In the mid-80's two young climbers attempted to reach the summit of Siula Grande in Peru; a feat that had

previously been attempted but never achieved. With an extra man looking after base camp, Simon and
Joe set off to scale the mount in one long push over several days. The peak is reached, however on the
descent Joe falls and breaks his leg. Despite what it means, the two continue with Simon letting Joe out
on a rope for 300 meters, then descending to join him and so on. However when Joe goes out over an
overhang with no way of climbing back up, Simon makes the decision to cut the rope. Joe falls into a
crevasse and Simon, assuming him dead, continues back down. Joe however survives the fall and was
lucky to hit a ledge in the crevasse. This is the story of how he got back down.

The parallel accounts of the same incident told by the two different people involved from their own
perspectives.
First person point of view from two different standpoints.

How does the writer help the reader to appreciate the physical impact of the accident?

The use of first person pronouns emphasises the personal nature of the account, and the active nature of the
piece is demonstrated by the openings of the paragraph in Joes account:
First person pronouns include:
I such as in the phrases I hit, I jerked, I struck.
Remember such pronouns could include I or we and refer the to narrator.
I is a first person singular.
We is a first person plural.
Activity verbs hat begin paragraphs include:
Hung, kicked, dug.
The vocabulary used is emotive rather than technical or factual:
The phrase my knee exploded has an emotional impact upon the reader.
Language is used to emphasise the pain and destructive force of the accident:
Shattering blow.
Ruptured.

 Searing spasm of pain.

Screaming.
Grotesque distortion.
Repetition is used for emphasis:
building and building.
The repetition throughout the passage of the word screamed.
Short sentences used for effect:
My leg!.
I screamed..
Im dead..

How does the writer help the reader to appreciate the psychological impact of the accident?

The use of ellipsis helps to mirror the fractured though processes of the writer and so creates tension:
Everyone said it if theres just two of you a broken ankle could turn into a death sentence if its
broken if it doesnt hurt so much, maybe Ive just ripped something..
A growing sense of panic represented through the repetition of if and the use o direct speech as the writer
tries to calm himself:
The above quotation is an example of this too.
Creates a sense of anticipated loneliness through the use of rhetorical questions and single word sentences:
Rhetorical question Left here?.
Single word sentence Alone?
These two phrases are immediately after one another in the text and suggest a sense of panic.

They also suggest the question of desertion.

 Uses modal verbs to speculate about a possible bleak future:

Modal words include:
Must, could, would, should, shall, will, etc.
Examples from the text include:
I would panic.
I would never get over it.
I could feel myself teetering.

Structure of the text:

There is no introduction to the accident.

The first sentence is direct and plunges the reader into the middle of the action.
The story ends on an ellipsis:
This suggests that the story has not yet finished or that the writer is unable to complete his through, perhaps
suggesting that he does not want to contemplate what may happen.

Talking About:

A comparison between Joes and Simons accounts:

Joes account:
Focuses almost solely upon himself and his own actions.
Does not refer to Simon until the fifth line of the passage.
Even so, his first thought is for Simons safety:

 Simon would be ripped off the mountain, he couldnt hold this.

Very dramatic and dynamic language.
Is much more emotive and dramatic.
Speaks about what would possibly happen as a result of this incident.
Plunges directly into the drama.
Simons account:
Almost half of which is focused on the dilemma that the two are in.
Talks about Joe in the first line of his account.
It can be seen that he focuses much on Joes predicament.
Very dispassionate, analytical and cold.
Also talks about the future and what may happen as a result of this dilemma.
It does not plunge straight into the drama; it has a build-up.

Purpose?

To some extent it is to entertain.

Joes Account

Simons Account

He is almost solely concerned

Almost half of simons account is about dilemma

with himself

that the two of them are in

Joe doesn't refer to simon until Simon refers to joe from the beginning of the line
last five lines

till the end

Joes account is very emotive

Simons account is very rational.