How does the writer create feelings of isolation in 'Whistle and I'll come to you'?

In your answer you should write about:

- The effect of the writer's childhood memories
-The effect of the weather
- The use of language and structure

In the extract “Whistle and I’ll come to you” the writer presents the feeling of isolation in
various different ways. The writer uses different techniques to personify the weather,
hinting at animalistic characteristics. The wind is personified at the start of the extract, as it
“rose” and “rage(d) like a lion”. This simile connotes a hostile and dangerous environment
as a “lion” is often portrayed as a wild beast. Furthermore, the writer uses listing to portray
the desolate setting- “gales and driving rain and sleet and spray”. These techniques
emphasise the brutal impact of the weather, which heightens the sense of loneliness, as he
has to face these conditions, in the open marsh, on his own.

Similarly, the physical setting is described to be isolated and exposed, complimenting the
descriptions of the weather. The writer presents this typical ‘gothic’ setting with detailed
descriptions which add to the horror of the situation. The “open marsh” is described as
desolate and bleak in a remote location- “like a ship at sea”. This simile implies that he is
physically all alone, suggesting that he is unsure of his surroundings as they are
unpredictable and hostile. The status of the house, which is “alone and exposed” may
reflect his current situation, due to the use of pathetic fallacy. He too, like the house, is in an
unpredictable state and these descriptions of the landscape may reflect the uncertain
landscape of the narrator’s mind.

The writer uses a nostalgic tone to contrast his peaceful childhood memories, to the
extreme, dismal situation that he is in now. The writer thinks back to a time when he was
“warm and snug”, slipping to a “pleasant trance-like state”. These memories of childhood
create a hypnotic state in the narrator, suggesting that perhaps he has lost control, and is
becoming increasingly vulnerable. This idea is supported by the fact that he was as close to
crying as he had “ever been since (his childhood)”. This comparative sentence suggests that
this man is having a child-like fit, in which he has “bursts of violent rage”. The repeated
motif of “tears” and “crying”, combined with these various techniques imply that just like a
young boy, this man is alone and vulnerable and incapable of taking care of himself,
resulting in him being “ashamed”.

Structurally, the writer uses various strategies to create fear and uncertainty to add to the
motif of desolation. In paragraphs 4-5 there is a shift in atmosphere, whereby a sense of
silence is created. The use of short sentences - “I listened hard. Nothing” and “There was no
child. I knew that”, yet again highlight the lonely feeling, with “nothing” and no one around.
Furthermore, the use of repeated questions, “How could there be?”, suggests that his
isolation is making him unsure of what is going on. The reader begins to question the
narrator’s reliability as the inner conflict becomes apparent within the narrator’s mind.
Within this section, simple sentences, rhetorical questions and complex sentences are
intertwined, creating a tense and vulnerable atmosphere.

A theme of darkness is also mentioned repeatedly throughout the text. The writer describes
how the “lights went out” as he “stood there in pitch blackness”. This corresponds to later
on in the extract when he “(drops) the torch” and again “No light came on”. This complete
darkness has connotations of fear and horror and so we can infer that due to this lack of
light, the narrator is vulnerable and exposed which increases the tense atmosphere of the
passage. This fluctuation of light and dark reflects the narrator’s instability, whereby he
repeatedly loses and gains control and is susceptible in this situation.

To conclude, the narrator uses many structural and literary devices as well as repetition to
convey his physical and mental vulnerability in this hostile situation. The writer also
contrasts his “pleasant” childhood memories from when he was a “young boy” to his
current volatile situation which “(banished) all tranquillity” of his nostalgic thoughts. These
techniques emphasis the difference in atmosphere, highlighting the deep sense of his
isolation and desperation.