Answers for "April Fools on Polar Circus" by Janet Roddan

"April Fools on Polar Circus" – Janet Roddan

1.a. Roddan presents her thesis that "[t]he tango with fear makes me wise" in the final line of the first paragraph.

b. Roddan support her thesis when she describes how "we use our ice axes to shatter our frozen worlds into crystals of ice and fear. One of the strong pulls of ice climbing is the tremendous range of feelings one is forced to endure..." This passages reinforces the thesis concept that engaging with one’s fears leads to wisdom. The more one experiences, the more knowledge one can bring to the next experience. Thus, Roddan later writes how "the intensity is replaced with warm, smooth, flowing beats. The rhythm takes hold, and the dance begins again," thus sustaining the metaphor that ice climbing is "a tango with fear." Roddan’s goal is not to become fearless; rather, her goal is to climb with her fear.

2. The pattern of the essay is deductive. Roddan states her thesis at the end of the first paragraph and supports it with a narrative account of her ice climbing experience.

3. One method of development Roddan uses in this essay is cause and effect. When she encounters rotten ice, Roddan seeks a "reason to come down" but her climbing partner challenges her with the statement, "It depends on how much you want it." Although she is fearful of going on, the effect of these words helps to revive her "tango with fear", and she discovers that "desire, commitment, and an incredible dislike for down climbing" drive her onward to success.

Another method of development Roddan uses is description. In order to convince the reader thoroughly of the validity of her claim, she must convey the enormity of the "six long pitches of undulating ice varied, interesting, alpine" and the intensity of "a chasm fifteen feet wide...between my partner, Barb, and me." Above all she must describe the danger of passing through a "dark, claustrophobic couloir" and her struggle when " a big block of ice disengages itself." Description allows Roddan to convey the legitimacy of her danger so that the reader can understand why she must subdue her fear and not be subdued by it.

4. The simile that describes how "The last two pitches of the climb cascade out of the notch like a enormous wedding gown" is important because it establishes the relationship between the two climbers and the mountain. As they approach "wild, silent places that wait", the two women become "brides" embarking on a brand new life experiences. Thus, the simile serves to set the tone for the bridal analogy because climbing the mountain represents an act of union.
Parallel structure is evident when Roddan describes how "I force myself to breathe, to generate my own flow, to create my own beat." The imminent sense of struggle with her fear is evident in that her statement uses repetition, in this case the rhythm of a repeating sentence pattern, to impose order and calm. If Roddan is to sustain the tango, she simply cannot lose her nerve nor her sense of structure; otherwise, she would succumb to fear.

Personification occurs in the third last paragraph where "the great Goddess reveals her face of frozen water. I witness her dark, foreboding pinnacles, her places of silent, quiet peace." By personifying the mountain, Roddan reinforces the concept of relationship between herself and the ice face, thus sustaining the concept of a tango. Only when she arrives at the summit does she achieve a spiritual consummation with the mountain.

Metaphor occurs when Roddan describes how "Doubt slides in with spaghetti arms and little shivers that evaporate my courage." To dance with a partner requires trust and understanding; consequently, Roddan reveals the challenge of maintaining trust in oneself when one’s partner is fear.

5. The sustained use of dance and wedding imagery serves to unify the essay. From the thesis, expressed as the metaphor "The tango with fear makes me wise," Roddan establishes the nature of the relationship with Polar Circus. As she engages the mountain, which is "steep enough to burn our calves", she yields as the "rhythm takes hold, and the dance begins" even though it later "becomes a struggle." Only through the "desire" and "commitment" to subdue her fear will she be able to reach "the wild, silent places that wait." Likewise, the wedding imagery illustrates the sense of reward. The two climbers are innocent in their knowledge of the mountain. Roddan describes how "Today’s brides approach slowly, touched by the mystery and majesty of the place." As they ascend the "enormous wedding gown" of ice, they proceed with "solemn focus" until the "final veil is torn away." Reaching the summit, then, is a ceremony, a celebration of union with the mountain: two equals coming together in "a happy marriage of fear, sweat, intelligent strength, and smiles."

6. The title gives the piece an ironic flavour because of the play on words. While the climb occurs on April Fools day, Roddan concludes that the two climbers are also "The April fools, married with fear and laughter on Polar Circus". Clearly, many would perceive them as fools for undertaking such a dangerous climb, especially at that time of the year. However, Roddan challenges the skeptics with her thesis "The tango with fear makes me wise" through which she reveals a central paradox: that she is wiser because of her foolishness.