Paper One - IB Literature or Language and Literature

A Tale for the Time Being: Sample Guided Analysis

We understand. Sometimes you just want everything in one place. This document has the
extract, SCASNI, annotated extract, and highlighted student response. Make sure to
watch the video. That’s when you’ll see Andrew and Dave put on their examiner hats and
discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the response.

Guiding Question: By what techniques has the author built up the atmosphere in the
passage?

They’d been distracted ever since the cat had run away, and even more so after
they’d learned about Benoit’s dog being eaten by wolves. Every time Oliver heard a noise
outside he would stop what he was doing and go to the door, open it, and listen. He
listened to the screech of the owls, the howling of the wolves, and even the cawing of the
ravens with equal trepidation.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” he said, trying to make himself feel better. “He’s such a little guy.
Just a scrawny morsel. Who would bother to eat him?” But they both knew that the forest
was full of predators who would love to eat a little cat for dinner. Finally, he couldn’t stand
it any longer, and when the wind picked up he went out to search for him.
Ruth felt bad. It was her fault for getting angry and scaring Pesto out of bed and
into the night. She wished she’d been able to contain her anger. She wished Oliver hadn’t
made her mad in the first place.
The rain was starting to fall in earnest, so she went downstairs to throw some wood
on the fire and found that the stack was getting low. She put on her raincoat and gum
boots, grabbed a headlamp and the firewood sling, and headed out to the woodpile. The
wind had really picked up and the cedar limbs were thrashing. Where was he? It wasn’t
safe to be out in the woods in high winds like this. The trees were groaning and creaking
under the gale’s assault. For such tall trees, their roots were surprisingly shallow, and the
forest floor was soggy from rain. She thought for a moment she should go out and look for
him, but then realized that was foolish. She started pulling the split logs from the pile and
stacking them up in the leather sling. Just then she heard a harsh cry from overhead. She
looked up. It was the Jungle Crow, perched on its usual spot on the branch of the cedar.
The crow looked down at her, fixed her with a beady eye. “Caw!” it cried, with an urgency
that sounded like a warning. She looked behind her at the house. The windows had gone
black. The power was out. Suddenly, she felt afraid.
“What should I do?” The rain beat against her face as she turned back to the crow.
“Go,” she said. “Please, go and find him.”
The crow just continued to watch her.
Stupid, she thought. Talking to a bird, but there was no one else nearby and
somehow just hearing her own voice helped to calm her.
The crow stretched its neck and shook its feathers. She heaved the heavy sling
filled with firewood onto her shoulder and headed toward the darkened house. “Caw!”
cried the crow again, and when she turned back, she saw Oliver emerging from the
wind-lashed trees, dripping with rain. Seeing her standing there with the wood, he spread
out his arms. His wet hands were empty. No cat.

Ruth Ozeki, A Tale for the Time Being (2013)

