Paper 1 Written Task Big Brother Interview

The style of journalism is written as an interview, which Ben, the interviewee

has been asked about his experience participating in the reality TV show Big
Brother. By employing this style of writing, it effectively creates a more
personal level and closer connection between the interviewer and the
interviewee. Although the interviewer has taken a directional role, providing
a more structural response, this allows a more conversational tone to be
used, such as second person narratives, you, your and yourself are used.
Through this interaction of the interviewer and interviewee, the readers are
able to be much more in touch with Bens experience. The purpose of this
interview is to entertain and inform readers, and allow them to gain insight of
being part of the show. Target audience of this article would be those who
have watched the reality show, and for teenagers who have interest in
celebrities.
In order to convey Bens experience and emotion participating in the reality
show, he uses various literary techniques such as hyperboles. For example, I
hyperventilated!, the exaggerated use of language clearly illustrates his
overwhelming excitement when Ben realizes he has won. The repetition of
the exclamation Oh my God! further emphasizes his disbelief that he was
announced the winner. The way verb phrases replace adjectival ones such as
I was like, I thought. demonstrates a stereotypical response of
someone who has won a contest. The phrase This is the most amazing
experience ever happened to me, gives the reader an impression that the
experience was somewhat life changing, as the pronoun most conveys that
his life was trivial until now, hence emphasizing the importance of being on
TV to become a celebrity.
Some of his remarks such as I literally felt like my head was going to
explode creates a very clichd image, the phrase Time had stood still
further dramatizes the moment, sweatpoured out of my head All these
remarks suggest to the reader that he is very exaggerative in the way he
speaks, suggesting how reality TV shows now encourage teenagers to speak
in a similar manner. From Bens interaction with the interviewer, we get the
impression that winning the money, was particularly important, and that
they would use any means to befriend or manipulate others for their own
benefit.
The notion that the winners life has been changed for the better was
mentioned by Ben. I was ready for the next stage of my life, the quote
suggests how the show has created such an impact, that it would inevitably
be part of Bens life. There is also underlying sense that popularity was
important to the participants, that they would want to be on everybodys
good side. When Ben said, While I think Estelle is an incredible person...
jarred on me quite considerably. There is a sense of irony and mockery, as

his statement contradicts each other, however, an assumption is already

being made by the reader about Estelle.
When Ben said Youve probably been put in there to clash against someone,
the audience will gain assumptions from these unrealistically created
conflicts which allows them to nominate the participants to be evicted from
the house, this may suggest how the producers creating conflicts just for the
excitement and tension of the shows climax. By playing this social game
with a huge amount of money at stake, and conflicts being generated, sets
up unrealistic expectations of celebrities of how they should act, distorting
the reality of the younger generation. Teenager are led to believe that this is
reality. The producers also have the power to manipulate the audience, as
they are able to edit scenes out of the show and not gelling the whole story,
for example, they may have only edit in Ben being treated unfairly by Estelle,
however Ben bullying other housemates has been cut out. They are able to
shape the story, and ultimately show what they believe that would create
excitement and generate a reaction from the audience, once again
emphasizing the fact that this reality TV show, is only a reality made up by
the producers for the entertainment of the audiences.
This reality TV show, Big Brother influences young people to think that
celebrity status is available to everyone, conveniently through television.
Which makes the reader also want to participate in it as Ben said [he] felt
privileged to be there. It also suggests to that people are able to become
celebrities no matter what reputation they may gain, good or bad. He is
treated as a celebrity for a very trivial matter, and the media is promoting
and advertising the program. Teenagers may be misled to think that it is an
accomplishment to be on TV instead of doing good to gain fame. The naivety
of the interviewee and they ways in which he and other celebrities have
been manipulated by the media, perhaps reflecting on the ways in which Ben
is representative of the aspirations of many.
Ellipses: evidence of editing the interview
Significance of humpty dumpty set/ trivial/ childish as they are full grown
adults
His facial expression on the picture reflects his thoughts