How does language have the power to transform people’s opinions?

1. How does language have the power to transform people’s opinions? Language creates emotional responses that force us to think, feel and respond in different ways. The act of having a common language to articulate our feelings makes us feel less alone and more likely to make changes in our lives and to the world around us.

2. Questions????????????? • Often used to get the listener to consider how they would feel if they were placed in a situation where unfair treatment was part of their life. For example, a song about workers rights might have a line like, “How would you cope on 20 cents a day?” • Can also be used to imply rather that explicitly state the actions of people who exploit others. For example, in a song about a corrupt government the line," How many people did you run over on the way to collecting your new BMW?” implies that the government official has taken public money meant to help others in order to supplement his or her expensive lifestyle. • Can be rhetorical. This type of question is asked for effect rather than because it wants an answer. It suggests that the answer is easy and that the question should not have had to have been asked in the first place. For example, “Do you think I’m stupid?” If anybody asks you this they don’t want to know the answer. It implies that they are not stupid and understand what you have been up to! • Can be asked so that it can then be answered (hypophora). The answer is often unexpected and makes people think about the information they have been given. For example, “What did you child so today at school? They learnt to hate you of course.” Parents don’t expect this message and are shocked enough to value the problem being addressed in the song. • THINK: Who is being questioned? Why are they being questioned? What emotion is the question asked with? What emotion does the question create within us?

3. Sound = Emotional Response= Action Rhythm- the flow of the words Uniform/pattern irregular/ disjointed Slow Fast Light Heavy Flowing freely Staccato

4. Sound = Emotional Response= Action What Creates Rhythm? • Alliteration- repetition of sounds at the start of words within connected lines of writing e.g. the big, brown bear ate bananas • Consonance-repetition of consonance with in two or more words within connected lines of writing e.g. the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain. • Assonance-the repetition of vowel sounds within two or more word within connected lines of poetry e.g. And murmuring of innumerable bees • Different letter sounds have different sound qualities e.g. ‘S’ is a long sound; the alliteration of it creates a light, slow, flowing rhythm. • Mimics sounds within a scene thus recreating the atmosphere of a scene and establishing its mood e.g. a poem about a factory might use a ‘B’ sound to recreate the noise of a factory. • Creates the emotional force with which words should be read thus influencing our understanding of them e.g. ‘the lord lingers longingly on the steps of the Louvre’ - the alliteration of the ‘L’ and the assonance of the ‘O’ creates a long, drawn out, flowing rhythm . It slows the paces at which you read the sentence and emphasizes how the lord the passing of time is slow and torturous. What does it make you think, feel and/or imagine?

5. Sound = Emotional Response= Action What creates rhythm? Repetition of syllable patterns • Word endings e.g. dancing, laughing, crying, • Numbers of syllables in words within a sentence /phrase e.g. bananas/ pajamas • Creates a uniform, regular rhythm. • Creates a connection between words or phrases • What emotions does the rhythm create? • What images does it bring to mind? Repetition of word types • groups of verbs encourages action (Negative or positive?) • Pronouns establish relationships (‘you’ or ‘ we’ versus ‘them’)

6. Sound = Emotional Response= ActionANAPHORA (Ana-4-ra) Here is a speech given in the midst of World War two by the British Prime Minister. Anaphora is the repetition of a phrase at the start of multiple sentences. How does it encourage action in this speech? "We shall go on to the end, we shall fightin France, we shall fighton the seas and oceans, we shall fightwith growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shalldefend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fighton the beaches, we shall fighton the landing grounds, we shall fightin the fields and in the streets, we shall fightin the hills; we shallnever surrender." (Winston Churchill, speech to the House of Commons, June 4, 1940)

7. Parody for Transformation Anthem for Doomed Youth What passing-bells2for those who die as cattle? (Hypophora) Only the monstrous anger of the guns. (personification of the guns) Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle  (alliteration of ‘R’, and consonance of ‘T’) Can patter out3 their hasty orisons.4 No mockeries5 now for them; no prayers nor bells; (repetition of ‘No’) Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, – The shrill, demented6 choirs of wailing shells; (onomatopoeic ‘shrill’, specific word choice ‘demented’ ) And bugles7 calling for them from sad shires.8 Borrow the structure from Anthem for Doomed Youth and use your questions from the second activity to start a new poem. Try to use sound devices and word choice to discuss your issue: Anthem for Doomed Trees What passing bells for those who die as exercise books? Only the monstrous anger of the chainsaws Only the cutting hit of the tyrannical axe Can hack out their hasty orisons. No parrots now for them; not monkeys nor sloths; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,- The buzzing, hungry choirs of the crazed band saws. And textbooks recalling their existence and their demise.