, control my fear and shame. My voice still cracked as I asked the villagers how the boy has been infected. No one answered. I began to hear banging on the door, the boy’s fist pounding weakly against the thin wood. It was all I could do not to jump at the sound. I prayed they would not notice the color draining from my face. I shouted, as much from fear as frustration, that I had to know what happened to this child. A young woman came forward, maybe his mother. You could tell that she had been crying for days; her eyes were dry and deeply red. She admitted that it had happened when the boy and his father were “moon fishing”, a term that describes diving for treasure among the sunken ruins of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

4. Introduction • Fiction. • Written in first person- focuses on emotion as well as the situation.

5. Themes present in extract: • Fear and uncertainty • survialism

6. Structure & punctuation • The opening sentences constantly flip between the ‘boy’ and ‘I’ to establish the significance of the two characters in the situation. • By cutting back and forth, the writer effectively builds tension and suspense and creates a sense of separation and flow of hostility between the two characters • I was trained and… you could even say “raised” by the People’s Liberation Army. • Use of ellipsis slows down the pace of the extract. It also reflects the writer’s train of thought- perhaps to show his turmoil of bewilderment and fear. Also this communicates a realistic feel to the narrator’s voice, as if he is directly speaking to the reader (and thus creating a intimate relationship between reader & author= engaging)

7. Visceral imagery • “Jagged ends of both radius and ulna bones stabbed through his grey flesh” • Sense of aggression is shown through violent imagery “Jagged” and “stabbed”. • The use of color imagery “grey” implies to the reader that the boy is dead (but ironic as he is still moving)- this creates a sense of supernaturalism. • Overall dehumanizes the boy and creates an unsettling paranormal image.

8. The boy • A boy symbolizes exuberance, innocence and naivety, however in this extract the writer depicts the child as a monstrous, grotesque figure through language. • “the boy’s fist pounding weakly” • For example here the writer uses oxymoronic diction to again establish a horrific image of the child. “pounding weakly” creates a complex figure- perhaps implying the child’s supernatural qualities that ultimately creates an ominous mood.

9. diction and imagery to depict fear • The writer’s use of language provides an immediate sense of the central character’s emotions of fear- this conveyed through emotive diction. • The Repetition of “scared” “fear” • The use of short brief monosyllabic diction creates a blunt harsh tone that directly depicts the writer’s emotions. • “voice cracked” • auditory imagery insinuates the writer’s terror. • “color draining from my face” • strong visual imagery that shows not only the writer’s mental and emotional condition but also his physicality- the threat induces his body to react

10. Last paragraph • There is a change in focus from the boy and the narrator to a young woman. This relieves the tension and suspense in the previous paragraphs. • A young woman came forward, maybe his mother” • This quote establishes the boy’s relationships- a change from where the author used language and imagery to dehumanize the boy to a monstrous figure. Also by introducing the boy’s family connections creates a sense of sympathy and pathos from the audience. This effectively transitions from a suspenseful mood to a more sinister tone. • “her eyes were dry and deeply red” • The writer uses language to effectively convey the mother’s sorrow and loss. “ • Alliteration of ‘d’ adds to the gravity of the situation.