Examining authorial context and narrative viewpoints

Read the opening paragraphs from Ellen MacArthur's autobiography, Taking on the world and then complete the PEE paragraphs below to explain what we learn about her as a person through her use of language by choosing from the drop-down menus.

From the opening two paragraphs we get the impression that McArthur is only too aware of the dangers oblivious to the dangers( only too aware of the dangers, oblivious to the dangers ) she will face when she climbs the mast to repair the sail. We see this when she tells us that '. . . though I would be wearing a helmet it would not be difficult to break bones up there. . . '. Clearly she is taking all the precautions she can all the risks she can( all the precautions she can, all the risks she can ) in order to stay safe get a buzz( stay safe, get a buzz ) but she recognises that she is still at risk of serious injury. she is one of the best young sailors.( she is still at risk of serious injury., she is one of the best young sailors. ) This indicates to us that she is not some reckless adventurer, not a very experienced sailor( not some reckless adventurer,, not a very experienced sailor ) doing it for the thrill of an adrenaline rush for the very first time( for the thrill of an adrenaline rush, for the very first time ). She comes across as very sensible and thoughtful bold and irresponsible( sensible and thoughtful, bold and irresponsible ), only taking necessary unnecessary( necessary, unnecessary ) risks and then, only after careful consideration and after failing to undertake any( after careful consideration and, after failing to undertake any ) planning.

This impression of McArthur as sensible and careful irresponsible and reckless( sensible and careful, irresponsible and reckless ) is established in the very first paragraph where she informs us that she 'had worked through the night preparing for it. . . '. Here we get the impression that she is meticulous careless( meticulous, careless ) in her planning, trying to account for every eventuality cut corners where she can( account for every eventuality, cut corners where she can ) but realising that she can only do so much do it very easily( only do so much, do it very easily ); ultimately she is at the mercy of the elements her own actions( the elements, her own actions ) once she has climbed the mast.

Her awareness of the dangers she faces creates a tense thrilling( tense, thrilling ) atmosphere that grips the reader's attention excites the reader( grips the reader's attention, excites the reader ) as we are encouraged to share her feelings of fearful anticipation reckless joy( fearful anticipation, reckless joy ) through comments such as 'the most dangerous thing apart from falling off is to be thrown against the mast,' which make the reader almost hold their breath shout out( hold their breath, shout out ) in anticipation of what will happen. In this way McArthur presents herself as an ordinary person an extraordinary person( an ordinary person, an extraordinary person ); she does not arrogantly exaggerate modestly downplay( arrogantly exaggerate, modestly downplay ) her skill and experience as a sailor, instead she presents the situation in a way that the reader can relate cannot relate( can relate, cannot relate ) to and imagine themselves can't imagine themselves( imagine themselves, can't imagine themselves ) in her position.