Author: Matthew McDonald

Text: ‘Don’t Panic’

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Read the following article by Professor John Fitzgerald entitled ‘Don’t panic: the ice ‘pandemic’ is a myth’ and answer the 14 questions that follow:

 

Answer the following questions in full sentences, including evidence (i.e. quotes) from the article to support your claims. When discussing persuasive techniques remember to both identify the technique clearly, including direct reference to it’s use the text, and explain the effect it has on the reader.

 

Questions:

  1. What is the writer’s contention? 
  2. Describe the tone of this article.  Does the tone change over the course of the article? 
  3. Find an example of inclusive language in the article. What effect does the use of this language have on the reader?
  4. Annotate and highlight examples of expert opinion, the use of facts, statistics and research findings.  What impact do these have on the persuasiveness of the writer’s contention?
  5. Locate when the writer uses rhetorical questions. What effect do these have?
  6. Where does the writer use a personal anecdote?  What is the effect of this?
  7. Find an example of language that carries negative connotations.  What effect do these have on the reader?
  8. The writer uses a number of appeals.  Describe at least two of these and explain their effect on the audience. 
  9. Where does the writer use repetition?  What effect does this have?
  10. Had the writer used imagery or figurative language?  Again, what effect do these techniques have?
  11. Where does the writer use logic? What effect does this have?
  12. Can you find examples of emotive language? What effect does this technique have?
  13. Can you find examples of colloquial language? What effect does this technique have?
  14. Can you find the use of a generalisation?  What effect does this technique have?

 

 

Revision: Homelessness Article

You can download a copy of the article ‘Homeless don’t choose to do it tough on our streets’ here:

You can download a copy of the answers to the accompanying questions here:

 

 

 

Tone Activities (Tuesday 19 May)

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Today you will be working on TONE. Tone refers to the voice or attitude of the writer. When determining tone, look not at what is stated, but how it is stated. To identify the tone of a piece, think about how the piece made you feel as a reader and what impressions are generated about the author. The author’s choice of language, the persuasive techniques they use, and their arguments will all influence the piece’s overall tone. An writer’s tone may be constant or, in a longer piece, it may change several times.

Begin by watching the following brief explanation of ‘tone’ as it applies to VCE language analysis. You will need headphones:

 

 

Work for today:

You will need to read pages 114 to 120 of Using Language to Persuade very carefully and complete the following six questions:

  • Question 5.6: this can be completed in pairs, but record your answers individually
  • Questions 5.7 a, b: you can write your answers in your exercise book if there doesn’t look like there’s enough room for you to write neatly. Each answer one only needs to be 3 or 4 sentences in length.
  • Question 5.8: this one can be completed in either your textbook or exercise book
  • Question 5.9: copy out the word and definition in your exercise book. You can draw lines as a draft, but this will become too messy.
  • Question 5.10: this one can be completed in either your textbook or exercise book
  • Question 5.11 a, b: this one can be completed in either your textbook or exercise book

These six questions need to be completed by next class.

 

What should be done by now:

Remember that you also need to have the following tasks from last week completed by next class:

  • Persuasive Technique Slides: these need to be emailed to me BEFORE next class. Details can be found in previous posts, including technique allocations.
  • Homelessness Article Questions: ALL of these questions need to be completed and in your exercise books. You can access them here.
  • Wayne LaPierre NRA Speech Table: and example of EVERY technique needs to be recorded. This can be found in the previous post.

 

If you finish early:

  • Complete the NRA Cartoon Questions that are at the end of the previous blog post. Look at the cartoon carefully and work through each question, answering in full sentences.

 

Homework for next class:

  • Complete any unfinished tasks, including the questions from today.
  • Be prepared for a test on persuasive techniques next class. You will need to be able to identify the techniques AND spell each technique correctly.

