1. Can I respond to an exam based question, considering perspective, structure and language?

2. Question 1 – Summarise! Extracting information from a text.
Question: List four things that White Fang does in lines 1-6.
Read the extract and underline or highlight four things White Fang does; then write them next to the numbers.

3. Extract
One night, while all the house slept, White Fang awoke and lay very quietly. And very quietly he smelled the air and read the message it bore of a strange god’s presence. And to his ears came sounds of the strange god’s movements. White Fang burst into no furious outcry. It was not his way. The strange god walked softly, but more softly walked White Fang, for he had no clothes to rub against the flesh of his body. He followed silently. In the wild he had hunted live meat that was infinitely1 timid2, and he knew the advantage of surprise

4. You could have written:
He awoke
He lay (very) quietly
He smelled the air
He read the message (that bore of a strange God’s presence)
He heard sounds (of the strange God’s movements)
He (softly) walked
He followed the intruder (silently).

5. Question 4 next because it’s worth the most marks
You are to focus on whether you feel sympathy for white Fang?
Underline all the quotations that make you feel sorry for him.
Only look at line 17 to the end.
Look for 1 to 5 word quotations and write note down the connotations you attach to the words.
Are there any moments where you don’t feel sorry for him? You can write about these moments as well.

6. Question 4 Line 17 to the end
A reader of the novel said: “This section of the text where we learn what happened in the struggle between White Fang and the intruder makes me feel desperately sorry for White Fang.” To what extent do you agree? In your response, you could: • consider your own impression of what happens in the struggle • evaluate how much the writer makes you feel sorry for White Fang • support your response with references to the text.

7. Example ‘in a vain effort to wag’
Connotations of uselessness and pointlessness.
Trying but he is too injured.

8. Now you need to use P.E.E.L to write your response.
You’re aiming for three P.E.E.L paragraphs to put your argument forward.
POINT – Agree or disagree with a reason
Evidence – quotation
Explain – Explain your quotations and write about connotations
Link back to the question.

9. How does the writer use language here to describe White Fang’s attack on the strange god?
The strange god paused at the foot of the great staircase and listened, and White Fang was as dead, so without movement was he as he watched and waited. Up that staircase the way led to the master and to the master’s dearest possessions. White Fang bristled3, but waited. The strange god’s foot lifted. He was beginning the ascent. Then it was that White Fang struck. He gave no warning, with no snarl anticipated his own action. Into the air he lifted his body in the spring that landed him on the strange god’s back. White Fang clung with his fore-paws to the man's shoulders, at the same time burying his fangs into the back of the man’s neck. He clung on for a moment, long enough to drag the god over backward. Together they crashed to the floor. White Fang leaped clear, and, as the man struggled to rise, was in again with the slashing fangs.

10. I partly agree because initially, the attack is brutal and vicious and White Fang rips the man’s throat out which portrays him as a dangerous, vicious animal. However, as the text progresses we begin to feel sympathy because it is clear that White Fang is a protector and will take any risk to protect his family. The writer describes the impact the encounter has on White Fang: ‘in a vain effort to wag’ The adjective ‘vain’ implies pointlessness and creates an image of White Fang as a dying animal; what evokes even greater sympathy is the fact that he wags his tail despite the pain and suffering he is enduring.

11. Question 2 – Language!
Question: How does the writer use language here to describe White Fang’s attack on the strange god? WORDS! WORDS! WORDS! Is the description positive or negative? What could it imply? Underline all the words used to show the weather. What types of words are used? Can you spot and highlight any phrases or features?

12. ‘How does the writer use language here to describe White Fang’s attack on the strange god?
The writer uses verbs such as ‘watched and waited’ to imply that White fang is both patient and intelligent. In addition, the writer states that he ‘bristled but waited’ which suggests that even though he is angry, he controls his emotions. Once he has waited, the verb ‘struck’ is used to show speed and the fact that White Fang’s attack is sudden and quick. ‘Slashing Fangs’ then depicts violence and this creates an image of horror reflecting the fact that when White Fang did finally attack he was brutal and vicious.

13. Question 3 – Structure.
How does the writer structure the text to interest you as a reader?
LOOK AT THE WHOLE TEXT
Which part of the text are you focusing on?
What is interesting about where the writer focuses our attention as a reader?
What are the changes in focus throughout the whole text? Chunk the text into sections.
What other structural features are used?
Narrative? Description? Thoughts? What do we want to know more about at the end and exactly what is it that engages us?
Suspense? Building up to the focus on character at the end.

14. Split the text into chunks of focus

15. Write a two paragraph response
Two paragraphs evidenced through both summary and quotation.
Model:
The text opens in the third person and this allows us to track the behavior of White Fang. The extract opens by describing the behavior of White Fang’s patience in a sensory manner so that we get to experience the arrival of the character, god, as White Fang does. The extract changes focus from White Fang’s patience to sudden action to demonstrate the speed and agility of him during his brutal and very sudden attack: ‘White fang Struck’. The attack is savage and we only understand why when we are introduced to the family. It is at this point that we realise he is protecting his family.

16. Now write about what follows next and why.