How does George Alagiah present the personal conflict he experiences as a reporter in Somalia?

In this extract of 'From A Passage To Africa', we are subjected to a variety of literary techniques. Through George Alagiah's vivid imagery and constant pathos, we are given the ability to visualise the scenes clearly and share feelings only induced by his emotive language. His personal conflict is portrayed through his blatant emotional detachment and inability to expand the relationship between a reporter and a victim
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First of all, one of Alagiah's more subtle deliveries of technique. When describing the unfolding of death in the fourth paragraph, he uses specific sentence structure to clearly put across the length of the process; "That simple, frictionless, motionless deliverance from a state of half-life to death itself". By creating long, ongoing sentences, Alagiah shows that the build up to death is an almost never ending progression, until pure death itself. This, as well as evoking pity, makes the reader feel closer to the event- the death of Habiba.

"The search for the shocking is like the craving for a drug" This use of a simile emphasises the addictive nature of the journalistic process. This shows that Alagiah feels shameful, like a drug user, that he can not help but continue to report on the devastating scenes. Again, we are shown that George is torn between his purpose as a journalist, and his own personal feelings.

The futility of the report becomes apparent when Alagiah writes, "I resolved there and then that I would write the story of Gufgaduud with all the power and purpose I could muster. It seemed at the time, and still does, the only adequate answer a reporter can give to the man’s question." This because we realise that the man will never read the article, despite it being written almost in dedication to him.

"Thousand, hungry, lean, scared and betrayed faces."This shows the turmoil of emotions that Alagiah felt; he is unable to pin down the description of the faces in one word. The fact that he can only express his feelings through many adjectives shows his inability to pin down his feelings; he is caught up in personal conflict.

George Alagiah uses synaesthesia to convey his opinion on the surroundings he is facing, and enables us to connect more with the scene. "And smell it in the putrid air she recycled with every struggling breath she took." The reference to recycling also gives us the idea that nothing in the area would go to waste, everything is reused and almost cherished.

"The twin evils of hunger and disease." This metaphor is used to emphasise the harshness and cruelty of the situation. Through the personification of two nouns- 'hunger' and 'disease'- Alagiah makes it seem as if the devastation is caused by someone, that it is purposeful rather than an act of nature.

Figurative language is used to convey the disgusting conditions that Alagiah is facing. "The shattered leg had fused into the gentle V-shape of a boomerang." The fact that he has chosen to connect a living person's wound with a lifeless object, shows his impersonal detachment. It also makes the reader feel disgusted, and we are able to sympathise with the victim due to their condition being described clearly.

An emotive lexis is used when Alagiah chooses to label the faces as "betrayed". This evokes curiosity from the reader, and we find ourselves questioning who and why someone could have betrayed them.

Throughout the fourth paragraph, repetition of 'death' is used. This is to emphasise the inevitability of the victims of famine dying, that there is no hope and no worth in trying to save them.

In conclusion, Alagiah conveys his personal conflict subtly using different techniques throughout the report. We are shown this mainly through his impersonal detachment and almost refusal to express his feelings, until the fourth paragraph when we see the first sign of emotion- "Enervating stages of terminal hunger" and "A famine of quiet suffering and lonely death."