 

 

 

Identifying Persuasive Language: Wayne LaPierre’s NRA Speech

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The purpose of this exercise is to train you in identifying persuasive language techniques. To do this, you will need to watch the following speech by Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) over in the United States:

Video URL: http://youtu.be/z87ehuPU22I

 

You can download a copy of the text of LaPierre’s speech here:

This speech is riddled with persuasive techniques. You task is to find an example of each of the following techniques and write them down in the spaces provided in this sheet:

You will need to use the Persuasive Technique slides, along with Part 2 of your Using Language to Persuade textbook, to help identify how exactly each of these techniques operates.

Bonus Questions!

  • Can you find an example of actual Logic or Reason in LaPierre’s speech?
  • Where does the quote ‘We will not go quietly into the night’ come from?
  • Name 3 famous landmarks that were blown up by aliens in this film.

 

When you are done, read through the following webpage, which offers some brief analysis of LaPierre’s oration:

 

As part of our study of media texts, we will also be looking at images and visual media, such as cartoons. These can be analysed in a similar manner to a written text, as they will often be trying to convey a certain message, but you will need to look for different things.You will have to pay close attention to the details of the image and be able to identify and explain the impact of the choices that the artist has made.

Have a close look at the following cartoon and answer the following questions:

From Vista Times Delta, Editorial 6 February 2014

  1. What is important about the name of the shopping mall?
  2. What is important about each of the the names of the shops?
  3. What is important about the placement of the shops in relation to each other?
  4. What does the term ‘juxtaposed’ mean?
  5. What is important about the display of the ‘So Sorry Shoppe’?
  6. What is implied by the ‘reusable bouquets’ poster?
  7. What is important about the display of ‘Caskets and Beyond’?
  8. How do we know that the two people are likely NRA members?
  9. What is important about the dialogue?
  10. What is the MESSAGE that the artist is trying to portray (i.e. their CONTENTION)?
  11. How would you describe the TONE of this image?

 

 

Persuasive Language Technique Slides

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To start:

Google “persuasive language techniques” and look at the number two search result.

This is what the class before you put together. It currently has over 30,000 hits.

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Your challenge as a class:

Make something that will get more hits in 12 months’ time. Make something better.

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Revise and improve your posters:

You will need to go back to the technique posters you were allocated during transition. You can find the details of this task here. You can find your technique allocation here. Having seen what previous students have done, you should now try to improve the level of detail in them. In particular, make sure you do the following:

  1. Make sure your definitions are not just copied from a dictionary. They should be in easy-to-understand, plain English and should be specific.
  2. Explain what the general effect of the technique is in two or three sentences.
  3. Provide at least three examples of the technique being used.

You should use your Using Language to Persuade textbook (both the table on pages 22-25 and the relevant sections that follow) as well as online research to ensure that your definition, explanation and examples are detailed and accurate.

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At the end you should check the following:

  1. Is each section correctly colour coded?
  2. Is the page A4 sized and in a landscape layout?
  3. Is there a very large, clear heading?

Your name does not need to appear on your work.

Resubmit your work by email as a WORD DOCUMENT ONLY.

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Extension:

If you finish with your technique, come an speak with me and I will assign you one of the appeals to work on:

  • Appeal to Fear
  • Appeal to Safety
  • Appeal to Patriotism
  • Appeal to Hip Pocket/Economic Concerns
  • Appeal to Family Values
  • Appeal to Tradition

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Example of a Context Paragraph

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Here is an example of a context paragraph that uses examples Fahrenheit 451 and 1984:

The mass media can be an effective means of entertainment, but it can also cause its audience to lose the ability to formulate intelligent thought. There are countless means of entertainment, which are readily available to anyone who pleases. Although these can be satisfying for a certain amount of time, they are truly just mindless distractions with no real substance, preventing the viewers or readers from forming their own opinions, maintaining relationships and being an individual. To maintain a relationship a certain level of intelligence is required, when this intelligence is lost, one is no longer able to interact with others. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury explores these ideas through meaningless forms of amusement such as the parlour walls, which “said nothing” and “said it loud.” Mildred saw these walls as her “family” and “a dream.” This form of technology created a literal “wall between [Montag] and Mildred,” resulting in the demise of their relationship. This is just “water under the bridge” for Mildred, as in this society “nothing’s connected up” and she uses the parlour walls to escape from her own reality and to stop thought evoking in her mind. This concept is further explored in 1984 by George Orwell, in the 2 minutes of hate broadcast; instilling intense hatred for the opposing leader. This dystopian society has been conditioned to enjoy hate and they see it as a form of entertainment, but in truth it was designed to brainwash them. Because ”it was impossible to avoid joining in,” they were rid of the ability to think for them selves. The purpose of the two minutes of hate was to cause everyone to think the same, therefore everyone becomes the same and individuality is completely lost. The “thought crimes” prevent people from being different and gaining knowledge that differ from the norm. These mind numbing forms of entertainment, blinded society; ridding them from their own thoughts and eradicating the ability to formulate individual opinions.

