Paper 1 Analysis

Text 1 is an extract from the book The Old Ways written by Robert
Macfarlane, in 2012 and Text 2 is a famous poem called The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost and was published in 1916. Both texts share a similar theme
which is the theme of journey. In Text 1 the narrator talks about his own
journey in the fields which he used to visit when he was a young boy while
Text 2 talks about the choices the narrator has to make in his life.
Although both texts share a common theme, the audience and purpose vary
to an extent. In text 1 the audience is directed towards people who love
reading novels about travels and explorations. The structure of the text is
written in such a way that it appeals to a certain target audience. The use of
colons and semi colons such as Its a young way; maybe fifty years old, no
more. and expressive language such as dry snow squeaed underfoot show
us that the book is targets a specific audience. In contrast, Text 2 talks about
the difficulties that the narrator faces while making a particular choice. The
poem is structured in such a way that its audience can relate to it as
everybody has to make decisions in their lives. The poem is targeted towards
people who are facing a dilemma similar to the one in the poem, where they
have to make an important decision which could potentially change their
lives and there is no going back once the decision is made.
The mood and tone of Text 1 is calm, peaceful and lonely as the narrator
does not mention anything about other people being present in the extract.
The use of language in the extract paints an image of a lonely, desolated but
calm and peaceful place. The cold like a wire in the nose and The
moonlight, falling at a slant, deepened the dark in the nearer tracks. These
lines are verification of the sinister atmosphere that is created in Text 1. The
exceptionally detailed description of the place proves that the place has had
a huge impact on the narrators life. On the other hand the mood and tone of
Text 2 is nostalgic. The mood at the beginning of the poem reflects the
warmth of the "yellow wood" and the traveler's anticipation at having to
choose his own path, so the mood feels light-hearted, even anticipatory. As
the narrator reflects on having to make a decision the tone of the text is
serious and contemplative. The narrator of the poem is unsure about
choosing the wrong road and missing unknown opportunities. The fork in the
road becomes a metaphor for all choices that people must and how certain
choices may affect the outcome of their lives.
Both texts use visual imagery to influence their target audience. In Text 1 the
lines The red blip of aircraft warning lights and small rolling clouds of
goldfinches rising from teasel-heads and then curling ahead to settle again.
create striking images in the minds of the readers as they can actually

visualize the setting of the extract. The purpose of writing the text is to
narrate his journey to the target audience. Therefore visual imagery is
exceptionally crucial while narrating as it helps the audience to see through
the eyes of the narrator while in Text 2 the main stylistic devices are
metaphor and symbolism. The speaker must choose between diverging
paths in a wood, and he sees that choice as a metaphor for choosing
between different directions in life. The two roads symbolize the decisions
that we make in our lives. If we decide to go down one road, there is no
coming back. Both the texts also share a same narrative voice first person.
The use of I in both the texts is to show us the viewpoint of the character.
In both texts the narrator uses first person narrative to describe their
respective journeys.
In conclusion both the texts share the same narrative voice and the same
theme but their target audience and purpose are very distinct. Both the texts
make use of their language and structure to convey their messages to the
audience.