The wind on the headland

Source A: an original contemporary non-fiction-style account.

At the last bend, the path left the shelter of the houses and the wind met us with both hands. It pushed against my chest and took the loose end of my scarf behind me. Below, the sea had been combed into long pale streaks. We had planned to eat our sandwiches at the viewpoint, a plan that suddenly seemed to have been made by people who had never met weather.

My friend tried to unfold the map. It snapped shut, opened backwards and finally wrapped itself around his wrist. We laughed, but the laughter was carried away before it properly belonged to us. Every sentence had to be delivered at close range. The grass lay flattened in one direction, a whole hillside agreeing with the wind. Even the gulls seemed to travel sideways, making small adjustments while we struggled merely to stand politely upright.

We turned back before reaching the exposed bench. There was no heroic disappointment in this decision. Behind a stone wall, the sudden quiet felt almost solid. I could hear the paper around my sandwich again. The view remained magnificent through the gap, and it was easier to appreciate when I no longer had to argue with it using my entire body.

Refer to the whole of Source A. Analyse how the writer uses language to present the force of the wind and the walkers’ response. Explain the effects of specific words, phrases and language choices, using evidence from the passage.