Module A: Distinctive Voices - Speeches

Related Material

sdsouza13 — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:36:00 +0000

Guidelines for selecting related material:

1. Aim for a unique and sophisticated text

2. You can use speeches but aim for a different text type like a poem, shortstory, film, novel.

3. Your text needs to present a distinctive voice that works towards a certain motive and we need to check if the voice is successful in achieving the motive.

Suggestions:

Short Story – The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Poem – My Last Duchess

Film – Clueless

Documentary – Outfoxed

Analysis of Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe:

Purpose:

The narrative is told in first person by a man explaining that he is not mad and trying to justify his murdering an old man.

Context:

The story is filled with drama and suspense and is set in a house at midnight. The night settings adds to the tension and the paranoia of the story tellers voice.

Techniques:

The story is told in first-person by the protagonist who claims he is not mad. He explains his murder of the old man with an aim to justify his actions and that he is not mad.

The constant repetition of phrases ‘MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELOPED IN COTTON’ reveals the psychotic nature of the speaker.

“his eyes resembled that of a vulture — a pale blue eye with a film over it” – the eye is symbolic of the speakers hallucinations and alludes the reader to his insanity.

The reasoning and defensiveness of the speaker casts doubt over his insanity until the final paragraph. The final paragraph of the story reveals the hysteria of the speaker with increasingly repetitive phrases and exclamations confirming the insanity of the speaker.

The distinctive voice in the story aims to convince the reader towards a conclusion but is unsuccessful because the language reveals the real nature of the speaker contrary to his objective.

Lesson 9 John F Kennedy Inaugural Address

sdsouza13 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:16:27 +0000

CONTEXT

U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave his inaugural address on Friday, January 20, 1961. It was a well-written speech that stated President Kennedy’s vision and mission for his term in office, including a challenge to his generation: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”Kennedy was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and well-read, but he also depended on Ted Sorenson and an able staff of speech writers. Sorenson stated in his book on the Kennedy years that the President was the sole architect of the speech.

NOTES

from http://www.putlearningfirst.com/language/20rhet/jfk.html

Kennedy’s speech is his first public speech after taking office. His intention is to please everyone, get his presidency off to a positive start and not offend anyone. Consequently there is very little information and no controversy. One statement is perfectly balanced by another:
symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning – signifying renewal, as well as change.

“… this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.”

and the splendour of triumphal metaphors

“the torch has been passed”, “the hand of God”

makes the audience feel positive and patriotic.

He summons every positive field of American pride and respect, alluding to
“freedom” , “Almighty God” , “our forebears” , “our ancient heritage”

calling on pride and honour to support his presidency but remaining imprecise about his cause and his objectives.

The speech is a good example of the phatic function of language, in which content and meaning is less important than the act of communicating (“how are you?”, “lovely day”)

No-one can disgree with this speech, but its effect is strong, emotional and positive. He uses politically affective words such as “rights of man”, “human rights” which suggests the positive without committing him to any particular course of action.

JFK Analysis

Lesson 8 Writing an extended response

sdsouza13 — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:04:41 +0000

Before writing an extended response:

1. Refer to your notes on the speeches you have selected for study.

2. Refer the rubric

3. Target the specific detail in the question

Read the response below and use it as a model to write your own response.

