Complete the following tasks using your own words as far as is appropriate. Quote correctly.

Outline what the text reveals about Elise's past and her present situation.

Examine Elise's state of mind, taking into account narrative perspective and three different examples of how language is used.

Choose one of the following topics and write a coherent text laying out your ideas.

Leave your home town – become a freer person.

Discuss.

"Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else's shoes for a while."
(Malorie Blackman, *1962, British author)

Comment on this statement.

Describe briefly, analyse and comment on the cartoon.

The text is about Elise, a 38-year-old who has lived most of her life in the eastern part of the United States. She has travelled before, both in America (Boston, Newport, the Berkshires) and in Europe (Paris, Montreux), but she has never been to the American West until now. Her background seems upper-class, as we later learn she had a debut at Delmonico’s with Caruso singing, which suggests a privileged upbringing. Despite this, she only recently married Herbie, a war veteran, which she calls becoming a “new bride” rather late in life.

In the present, Elise has come with her husband to the coast of California, from where they are about to travel to San Miguel Island. She waits at the pier for the cattle boat, while Herbie is busy with last-minute preparations. The situation is new and unfamiliar to her: she notices the different landscape, the palm trees, the smell of cattle, and the people around her. This shows she is in transition, moving away from her familiar world on the East Coast to an unknown and adventurous life on the West Coast.

The narrative is written in third-person limited perspective, focusing closely on Elise’s perceptions and thoughts. This allows the reader to see the new environment through her eyes, sharing her mixture of curiosity, amazement, and reflection.

Elise’s state of mind seems to be a blend of wonder, nostalgia, and slight uncertainty. She is fascinated by the West, which she only knew from books and films. At the same time, she compares her past life in New York with her present experience in California. This shows both excitement about new experiences and awareness of how different they are from what she is used to. One example of how she uses language to convey her feelings is when the sunrise is described in strong images: in New York, the sun rose from the water, “a quivering yellow disk” (l.18), while in California it rises from mountains (l.15–17). The contrast highlights Elise’s sense of strangeness and her awareness that she has entered a different world. Moreover, when Elise thinks about the West, the text uses a list of stereotypes – “cactus, rattlesnakes, red Indians, cowboys, bucking broncos…” (l.6–7). This repetition and catalogue style shows how much of her idea of the West is shaped by imagination and literature rather than real experience. It also suggests both excitement and distance. Furthermore, she uses irony and internal reflections to express her thoughs and feelings. When the cowboy calls her a “new bride” (l.58–59), she almost blushes but also reflects on how long she had given up hope. This mixture of embarrassment and happiness reveals a personal side of her state of mind: she feels both self-conscious about her age and quietly proud or hopeful about her new start. Overall, Elise’s state of mind is one of discovery and transition. She is both amazed by the new surroundings and aware of her past, caught between nostalgia for what she has known and anticipation for what lies ahead.

Leaving one’s home town can be seen as an important step towards personal freedom. The place where a person grows up often defines them in many ways: through family expectations, cultural traditions, and long-established social relationships. Remaining in that environment can make it difficult to break free from fixed roles, as others may continue to see the individual only as they were in childhood or youth. By moving away, a person gains the opportunity to start again, to present themselves differently, and to make choices without the weight of local expectations. In this sense, distance can provide a new sense of independence.

At the same time, leaving one’s home town does not automatically lead to greater freedom. A new environment can present its own challenges: financial difficulties, loneliness, and the pressure to adapt quickly. Freedom also depends on personal qualities such as resilience, responsibility, and the courage to make decisions. Someone who struggles with these aspects may not feel freer after leaving home, but rather more restricted or unsettled. Nevertheless, there is value in the experience of leaving. Even if it does not solve every problem, it encourages people to step outside their comfort zone and to encounter new perspectives. Experiencing different places and cultures can broaden one’s outlook and foster independence of thought. For many, this is an important part of becoming more self-aware and taking control of one’s own life. In conclusion, leaving one’s home town has the potential to make a person freer, but only when it is combined with maturity and the ability to handle new responsibilities. True freedom is not simply a matter of location, but of self-determination. However, moving away can often provide the necessary space for this freedom to grow.

Malorie Blackman’s statement highlights the idea that literature is not only a source of information or entertainment, but also a way of developing emotional understanding. Through reading, we are invited to step into another person’s perspective and to experience situations, cultures, and emotions that may be far removed from our own. In this sense, reading is a powerful exercise in empathy because it allows us to “walk in someone else’s shoes,” even if only for a short time.

A clear example of this can be found in T. C. Boyle’s San Miguel. The passage follows Elise, who arrives in California for the first time, and the reader is drawn into her mixture of wonder, nostalgia, and slight insecurity. Although most readers will not share her background or exact experiences, they can still connect with her emotions. This illustrates how literature makes empathy possible: it bridges the distance between the reader’s reality and the inner life of another person. More generally, literature offers a unique way of understanding people whose voices we might never otherwise hear. Historical novels allow us to imagine the struggles of earlier generations, while contemporary works can highlight the experiences of groups who are often overlooked. In this way, reading helps to break down prejudices and to foster tolerance. Even works of fantasy or science fiction can strengthen empathy, since they place readers in situations where they learn to identify with characters facing challenges that mirror human dilemmas. It is true that not every act of reading automatically produces empathy. Some readers may approach a text only for entertainment and pay little attention to the emotional lives of the characters. However, even in such cases, the process of following a character’s journey involves recognising their motivations and feelings, whether consciously or unconsciously. In conclusion, Blackman’s statement captures the central value of reading. Books do not merely tell stories; they allow us to practise empathy by entering into the lives of others. This process not only enriches the individual reader, but also contributes to greater understanding and compassion within society.

The cartoon shows a waiter standing beside a seated customer in a restaurant. The waiter addresses the customer with the line: “I’d prefer not to recommend anything, M’sieur, it’s your life.” The setting is minimal, focusing attention on the interaction between the two characters. The waiter appears polite yet detached, while the customer seems contemplative.

This cartoon plays on the traditional role of a waiter, who is usually expected to guide or suggest dishes. Instead, the waiter abdicates responsibility entirely, turning the decision back to the customer in a dramatically existential way. The humor arises from the exaggerated seriousness of the waiter’s detachment and the phrasing, which transforms a simple choice of food into a life-defining decision. The cartoon also uses irony, contrasting the ordinary context of dining with the weighty language of personal responsibility. The cartoon humorously critiques both the culture of dining advice and broader human tendencies to overthink choices. It satirizes the idea that even trivial decisions can feel monumental, highlighting the absurdity of extreme autonomy. On a deeper level, it reflects existentialist ideas, suggesting that life is ultimately full of choices, and sometimes others — even those who seem knowledgeable — refuse to impose guidance. The cartoon’s wit lies in this clever juxtaposition of mundane and philosophical concerns.