They’d been distracted ever since the cat had run away, and even more so after
they’d learned about Benoit’s dog being eaten by wolves. Every time Oliver heard a noise
outside he would stop what he was doing and go to the door, open it, and listen. He
listened to the screech of the owls, the howling of the wolves, and even the cawing of the
ravens with equal trepidation.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” he said, trying to make himself feel better. “He’s such a little guy.
Just a scrawny morsel. Who would bother to eat him?” But they both knew that the forest
was full of predators who would love to eat a little cat for dinner. Finally, he couldn’t stand
it any longer, and when the wind picked up he went out to search for him.
Ruth felt bad. It was her fault for getting angry and scaring Pesto out of bed and
into the night. She wished she’d been able to contain her anger. She wished Oliver hadn’t
made her mad in the first place.
The rain was starting to fall in earnest, so she went downstairs to throw some wood
on the fire and found that the stack was getting low. She put on her raincoat and gum
boots, grabbed a headlamp and the firewood sling, and headed out to the woodpile. The
wind had really picked up and the cedar limbs were thrashing. Where was he? It wasn’t
safe to be out in the woods in high winds like this. The trees were groaning and creaking
under the gale’s assault. For such tall trees, their roots were surprisingly shallow, and the
forest floor was soggy from rain. She thought for a moment she should go out and look for
him, but then realized that was foolish. She started pulling the split logs from the pile and
stacking them up in the leather sling. Just then she heard a harsh cry from overhead. She
looked up. It was the Jungle Crow, perched on its usual spot on the branch of the cedar.
The crow looked down at her, fixed her with a beady eye. “Caw!” it cried, with an urgency
that sounded like a warning. She looked behind her at the house. The windows had gone
black. The power was out. Suddenly, she felt afraid.
“What should I do?” The rain beat against her face as she turned back to the crow.
“Go,” she said. “Please, go and find him.”
The crow just continued to watch her.
Stupid, she thought. Talking to a bird, but there was no one else nearby and
somehow just hearing her own voice helped to calm her.
The crow stretched its neck and shook its feathers. She heaved the heavy sling
filled with firewood onto her shoulder and headed toward the darkened house. “Caw!”
cried the crow again, and when she turned back, she saw Oliver emerging from the
wind-lashed trees, dripping with rain. Seeing her standing there with the wood, he spread
out his arms. His wet hands were empty. No cat.

Ruth Ozeki, A Tale for the Time Being (2013)

SCASNI: Sea Coral Always Settles Near Islands

SETTING: CHARACTERS:

● What description is used to describe ● Dissect physical description and what

the setting? this reveals about the character?

● How does the setting contribute to the ● Discuss character traits...what type of
story? person is he/she?

● How does the setting affect the ● What do others say or think about this
characters? The tone? character?
 ● What are the customs and moral ● How does the character act? What
values of the character’s society? does the character think? Opinions?
Feelings?
● Does the setting create any conflict for
the characters? ● Is the character dynamic or static?
What brings about change?

ACTION: STYLE:

● What is the action of the story? How does the author use:

● Identify the conflict in the story. Is it ❏ tone

external/internal? Both? ❏ metaphors, similes,
personification, etc.
● What is the climax of the story? ❏ symbols
❏ diction (word choice)
● How does the author manipulate the ❏ dialogue
tone? Pacing? ❏ irony
❏ foreshadowing

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE: IDEAS:

● What is the narrative point of view? ● What ideas does the author want you,
the reader, to think about?
● How reliable or biased is the narrator?
● What is the author saying about human
● How does the narrative point of view
nature, about life?
shape our reading of the passage?
● What are we supposed to walk away
● What does the narrator tell us about
feeling?
the character?
Student Response:

