Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Shakespeare Monologue Work Friday 18/3 - Tuesday 22/3

As you have already figured out (I hope), I'm away today.

You need to hand in your speeches to the teacher taking my class who will then put those speeches in my pigeon hole.

I won't be here Monday and Tuesday of next week either. (I know you are all so sad about that.) As a result your homework for the next 3 days of school is to simply practice your speech. I'm expecting to be blown away by how good they are.

In class over those next three day you will be preparing for your unit test in week 9 by looking closely at 3 Shakespeare monologues.

The Merchant of Venice: Act IV sc i - Portia
Othello Act I sc iii - Iago
Henry V 'once more unto the breach'

Your work:

  • Create a post for each speech.
  • Copy the speech and the questions into your post.
  • Highlight the important techniques and answer the questions in your own post.
  • When you have finished all the work for the speech - Publish it.
I'll be keeping up to date with all your work through your blogs. If you slack off in class I'll know immediately. 

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Mr. Cav


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Henry V 'once more unto the breach'

1. Find and Highlight where these techniques are used:
  • repetition
  • inclusive language
  • alliteration
  • metaphor

2. Answer the following Questions (use quotes where applicable):
  • What characteristics does King Henry say are best for men in times of PEACE?
  • What should men be like in war?
  • What does Henry say about the English and their ancestors?
  • What does he mean when he says 'Be copy now to men of grosser blood.'?
  • What is Henry saying you have to become in order to be successful in war?


KING HARRY:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility,
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger.
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect,
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon, let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English,
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof,
Fathers that like so many Alexanders
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument.
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you called fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding- which I doubt not,
For there is none of you so mean and base
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot.
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
By William Shakespeare.



Othello (Act I sc iii) - Iago

Summary: In this section of the play, the villain Iago is motivating Rodrigo to act upon his feelings for Desdemona and even though she is committed to Othello ('the Moor'). Iago wants to take down Othello without actually doing it himself.


Highlight where the following persuasive techniques are used:

  • repetition
  • alliteration
  • extended metaphor

Answer the following questions using quotes where applicable:

  • What extended metaphor is used in this speech? Is this metaphor positive or negative towards women? Explain.
  • How does the metaphor related to Rodrigo becoming more proactive in his pursuit of Desdemona?
  • How does Othello characterise Othello ('the moor')?
  • How does Iago describe Rodrigo being passive? What will he do to himself if he doesn't act?



IAGO
It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of
the will. Come, be a man. Drown thyself! drown
cats and blind puppies. I have professed me thy
friend and I confess me knit to thy deserving with
cables of perdurable toughness; I could never
better stead thee than now. Put money in thy
purse; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favour with
an usurped beard; I say, put money in thy purse. It
cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her
love to the Moor,-- put money in thy purse,--nor he
his to her: it was a violent commencement, and thou
shalt see an answerable sequestration:--put but
money in thy purse. These Moors are changeable in
their wills: fill thy purse with money:--the food
that to him now is as luscious as locusts, shall be
to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She must
change for youth: when she is sated with his body,
she will find the error of her choice: she must
have change, she must: therefore put money in thy
purse. If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a
more delicate way than drowning. Make all the money
thou canst: if sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt
an erring barbarian and a supersubtle Venetian not
too hard for my wits and all the tribe of hell, thou
shalt enjoy her; therefore make money. A pox of
drowning thyself! it is clean out of the way: seek
thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy than
to be drowned and go without her.

The Merchant of Venice: Act IV sc i - Portia

Summary: In this scene Portia is pleading to Shylock for the life of Antonio. Antonio is responsible for the debt that Bassanio owes Shylock. Bassanio is Portia's partner and needed money to be with Portia. When Bassanio borrowed the money the punishment for failure to pay back the money on time was 'a pound of flesh' which would cause certain death. Bassanio didn't pay the debt back in time and now Shylock wants his 'pound of flesh' from Antonio. Portia is trying to get Shylock to change his mind and see the virtue of being merciful.


Find and highlight these techniques in the speech:
metaphor
alliteration
repetition

Answer the following questions using quotes where applicable:
How does Portia describe mercy? How important and powerful is it?
What can one achieve through mercy?
How is religion part of this speech? (You need to do some thinking on this one.)

PORTIA
The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Monday 14/3: Reading your speech aloud...and giving feedback.

