Question
- Summarise this paragraph from The Devil on the Staircase’ by Joe Hill to highlight the
central idea. ( 2.5 marks)
The village of my birth nested in the highest sharpest ridges, high above Positano, and in
the cold spring the clouds crawled along the streets like a procession of ghosts. It was
eight hundred and twenty steps from Sulle Scale to the world below. I know. I walked
them again and again with my father, following his tread, from our home in the sky, and
then back again. After his death I walked them often enough alone. (Hill 2010, 465)
central idea. ( 2.5 marks)
The village of my birth nested in the highest sharpest ridges, high above Positano, and in
the cold spring the clouds crawled along the streets like a procession of ghosts. It was
eight hundred and twenty steps from Sulle Scale to the world below. I know. I walked
them again and again with my father, following his tread, from our home in the sky, and
then back again. After his death I walked them often enough alone. (Hill 2010, 465)
Ask by Potter Crawford. in South Africa
Mar 22,2025
Upstudy AI Solution
Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
The paragraph describes the narrator’s deep connection to his mountain home and his father, symbolized by climbing 820 steps to the world below. It shows how the journey represents both physical and emotional passages, reflecting on memories and the legacy of his father.
Solution
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The passage focuses on the deep personal connection the narrator has with his birthplace and his father, symbolized by an arduous climb of
steps from their high mountain home to the world below. -
This journey represents both a physical and emotional passage, as the narrator repeatedly retraces the steps he once walked with his father, and later alone to evoke the memory of his presence and guidance.
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Central to the paragraph is the intertwining of place, memory, and familial legacy, where the steep stairs become a metaphor for the challenges and transitions in life, marking a journey of both reunion and loss.
Answered by UpStudy AI and reviewed by a Professional Tutor
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Explain 
Simplify this solution The Deep Dive
The central idea revolves around the narrator’s nostalgic connection to his birthplace, which is perched high above Positano. The village’s unique and eerie atmosphere is conveyed through the imagery of clouds moving like ghosts. The narrator reflects on the significance of the steep path, emphasizing the emotional journey shared with his father and the solitude felt after his passing, highlighting themes of loss and memory.