This passage from Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being revolves around the
thoughts and actions of two characters, Ruth and Oliver, as they search in vain for their
lost cat which ran away into the wilderness. The passage has a very tense atmosphere as
both characters are consumed by fear and voice their inner thoughts about who is to
blame for the cat’s disappearance and the hope that the cat will return. The setting of the
passage with hostile weather, foreboding trees and ominous animals all accentuate the
fearful atmosphere. The tense and fearful atmosphere and the uncertainty of the future
of the lost cat helps to parallel the dissonance and instability in the relationship between
Ruth and Oliver. It’s almost as if the future of their relationship depends on finding the cat.
The passage written in third person omniscient perspective begins with Oliver’s
perspective and contributes to the tense atmosphere. Oliver expresses his fear for the
cat’s safety and rationalizes that his cat is “too little” and “just a scrawny morsel.” The
reference to “Benoit’s Dog being eaten by wolves” helps to accentuate their fears that the
cat has been found by predators. Ozeki’s auditory imagery that runs throughout this
passage begins with the “screech owls” and the “cawing of ravens” Both owls and ravens
are symbols of darkness or the night and provide the reader with a tense and ominous
feeling for Oliver. These animals along with the wolves are clearly threatening and in
direct contrast to a pampered housecat. The narrative perspective then includes Ruth as
“they both knew that the forest was full of predators” which shows that both know clearly
that the cat may be in trouble. Perhaps this knowledge about the cat parallels the
knowledge they know about their own relationship as it is clearly unstable. Neither
character speaks to the other and seems to be in their own thoughts. This again adds to
the tense atmosphere as both Ruth and Oliver seem to be lost in their own worlds.
The reader begins to read about Ruth’s perspective as we learn that Ruth feels guilt
over the disappearance of the cat. Through her internal voice, the reader learned that she
reflects on her “getting angry” and “scaring Pesto out of bed” This anger was not directed
at Pesto but was directed at Oliver. Pesto must have picked up on this anger and fled.
Thus, the cat’s departure was a result of the conflict in the couple. The source of this
conflict is unknown but it clearly is attached to the evening’s tension. This gives further
evidence that the tension between Ruth and Oliver is a central theme in the text.
The weather and setting is then described in great detail to add to the anxious
atmosphere of the passage and show the desperation of both Ruth and Oliver. The use of
pathetic fallacy is present as the rain and wind helps to build the sense of fear and
uncertainty and create a vivid reading experience for the reader. Ruth’s actions show her
sense of uncertainty as she “grabs a headlamp” and “heads out to the woodpile” Her
internal dialogue (“Where was he?”) and the her realization that “it wasn’t safe to be out in
the woods with winds like this” show the reader that the storm is frightening and Ruth is in
a state of anxiety. Ozeki then uses personification to great effect as the “trees were
groaning and creaking under the gale’s assault.” The sound imagery of the trees connotes
pain and evokes fear in the reader. Ruth then hears a “harsh cry from overhead” from a
crow that looks down on her “with a beady eye.” This crow is a sinister symbol and
combined with the wolves and the chaotic storm, Ozeki foreshadows doom for Ruth’s lost
pet as the reader sees these sinister symbols and Ruth’s fear. The sudden loss of power
and “windows [going] black” is the last visual imagery that puts Ruth in more of a
dangerous position. Her helplessness could also be symbolic for her powerlessness in her
relationship with Oliver.
Ozeki utilizes Ruth’s dialogue with herself and with the crow to add to the
atmosphere and desperation. Ruth asks herself, “What should I do?” and eventually turns
to the crow and pleads, “Please go and find him.” This evokes pathos in the reader as Ruth
appears powerless. The powerlessness of both Ruth and Oliver continues throughout the
passage and adds anxiety and fear as they search in vain for their cat and perhaps search
in vain for a way to repair their relationship.
The crow has a powerful symbolic presence in the end of the passage and it seems
to be all knowing and exude a power over the situation. Although Ruth acknowledges that
it is “stupid talking to a bird,” the bird seems to somehow mock her with a “Caw” as it looks
down on her. Perhaps Ozeki is showing the power of nature and how little control humans
and animals like Pesto have.
The ending of the passage has a somber tone as Ruth “heaves the heavy sling with
firewood” and returns to the “darkened house” The darkened house could perhaps
symbolize the lack of clarity or the lack of love that exists in the house now that Pesto is
gone and now that the couple do not seem to be getting along. The visual imagery of
Oliver’s emergence out of the woods from the “wind-lashed trees” with arms outstretched
shows a look of defeat. The syntax in the final lines is abrupt and cold as the truth is
revealed: “No cat.” The reader (and Ruth) is left with the bitter realization that the cat is
lost to the wilderness and the wolves. This adds a finality to the search for Pesto and the
atmosphere is now bleak and full of sad realization.
Ozeki’s prose passage chronicles the efforts of two people as they search for their lost cat
in the middle of a torrential downpour. The fearful atmosphere and eerie visual and
auditory imagery help to create great tension in the reader. The lack of communication
and harmony between the characters parallels the lack of harmony and chaos during the
storm. The ending with a lack of resolution leaves the reader with a feeling of concern at
the future of the cat and the future of the couple.

Be sure to check out the companion video to this

document: Paper One - Prose Fiction - Student
Response. This will enable you to further understand key
concepts and develop the critical skills necessary that
lead to success in IB English.