Identifying Viewpoints and Attitudes Flashcards
All 11 cards in this deck
What is a writer's perspective in Paper 2?
Their overall point of view on the topic, shaped by who they are, when they wrote and what they experienced. Question 4 asks you to compare these viewpoints, not the events.
What is the difference between a writer's feeling, attitude and perspective?
A feeling is an emotion at a moment (panic). An attitude is a settled stance towards something (disapproving of tourists). A perspective is the wider viewpoint behind both (a local who resents change).
How can you make your description of a writer's attitude more precise?
Swap vague words (happy, sad, bad) for exact ones, and qualify them: "wryly amused", "reluctantly impressed", "anxious but determined". Choose the word that fits the text; don't force in a memorised one.
In "Naturally, the council assures us the new car park will 'transform' the high street," what is the writer's attitude?
Sceptical, even sarcastic. "Naturally" suggests the claim is predictable, and the inverted commas around 'transform' show the writer doesn't believe it.
In "I had expected to loathe the place. By the third day I was planning my return," what happens to the writer's attitude?
It shifts from prejudice to enthusiasm. Two short, contrasting sentences mark the turning point clearly, so the reader sees how far the writer's view has moved.
Why is it worth tracking whether a writer's attitude changes during a source?
Perspectives often develop, e.g. dread that turns into delight. Saying "at first… but by the end…" shows detailed understanding of the whole text, which is what the higher levels reward.
What does it mean if a writer's attitude is ambivalent?
They hold two conflicting feelings at once, e.g. fascinated and frightened. Naming both sides is more perceptive than picking one.
How can a writer's time and situation help explain their perspective?
A 19th-century writer may be meeting something for the first time, or writing from a particular class or role. Mention this briefly to explain why the perspectives differ; don't drift into a history essay.
How can you find a writer's overall viewpoint quickly?
Read the introduction line, the first and last paragraphs, and the writer's judging words (adjectives, adverbs, verbs of feeling). Ask: what impression do they want to leave me with?
How are tone and attitude connected?
Tone is how the writing sounds (mocking, earnest, weary); attitude is what the writer thinks. Tone is evidence for attitude: "The mocking tone reveals her contempt for…"
In "It was, I suppose, a kind of triumph — if arriving soaked, late and alone counts as triumph," what attitude does the writer show?
Wry self-mockery. The hesitant "I suppose" and the deflating list "soaked, late and alone" undercut the word "triumph", so the writer laughs at his own failure.