What is Text Analysis - Essay Example

What is Text Analysis Introduction Sprawled on a beach, enjoying the cool breeze and sipping from an ample supply of beer is not just a treat for the senses and the body, but also a treat for a worked up mind- this is the picture that the narrator has conjured in this text through his words. It’s the story of an afternoon spent on the beach, away from the trivialities and hassles of mundane, everyday routine and it talks of the joy that a pleasant afternoon spent in solitude can bring. Moreover, it also hints at the fact that such pleasures of solitude are not readily available to us and have to be forgone sooner or later in lieu of the daily life activities that need to be carried out. This essay is an analysis of the text on two levels: firstly, it discusses the interplay between form and content and secondly, it evaluates the text on its merits as a linguistic piece. The Interplay of form and content This piece of text is a narrative of a peaceful afternoon spent at the beach. We can classify it as a narrative because it meets the following criteria: “the main purpose of a narrative text is to tell a story” (Moss, 2004). Therefore, we can comfortably call this piece a narration (PBWorks, 2007). The important question that I seek to answer in this analysis of the interplay between form and content is how well the narrative techniques employed by the writer complement the ideas conveyed. In my opinion, the relationship between form and content in this piece is strong which makes it aesthetically pleasing and easy to read (Pasold, 2008). The text begins with details about the surroundings: “The sun’s rays sparkled on the water and a cool breeze swept across my body”; these details and how they are expressed by a choice of simple yet vivid words infuse a mellow mood to the whole setting and this mood can be seen to dominate the entire string of details that follows. The entire text is dedicated to an account of the author’s activities while he was relaxing at the beach (probably spending some time alone while his fellows were inside the hotel) and indulging himself in the pleasures of good food. His statement that “this proved to be the most magical feast I had ever tucked into” wholly complements the mood that he created with the graphic details of his serene surroundings in the beginning of the paragraph. The paragraph ends on a sullen note which is seen as contrasting from the overall mood of the text. It expresses the disappointment of the narrator at not being able to enjoy such solitude for long because the time for tea with fellow achievers was approaching. His statement with which he ends this account- ‘life is hard’ – diffuses a feeling of nostalgia and grimness. While it is is incongruous with the theme of the text taken as a whole, it is nonetheless a realistic turn in the story of an afternoon which must come to an end. Moreover, the narrative in first person is an adept choice in describing such a scene because this text is not just a mosaic of details; rather it is a combination of the narrator’s descriptions of the setting that he is in plus his personal thoughts about this setting. A third person narrative would not have done justice to an account of the feelings of raw joy inspired by such surroundings and solitude. The contents of this narrative are in line with what is expected of a narrative account and both complement each other throughout the text. Linguistic Analysis I will discuss the tone, diction and syntax of this text by making frequent references to the text. The tone or the general mood of the narrative is candid and relaxed and the graphic details such as “I took a refreshing pull of my beer, adjusted my sunglasses and summoned for the waiter” lend a feeling of vibrancy to the entire piece. Except for the ending note of the account i.e. ‘life is hard’, this light and relaxed tone is present throughout the text. The tone at the end can best be described as somber at having to walk away from a few precious moments of pure joy. The creation of this tone can be attributed to the skillful choice of words used by the author. Use of expressions like ‘sun’s rays sparkled on the water’, ‘refreshing pull of my beer’, ‘absorbing the waterside scenery at Boat Quay’, and ‘most magical feast’ infuse the text with a feeling of cheerful serenity. There is a consistency in the choice of words which impart a joyful feeling to the reader. Not once has the author used a word which spoils the tone and the general mood of this narrative. Moreover, the words used are simple. It is evident that the author has deliberately avoided verbosity in his account. In my opinion this is a smart choice because simplicity has enhanced the readability of this narrative many fold. The syntax of the text could have been better. At some places, the text seems to lack cohesion in the way the sentences are connected together. For instance, the sentence ‘it was definitely time for some more oil’ does not seem to follow from the former sentence which tells us that the narrator ‘sought refuge from sun underneath a large umbrella’. Since it’s a small piece of narrative, it seems that the author has tried to compress a lot of details in it. Another instance whereby the sentences do not seem linked is whereby the author talks of the pleasures of a good meal such as ‘pasta, bread and salad’ and then suddenly jumps to the topic of ‘absorbing waterside scenery’ and getting up to join his fellows. Conclusion The text has a strong relationship between the narrative form and content. Linguistically, it does lack in syntax and does not have proper operators to link the sentences which do not follow from each other. However, as a piece of writing it is adept both as a literary piece and a linguistic piece. Reference List Moss, B. (2004). Teaching expository text structures through information trade book retellings: Teachers can help students understand common expository text structures by having them retell information trade books. The Reading Teacher. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from http://rebeltutor.literacydevelopment.org/Nonfiction%20Text/teaching%20expository%20text%20structures.pdf Pasold, B. (2008). The relationship between Form and Content in Virginia Woolf's novels. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from Ilha Do Desterro: www.ilhadodesterro.ufsc.br/pdf/24%20A/bernadete%2024%20A.PDF PBWorks. (2007). Perceiving Text Structure. Retrieved August 17, 2012, from PB Works: http://red6747.pbworks.com/w/page/8522903/Perceiving%20Text%20Structure Read More