The kite string
Text: an original contemporary feature-style practice extract.
I had made the kite carefully, folding each corner until the paper lay flat. I expected it to rise at once. Instead, it skidded over the sand, its tail drawing a crooked line behind it. My cousin ran ahead, laughing, while I pulled the string tight as if neatness alone could make the kite obey.
The wind changed direction. The paper lifted, dipped, then climbed above the roofs. I loosened my grip. The string moved through my fingers in quick, light strokes; for the first time, I stopped trying to steer every movement. My cousin's voice came from somewhere below, but I kept my eyes on the small shape against the sky.
Then the kite slipped behind the roofs. I did not chase it. The string trembled once and rested in my palm. I had thought the important part would be keeping the kite in view. Now I was left with the brief pull of it, and the sound of my cousin still laughing.
Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to interest and engage the reader.
You may wish to begin with the narrator’s expectations, then consider how the kite’s flight changes the pace and focus, and how the ending develops the narrator’s response.
Support your views with detailed reference to the extract.