Thoughts, Planning and Practice

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Some Thoughts on Technology…

The following short videos are not designed to be used as evidence in a context essay. However, they may provoke some thoughts regarding the way technology is used in our society: its benefits, its limitations and its drawbacks.

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Social media is not real

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Technology will never replace love

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Brazilian students learn English by making connections with senior citizens in Chicago

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The three year selfie

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Practice Context Essay Writing

 

Pick a prompt…

  1. Technology will not free us; it will control us.
  2. Our visions of the future reflect our worst fears.

 

…and plan a response! Start by breaking down the topic:

  1. Identify KEY TERMS
  2. Formulate a GUIDING QUESTION that uses these key terms
  3. Think of some ASSERTIONS (ideas/claims/arguments) that could be made in response to this question
  4. Find some EXAMPLES that can be used to explore/illustrate/back-up these assertions

 

You will need to select an approach:

  1. EXPOSITORY: make sure you provide an EXPLORATION of the different sides of the issue: at least three distinct, clear ideas, covering both positive and negative aspects of the topic, without coming down too strongly in support of either side. Be intelligent!
  2. PERSUASIVE: make sure you provide a clear CONTENTION and ARGUE a strong case. Include two arguments supporting your case and include one rebuttal argument. You must have conviction!
  3. CREATIVE: good luck!

 

Then you will then need to structure your response:

  1. Decide upon your best three ideas/arguments (depending on your approach). These should be very distinct and clear. These will be the topic sentence to your body paragraphs. There should be no mention of texts or examples at this point!
  2. Come up with at least two examples that can be used to illustrate/explore/back-up each idea/argument. At least one example for each idea/argument should come from a literary source.

 

Finish assembling your plan, then start writing the essay!

 

 

Some Older Resources

Here are some of the slides and quote sheets from earlier in the course in case you need to refer to them:

Handout: Dystopian Quotes and Definitions (PDF)

‘An Introduction to the Future’ Slides:


 

Student Summaries of Science Fiction Short Stories:

 

 

Paragraph, Practice and Future Perspectives

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Paragraphs

Select your BEST paragraph from yesterday’s class. You will need a hard copy of it.

Read over your work VERY CAREFULLY. You should look for the following:

  • Have you explained the key idea in a meaningful and intelligent manner, explaining its different dimension and applications (as opposed to just repeating it or using a couple of synonyms to rephrase it)?
  • Have you provided relevant evidence to illustrate how this idea operates? In particular, you have included quotes and embedded them fluently?
  • Have you avoided retelling the story, instead choosing specific, targeted examples from at least two sources to support your idea? Is the connection between each example and the idea clearly articulated?
  • Have you concluded the paragraph effectively by returning to the key idea, using key terms?
  • Is you vocabulary varied, specific and accurate? Pay close attention to avoiding informal or conversational phrasing.
  • Are there any spelling or grammatical errors? Look for how capital letters have been used, whether apostrophes have been used correctly and if run-on sentences have been avoided by using connectives and full stops correctly.

Once you have edited YOUR work, swap with someone who you have not worked with before and edit each others’ work. Provide advice for improvement.

Finally, use this advice to rewrite your original paragraph, making whatever improvements you can. Hand in this work before the end of class.

