Text 1 – The Unlikely Pilgrimage

All texts are underpinned by a set of attitudes and perspectives.

Discuss how the text uses narrative conventions to reveal such attitudes and perspectives.

The perspectives of two retired elderly men are apparent in Text 1 as they sentimentally
contemplate on the inevitable reality of death that follows life. Aware of their senescence,
their nostalgic, dejected and yet somewhat ostensibly content attitudes towards their
impending demise are constructed through a third-person omniscient point of view,
physical setting and characterisation.

From the onset of the story, the notion of humans clinging onto the essence of life is
accentuated using the physical setting and characterisation. In an urbanising rural area
setting, the foliage is described through pathetic fallacy to be “hanging” around the
“bamboo stakes” in desperation to continue living “life”. The metaphorical platitude of
“hanging” onto life is often voiced by people in contemporary society. This is reflective of
the human ontological uncertainty that underlies our disposition of the fear of the unknown
– death itself. To further emphasise on the existentialistic and nostalgic attitudes, Rex is
represented to have been “married” until his wife’s “recent death”, thus leading to an
unstable “hard life” and loneliness. Through lexical choices, the idea of being once being
“married” – a symbol of ardour and new beginnings is contrasted with his recent
“widow[ing]” and loneliness, emphasising the inevitable inherent notion of “death” that
befalls humans with dismal and nostalgia. Furthermore, the story leads into a superficial and
almost meaningless conversation made between the two retired men when they exchange a
“jolly” greeting for the sake of boredom. Through the lexical choice, the conversation
initiated utilising a cliché between the two men is reflective of the loss of vitality they have
towards life. Knowing they have lost loved ones and will soon follow them towards death,
they still desire to live on despite their impending death due to old age. Their complacent
attitudes towards death is this postulated, questioning the significance of life itself. We
regard human lives with much significance, purpose, complexity and power in the animal
kingdom, yet when faced with the inevitable notion of death, our reverence and power
appear to be trivial thoughts.

It is in the disposition of humans to have nostalgic, dismal and yet accepting attitudes
towards the natural order of death. What significance does human life really hold? Will we
ever find out?