The Eighteenth Emergency - Look closely at the words used by Byars by analysing the words used in the quotes.

The Eighteenth Emergency - Look closely at the words used by Byars by analysing the words used in the quotes.

‘The Eighteenth Emergency’

Target: Look closely at the words used by Byars by analysing the words

used in the quotes.

At the beginning of the novel ‘The Eighteenth Emergency’ Byars

presents Mouse as being scared because Marv is after him. In the

middle Byars describes encounters between Marv and Mouse in a

way that creates tension. Later on in the novel Byars

presents Mouse as beginning to change because he was only thumped in

the mouth by Marv. At the end of the novel Mouse is shown to be bold

and strong, and therefore Mouse is shown to change from being

weak and minute in the world to being courageous and confident in

himself.

At the beginning of the novel Mouse is presented as being really

scared and weak because Marv is after him. The text ‘Some boys are

going to kill me’ shows that he is scared and exaggerating. Also ‘He

started thinking again about Marv Hammerman’ is showing he is always

thinking about him, which shows he is worried. ‘He came up in his

mind the way monsters do in horror movies, big and powerful with the

same cold, unreal eyes.’ This shows you what Mouse thinks Marv looks

like, big and a person who doesn’t care how scruffy he is, despite his

power to frighten people. Monsters in horror movies tend to be

strong, scary characters. ‘Cold, unreal eyes’ suggests that Marv

Hammerman has no feelings which is not normal and suggests he is

animal-like.

In the middle of the exciting story, Byars describes encounters

between Marv Hammerman and Mouse in a way that we are made to feel

sorry for Mouse even though it is his fault, also it creates tension.

The sentence ‘Mouse thought his own face might have been made of thin

rubber, it was changing expression so rapidly’ shows he doesn’t know

what to do, and is just standing, waiting for Hammerman to hit him.

Also, Byars is holding back information in the sentence as she is not

telling us whether his expressions are of hatred or worrying.

‘Hammermans nostrils widened a little, and Mouse wondered if Hammerman

could smell fear the way animals could.’ The words ‘nostrils widened’

and ‘smell fear’ suggests Mouse is relating Marv Hammerman to a savage

beast, ready to pounce.

Later in the novel Mouse is presented as a changed boy because he

retaliated a little which stops Marv Hammerman from hitting him

again. This suggests that Mouse had found courage. The phrase,

‘Mouse seemed bigger’ shows us that he is more noticeable by people