Voice and point of view

"If I’m not here you can still talk to me. You can talk to me and I’ll talk to you. You’ll see. ... He went down the road as far as he dared and then he came back."



Techniques used:

• Unattributed speech
• Repetitive dialogue
• 3rd person from boy's perspective
• Longer dialogue

Voice is a very important part of this extract. The same repetitive dialogue is used with "Okay" being said 3 times. The man says "okay" to the boy to re-assure and calm him. The use of familiar dialogue, as "okay" has been said many times throughout the novel, makes the boy less fearful. He is being brought back to the sense of normality he'd found amongst the chaos of a post-apocalyptic world.d His father's voice is the only thing that brings him comfort and a feeling of safety.

This extract involves unattributed dialogue, with longer statements being said, particularly from the father. Even though it's unattributed, it's clear which character is saying what through their speech patterns. The man says, "If I'm not here you can still talk to me. You can talk to me and I'll talk to you. You'll see" to which the boy simply replies with "Will I hear you?" The man's almost poetic speech coincides with his oncoming death, his voice seems to be more expressive due to the fact its his lsat proper conversation with his son. He changes his attitude to one of optimism to make the boy feel strong and safe.

This extract ends with the 3rd person perspective of the boy. His voice has been developing throughout this part of the novel as he realises that he must gain some independence. In the text, it says "He went down the road as far as he dared and then he came back". This is the boy's viewpoint, describing his actions, and suggests that he has become a more daring spirit through what he's learnt from his father. He is seeing the world a bit differently now he knows he has to adapt and survive without the protection of his father.