  • Make sure you have at least two drafts posted on your blog of your speech. 
  • HW: Your homework all week is to revise your speech
  • We will be focusing on your delivery this week but every time you deliver it you'll probably find sections you don't like and need to fix...make sure you do so and republish on your blog so that you both have a record of your work and I can see the improvements you're making
CLASSWORK
1. Find a buddy (groups of three are acceptable too).
2. Read your speeches to one another.
3. Give feedback to your partner and post your feedback on your blog.
4. Focus on the organisation and content - especially the intro. 
  • Did the introduction capture you? 
  • Is there enough information to convince you of their opinion? 
  • Is their opinion clearly organised?
  • What suggestions would you make to improve the speech?

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Drafting Your Speech

I'm not here today... (hope you've already figured that one out).

You guys have the period to draft your speeches. Use the time wisely and pay close attention to grabbing the audience's attention. You need to make your issue personal to them.

Good luck and have fun at CAS if you are going.

CAV

Monday, March 7, 2011

Wed 9/3 period 6:Presenting Your Opinion

Today you are going to present your opinion to the class and field relevant questions to your ideas. This will be an opportunity to see just how interesting and how strong your ideas are. Can they hold up to the scrutiny of the class.

HW: Research your topic:
1. Find two important pieces of information for you topic.
2. Post them in a new post (include the source of this info).
3. Explain why this information is important to your speech.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Monday 7/3: Period 6

1. Read a neighbour's brainstorming work and leave them comment about which opinion you find most interesting.
2. In comment write an opposing viewpoint to one of their ideas.
3. Modality Discussion - how does this apply to your speeches?
4. Write a rough draft of your speech and post it on your blog.

Speaking Assessment Task

Nature of Task:


Persuasive texts are designed to position a point of view(opinion - thesis).


Texts that successfully persuade are usually highly emotive (emotional words + influence listener/audience emotions) and effectively balance opinions with facts (research- logos).


Persuasive texts can make sweeping generalisations (uniformed conclusion), rely on stereotypes and hyperbole and yet still seem credible.


This is because a combination of objective (facts) and subjective (opinion) information is usually used to persuade.


Careful use of repetition and high modality words(persuasion techniques) can emphatically convey the composer’s purpose if it is counterbalanced with the use of statistics, expert evidence and product/idea endorsement from authoritative sources(ethos)(objective).


Moreover, effective incorporation of anecdotes(personal story), analogies (comparison) and inclusive language (we, us, ours - include the audience) (techniques) can personalise the message and help connect the composer and their text with its audience.


Info:
objective and subjective


focal point:
thesis


how are we going to convey:
mode of persuasion
techniques


What is high modality?
having a strong and obvious opinion in a text

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Monday Period 3: The Assessment Task is HERE!!

1. Read through the assessment task.
2. Discuss the assessment task as a class.
3. Discuss 'modality'

HW: Choose at least 3 topics and write at least one paragraph outlining some of your thoughts on the topic.



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Friday Period 5: NAPLAN and Crafting a Speech

1. Do the spelling questions below.
2. Watch the Obama Speech from about 8min in and read the transcript. What techniques does Obama use that MLK use?


HW In a blog post of your own craft a speech convincing the class to attend and cheer at the upcoming CAS Swimming Carnival.
     a. make sure you have a clear beginning, middle and end
     b. make sure you utilise at least 3 of the techniques we have been discussing
     c. highlight which mode of reasoning your are using (logos, ethos, or pathos)
     d. include one relevant quote in your speech (see MLK's 'I have a dream')
 Be prepared to deliver your speech in the first class of next week.




But the reason our campaign has always been different, the reason we began this improbable journey almost a year ago is because it's not just about what I will do as president. It is also about what you, the people who love this country, the citizens of the United States of America, can do to change it.
That's what this election is all about.
That's why tonight belongs to you. It belongs to the organizers, and the volunteers, and the staff who believed in this journey and rallied so many others to join the cause.
We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics. And they will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks and months to come.
We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
(APPLAUSE)
For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.
It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality.
Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world. Yes, we can.
And so, tomorrow, as we take the campaign south and west, as we learn that the struggles of the textile workers in Spartanburg are not so different than the plight of the dishwasher in Las Vegas, that the hopes of the little girl who goes to the crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of L.A., we will remember that there is something happening in America, that we are not as divided as our politics suggest, that we are one people, we are one nation.
And, together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story, with three words that will ring from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea: Yes, we can.
Thank you, New Hampshire. Thank you. Thank you.