The Woman in Black

Across the Causeway

As I neared the ruins, I could see clearly that they were indeed of some ancient chapel,
perhaps monastic in origin, and all broken down and crumbling, with some of the stones
and rubble fallen, probably in recent gales, and lying about in the grass. The ground sloped a
little down to the estuary shore and, as I passed under one of the old arches, I startled a
bird, which rose up and away over my head with loudly beating wings and a harsh croaking
cry that echoed all around the old walls and was taken up by another, some distance away.
It was an ugly, satanic looking thing, like some species of sea vulture – if such a thing existed
–and I could not suppress a shudder as its shadow passed over me, and I watched its
ungainly flight away towards the sea with relief. Then I saw that the ground at my feet and
the fallen stones between were a foul mess of droppings, and guessed that these birds must
nest and roost in the walls above.

Otherwise, I rather liked this lonely spot, and thought how it would be on a warm evening at
midsummer, when the breezes blew balmily from off the sea, across the tall grasses, and
wild flowers of white and yellow and pink climbed and bloomed among the broken stones,
the shadows lengthened gently, and June birds poured out their finest songs, with the faint
lap and wash of water in the distance.

So musing, I emerged into a small burial ground. It was enclosed by the remains of a wall,
and I stopped in astonishment at the sight. There were perhaps fifty old gravestones, most
of them leaning over or completely fallen, covered in patches of greenish yellow lichen and
moss, scoured pale by the salt wind, and stained by years of driven rain. The mounds were
grassy, and weed covered, or else they had disappeared altogether, sunken and slipped
down. No names or dates were now decipherable, and the whole place had a decayed and
abandoned air.

Ahead, where the wall ended in a heap of dust and rubble, lay the grey water of the estuary.
As I stood, wondering, the last light went from the sun, and the wind rose in a gust, and
rustled through the grass. Above my head, that unpleasant, snake necked bird came gliding
back towards the ruins, and I saw that its beak was hooked around a fish that writhed and
struggled helplessly. I watched the creature alight and, as it did so, it disturbed some of the
stones, which toppled and fell out of sight somewhere.

Extract from “The Woman in Black” by Susan Hill © Hamish Hamilton 1983

Lingua Directions Classic Comprehensions KS3/4

The Woman in Black

Reading comprehension

Paragraph One

1. Find two words or phrases that suggest the setting is in a state of decay.

2. (a) Explore the connotations of vulture.

(b) Find two more words or phrases which create a negative image of the bird.

3. Find an example of sibilance. Why is it effective?

Paragraph Two

4. Explain, using examples from the text, how this paragraph is different in
tone from the previous one.

5. Find an example of alliteration.

Paragraph Three

6. Why is the narrator astonished?

7. Give three facts about the gravestones.

Paragraph Four

8. Find a phrase which tells the reader it is growing dark.

9. Find an example of onomatopoeia.

10. Find an example of a metaphor. Why is it effective?

11. Choose a word or phrase that presents the fish as prey.

Whole text

12. Using evidence from the text and referring to particular language
techniques, write three PEA points [point, evidence, analysis] on how the
writer builds up a sinister atmosphere in the extract.

Lingua Directions Classic Comprehensions KS3/4

ANSWER KEY

1. ruins; broken down; crumbling; rubble

2. (a) vulture has negative connotations of victims and death. The vulture feeds on other dead
animals for survival.

(b) harsh croaking cry; satanic; ungainly flight; foul mess of droppings

3. I could not suppress a shudder as its shadow passed over me. Sibilance is often used to create an
eerie atmosphere. The repeated use of the S sound creates a hissing effect which also reflects the
physical effect of the writer shaking as the bird passes.

4. The writer imagines the scene at a different time. A warm evening at midsummer conjures up a
pleasant time of year unlike the aura of decay described in the current setting. The use of the
alliterative breezes blew balmily again suggests warmth in contrast to the reference to gales in the
previous paragraph. Further references are made to flowers to continue the positive tone including
appealing colours of white, yellow and pink. The use of the word bloomed connotes flourishing life
in contrast to the crumbling stones. Finally, the writer highlights the finest song of summer birds in
direct contrast to the satanic bird that appeared over the ruins in paragraph one. These juxtaposed
and imaginary images only serve to heighten the eeriness of the current setting.

5. breezes blew balmily; wash of water

6. The narrator is astonished to suddenly stumble upon fifty gravestones.

7. Most are leaning over or have fallen; they are covered in lichen and moss; no names or dates are
decipherable.

8. the last light went from the sun

9. rustled

10. Snake-necked bird is an effective metaphor as it suggests the long, thin shape of the bird’s neck.
In addition, the word choice snake connotes danger and negativity, which adds to the sinister
setting.

The use of negative references such as snake and vulture foreshadows a possible threat to the
narrator and builds up an increasingly dark tone.

11. struggling helplessly

12. Pupils’ own response

Lingua Directions Classic Comprehensions KS3/4