Topic 10 (session A) - Prose analysis > Bilgewater: Context and Cohesion > Task D

Bilgewater: Context and Cohesion

Task D - Cohesion and coherence

Look at the passage as a whole again, concentrating this time on cohesion and coherence. Links between sentences and sections of the text can be textually cohesive, in which case they are made explicitly by lexical repetition, pronominal reference and other explicit means. Alternatively, links may be implicit, needing to be inferred by the reader, in which case, instead of cohesion we have coherence - links which have to be worked out by the reader. Clearly cohesion is the more simple kind of text-connecting relation, and all texts will use cohesion to some degree. A lot of coherence, on the other hand, will demand more work on the part of the reader, and so will have marked effects.

Note down what you think are significant examples of cohesion and coherence in the passage, and try to assess generally what is most important in the passage: cohesion or coherence?

What meanings/effects are connected with the pattern of cohesion/coherence you find?

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