Speech Structure	Content
Introduction 2 paragraphs Define distinctive voice Outline main ideas in speeches being discussed.	It is the distinctive voices of the speakers that create memorable speeches that inspire and move audiences. Martin Luther King Jr’s (MLK) ‘I have a dream’ speech exemplifies a voice demanding justice and equality while the 9th Earl of Spencer presents a sympathetic and reflective tone to pay tribute in his eulogy to Princess Diana. (Related Text). It is through the distinctive voices in the speeches examined that the message is forever imprinted and targeted to the audiences in their specific contexts.
Body 3 big paragraphs divided into smaller paragraphs (Topic sentence Explanation Evidence Conclusion)	(Topic Sentence) Speakers use distinctive voices to direct their audience towards a specific motive. In August 1963, MLK wanted his audience to rise up as a unified front in the Civil Rights movement striving for equal rights for all. He electrified America with his momentous ‘I have a dream’ speech, dramatically delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It is characterised by its soaring rhetoric and its authoritative and moral demands for racial justice. (Explanation and evidence) King constantly draws on the emotionally charged audience’s nationalistic pride. His introduction borrows on Lincoln’s Gettysburg address ‘Four score years ago’ to signify the historic value of this speech. He continuously uses the history motif through anaphora ‘One hundred years later’ and biblical allusions ‘ I am the light of the world’ to create a sense of purpose about their role in history. King’s distinctive voice through soft sibiliant sounds and emphatic Southern drawl builds a sense of urgency through metaphors and imagery. He begins with the banking metaphor and builds up to his ‘dream’ for America which uses an imperative tone to demand for justice and equality for all Black Americans. Ultimately King has his audience cheer in euphoric frenzy because the distinctive voice of authority and urgency has moved the audience to rise up and support the Civil Rights movement. (conclusion)

Speech Structure

Content

Introduction

2 paragraphs

Define distinctive voice

Outline main ideas in speeches being discussed.

It is the distinctive voices of the speakers that create memorable speeches that inspire and move audiences. Martin Luther King Jr’s (MLK) ‘I have a dream’ speech exemplifies a voice demanding justice and equality while the 9th Earl of Spencer presents a sympathetic and reflective tone to pay tribute in his eulogy to Princess Diana. (Related Text).

It is through the distinctive voices in the speeches examined that the message is forever imprinted and targeted to the audiences in their specific contexts.

Body

3 big paragraphs divided into smaller paragraphs

(Topic sentence

Explanation

Evidence

Conclusion)

(Topic Sentence) Speakers use distinctive voices to direct their audience towards a specific motive.

In August 1963, MLK wanted his audience to rise up as a unified front in the Civil Rights movement striving for equal rights for all. He electrified America with his momentous ‘I have a dream’ speech, dramatically delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It is characterised by its soaring rhetoric and its authoritative and moral demands for racial justice. (Explanation and evidence)

King constantly draws on the emotionally charged audience’s nationalistic pride. His introduction borrows on Lincoln’s Gettysburg address ‘Four score years ago’ to signify the historic value of this speech. He continuously uses the history motif through anaphora ‘One hundred years later’ and biblical allusions ‘ I am the light of the world’ to create a sense of purpose about their role in history.

King’s distinctive voice through soft sibiliant sounds and emphatic Southern drawl builds a sense of urgency through metaphors and imagery. He begins with the banking metaphor and builds up to his ‘dream’ for America which uses an imperative tone to demand for justice and equality for all Black Americans.

Ultimately King has his audience cheer in euphoric frenzy because the distinctive voice of authority and urgency has moved the audience to rise up and support the Civil Rights movement. (conclusion)

Lesson 7 Understanding Rhetoric

sdsouza13 — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:17:16 +0000

Lesson 6 – Severn Cullis-Suzuki Speech

sdsouza13 — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:57:21 +0000

Severn’s review of her own speech as a 22 year old

Local Hero – Severn Cullis-Suzuki

Listen to Severn’s speech and read the above links to answer the following questions:

1. Why was Severn’s speech such a historic moment?

2. Analyse Severn’s speech discussing her message and how it is effectively conveyed. Discuss at least three key ideas and support with techniques and evidence. (500 words)

Notes on Severn’s Speech:

Main ideas:

1. Devastating effects of the environment that have been neglected by adults.

2. Responsibility of every individual to look after the environement.

3. Addresses the disparity of wealth between western and developing nations.

4. Juxtaposes what is being taught to children as opposed to what adults actually practice.

Key Techniques:

1. The young girl who is speaking to an adult audience of poiltical importance and this dramatises the importance of her message

2. Her very child like innocent tone which is pleading and scolding (chastise) with the audience. Her simplistic language is appealing.

3. Her use of anaphora develops key ideas

4. Rhetorical questions

5. Anecdotes

6. Imagery

Lesson 5 Eulogy for Princess Diana

sdsouza13 — Tue, 18 May 2010 07:15:23 +0000

Listen to the speech before watching the video to understand the distinctive voice:

Answer the following questions to analyse the eulogy:

1. What is the purpose of the opening sentence? What kind of rhythm and structure does it have? What tone do these help to create?

2. Note the structure of the speech. The following headings may help:

Personal memories
Her insecurity
Not just a family, but a world, in mourning
Thank God
Her problems with the media
Her special qualities & achievements
Her children

3. What is the tone (i.e., writer’s attitude toward the material he is presenting) of most of the first half of the speech? [Mournful? Somber? Despairing? Stately? Majestic? Celebratory?]
Where does the tone change? What causes the change? Does it change again? How is this change conveyed by the writer? Why the variance?

4. What pronoun does the earl use to refer to Diana in the first three-quarters or so of the speech?
How does this change in the fifth paragraph from the end? What is the effect of this change?

5. The eulogy contains numerous examples of parallelism. This means that several parts of a sentence (or even several sentences) are phrased in a similar way. Doing so tends to add balance, rhythm, and clarity to the sentence.

e.g. We are all united today not only in our desire to pay our respects
to Diana, but rather in our need to do so.
e.g. … a family in grief, in a country in mourning, before a world in shock.

Find other examples of parallelism. What is the effect of this device–particularly as regards the tone of the eulogy? What are some other techniques/devices used to convey the message/meaning?

Homework: Read the article below and make at least 8 points that help to analyse the eulogy.

‘I read it to Diana’s coffin and heard a small whisper’

Lesson 4 – Writing an analysis of Martin Luther King’s speech

sdsouza13 — Tue, 18 May 2010 07:02:24 +0000

Rhetorical Structure: Figures of Speech

Certain rhetorical devices called figures of speech (similes, metaphors, allusions, alliteration, etc.) are used in both poetry and prose to make ideas more memorable and forceful. For centuries speakers and writers have known that such well said devices affect listeners and readers in powerful ways.

In the guide to literary terms in the back of your textbook, find and write the definitions of each of the following: alliteration, allusion, metaphor, and simile.
“Five score years ago,” the opening phrase of King’s speech, is an allusion to what or whom? Why was this an appropriate and strong way for King to begin his speech?
King’s speech contains other allusions in addition to the one with which he opens his speech. Find an allusion to the Declaration of Independence and the Bible.
Find an example of alliteration in King’s speech.
Find an example of a metaphor.
Find an example of a simile.
In the second paragraph, King says that “the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.”
- What type of figure of speech is this?
- These words bring up strong images of slavery. Why would this be an effective method of moving his audience?
- What inference was King making about the progress of African Americans to enter the mainstream of American life in the one hundred years which followed the end of slavery?
Another figure of speech is called an anaphora, or the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a sentence, verse, or paragraph. Besides the famous “I have a dream” phrase, find two other examples of anaphoras.
List at least two possible effects upon King’s audience of repeating the phrase, “I have a dream.”
Nearly every line of King’s speech is filled with powerful images, or “mental pictures,” many created by using figures of speech. Images help audiences to feel what speakers/writers want them to feel, help them remember what they have read or heard, and help them understand difficult material. Write a well-developed paragraph telling which of King’s images you find most powerful and appealing and explain why this image had meaning for you.

Source: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Literature/LIT0004.html

Lesson 3 – ‘I have a dream’ speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

sdsouza13 — Tue, 18 May 2010 06:58:39 +0000

Context – Watch the video to get a glimpse into the context of the speech

Listen to the speech without watching the video and pay attention to the rhetorical devices:

Read the analysis below to give you ideas to start with:

Simple Analysis of ‘I Have a Dream’ speech

Lesson 2 Rhetorical devices

sdsouza13 — Sun, 16 May 2010 12:32:48 +0000

Defining Rhetoric?

Rhetoric is a form of speaking which intends to make an impact upon, persuading or influencing a public audience.
‘Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men’. Plato an influential Ancient Greek Philosopher (428 BC – 348 BC)

Some Important Rhetorical Devices

Accumulation

Alliteration

Aporia

Classical and Biblical allusions

Amplification

Anaphora

Anecdotes

Antithesis

Aphorism

Contrast/Juxtaposition

Emotive language

Imagery

Irony

Isocolon

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Pronouns

Metaphor

Paradox

Parallelism

Repetition

Rhetorical questions

Sibilance

Lesson 1 – Introduction to Speeches

sdsouza13 — Sun, 16 May 2010 11:52:03 +0000

Watch the following video and discuss the questions as a class:

1. What for you are the three most memorable moments of this speech?

2. List 5 adjectives to describe the audience emotion as they watch this video.

3. Identify some rhetorical devices in the speech that make it so powerful and engaging.

4. What is the importance of this speech? Give 3 different reasons.

Read the transcript of the speech and comment in 200 words on why the speech reveals a ‘distinctive voice’:

All over the world today people are gathered in love viduals to celebrate the life of a man that taught the world how to love.

People may be wondering why there’s such an emotional outburst. But you would have to understand the journey of Michael to understand what he meant to all of us. For these that sit here as the Jackson family – a mother and father with nine children that rose from a working class family in Gary, Indiana – they had nothing but a dream.

No one believed in those days that this kind of dream could come true, but they kept on believing and Michael never let the world turn him around from his dreams. I first met Michael around the 1970 Black Expo, Chicago, Illinois. Rev. Jesse Jackson, who stood by this family till now, and from that day as a cute kid to this moment, he never gave up dreaming. It was that dream that changed culture all over the world. When Michael started, it was a different world. But because Michael kept going, because he didn’t accept limitations, because he refused to let people decide his boundaries, he opened up the whole world.

In the music world, he put on one glove, pulled his pants up and broke down the color curtain where now our videos are shown and magazines put us on the cover. It was Michael Jackson that brought Blacks and Whites and Asians and Latinos together. It was Michael Jackson that made us sing, “We are the World” and feed the hungry long before Live Aid.

Because Michael Jackson kept going, he created a comfort level where people that felt they were separate became interconnected with his music. And it was that comfort level that kids from Japan and Ghana and France and Iowa and Pennsylvania got comfortable enough with each other until later it wasn’t strange to us to watch Oprah on television. It wasn’t strange to watch Tiger Woods golf. Those young kids grew up from being teenage, comfortable fans of Michael to being 40 years old and being comfortable to vote for a person of color to be the President of the United States of America.

Michael did that. Michael made us love each other. Michael taught us to stand with each other. There are those that like to dig around mess. But millions around the world, we’re going to uphold his message. It’s not about mess, but it’s about his love message. As you climb up steep mountains, sometimes you scar your knee; sometimes you break your skin. But don’t focus on the scars, focus on the journey. Michael beat ‘em, Michael rose to the top. He out-sang his cynics, he out-danced his doubters; he out-performed the pessimists. Every time he got knocked down, he got back up. Every time you counted him out, he came back in. Michael never stopped. Michael never stopped. Michael never stopped.

I want to say to Mrs. Jackson and Joe Jackson, his sisters and brothers: We thank you for giving us someone that taught us love; someone who taught us hope. We want to thank you because we know it was your dream too.

We know that your heart is broken. I know you have some comfort from the letter from the President of the United States and Nelson Mandela. But this was your child. This was your brother. This was your brother. This was your cousin. Nothing will fill your hearts’ lost. But I hope the love that people are showing will make you know he didn’t live in vain. I want his three children to know: Wasn’t nothing strange about your Daddy. It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it…He dealt with it anyway. He dealt with it for us.

So, some came today, Mrs. Jackson, to say goodbye to Michael. I came to say, thank you. Thank you because you never stopped, thank you because you never gave up, thank you because you never gave out, thank you because you tore down our divisions. Thank you because you eradicated barriers. Thank you because you gave us hope. Thank you Michael. Thank you Michael. Thank you Michael!