 

 

Articles

Have a look through at least three of the articles that have been added to this Padlet wall:

From these articles, identify at least three examples that you could use in a context response. Make notes on each of these examples so that you can use them in an intelligent, detailed and specific manner in an essay. Include any links to Fahrenheit 451 or another text you have studied in your notes.

If you find any other articles that would be useful to the class, please add them, including the same format and information as the ones already up there.

 

 

Practice

Below you can find a series of practice topics for the upcoming Assessment Task:

  1. “In future worlds, maintaining one’s individuality in the face of social pressures and governments is an often difficult and dangerous thing to do.”
  2. “Despite the bleak worlds many futuristic texts depict, we are left with the feeling that there is hope for humankind.”
  3. Technology will not lead to mankind’s salvation.
  4. “Science, technology, politics and social organisations have ceased serving humanity; they have instead become our masters.”
  5. Our vision of the future is a reflection of our worst fears.
  6. Our need to imagine future worlds is born out of our dissatisfaction with our current world.
  7. The future is one where individuals are denied freedom of expression.
  8. We will not be able to control technology; technology will control us.

 

 

Context Paragraph Writing

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Select three of the below topic sentences and develop each topic sentence into a context essay-style paragraph.There are many different ways that you can structure a context essay and the paragraphs within it. However, for this task, you should use use the following structure:

 

1. Write down the topic sentence. This will convey the central IDEA of the paragraph.

2. Spend at least one more sentence EXPANDING on and explaining this idea in more detail. What does the statement mean?

3. Provide two EXAMPLES that illustrate this idea. Remember to explain how these examples reflect the central idea of the paragraph.

A) One example should come from Fahrenheit 451
B) One example should come from another source: a novel, short story, film, current event, historical example or philosopher.

4. Conclude your paragraph by briefly comparing these two examples and LINKING back to the key idea of the paragraph.

 

 

Select three of the following topic sentences to turn into context paragraphs:

  • Happiness may in fact be ignorance, and it may be better to be unhappy so that we deal with the real problems in life.
  • We must not confuse entertainment with happiness.
  • Technology can be a convenient solution for physical problems, but may not solve our emotional and psychological problems.
  • Technology can be used to help us maintain law and order, but this can also be abused.
  • Technology can provide entertainment to the masses, but it can also blind people to the beauty of real life.
  • The mass media can provide absorbing entertainment, but this entertainment can prevent people from developing healthy relationships with others.
  • The mass media can be used as a means of manipulating the opinion of the masses.
  • The mass media can be an effective means of entertainment, but it can also cause its audience to lose the ability to formulate intelligent thought.

 

You can access the slides from today’s class here:

 

 

Fahrenheit 451 and Social Media

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“I don’t try to describe the future. I try to prevent it.” Ray Bradbury

 

Did Ray Bradbury succeed in this? Let’s look at one aspect of the future he envisaged in Fahrenheit 451: a future driven by distraction, titillation, mindless amusement and a lack of thought.

Book burning and the firemen were never meant to be interpreted literally: they were a metaphor for a society that is becoming increasingly distracted and anti-intellectual. A society that no long values reading, thinking and meaningful interaction with one another. He was never anti-technology or anti-media; rather, he warned about the negative ways in which technology and media could corrupt a society.

You may remember the video ‘Look Up’, which went viral early last year:

 

What do you think? Are we going down the path of Fahrenheit 451? Did Bradbury foresee the problems that society is now facing? Like the Midred’s in Fahrenheit 451, have we too become increasingly disconnected, impersonal, apathetic and ignorant as a result of our increasing reliance on mass media, or, more specifically, social media?

 

TOPIC: Is our obsession with social media sending us down the path of Fahrenheit 451?

You will be debating this topic. You will potentially be arguing both sides. You will need to prepare arguments both for and against each side.  Use the resources below, as well as your own ideas, experiences and examples, to create as many arguments for and against as you can:

 

An uncommitted OVERVIEW of the topic:

 

An introduction to the arguments FOR the topic:

A further, more detailed analysis of these arguments can be found here:

 

An introduction to the arguments AGAINST the topic: