Aim: How can an exploration of writers’ choices, and the literary devices used, introduce us to the concept of “voice” as it’s used in writing?
Housekeeping: Attendance was taken and a brief overview of who is doing the blog this week and how to do it.
Do Now: QUICKWRITE
Describe all that comes to mind when you think of pizza? Write a paragraph describing pizza and showing your attitude toward it. You will come back to this later!
The lesson began with each person independently answering this question. After giving us all a few minutes to complete the question in a few sentences, we moved on, but utilized the answer at the end of class after explaining more about the lesson.
Next, we were introduced to four vocabulary words, which became important parts of the remainder of the lesson. These words were read via the spirit reading method as follows:
Diction: A speaker’s (or author’s) word choice. This term may also refer to the general type or character of language used in speech or in a work of literature. Diction is typically divided into two components: vocabulary and syntax. By vocabulary, we mean the degree of difficulty, complexity, abstractness, formality as well as the origin of words chosen (native or foreign, Latinate or Germanic, and so forth).
Syntax: Refers to the arrangement – the ordering, grouping and placement of words within a sentence. The meaning of this term can also extend to encompass such things as the degree of complexity or fragmentation within these arrangements. Syntax is a component of grammar but not a synonym for grammar. For example, the sentences, “I rode across the meadow” and “Across the meadow I rode” exhibit different syntax but identical vocabulary. To replace “meadow” with “sea of grass” is to alter the vocabulary but not the syntax. To say “Rode I across the sea of grass” is to use diction different from “I rode across the meadow”. The combination of unusual syntax and vocabulary in the first sentence as opposed to the second is a feature that often differentiates poetic diction from that of prose.
Imagery: A term used to refer to: 1) the actual language that a writer uses to convey a visual picture or representation of a sensory experience; and 2) the use of figures of speech, often to express abstract ideas in a vivid and innovative way. Imagery of this second type makes use of such devices as simile, personification, and metonymy, among others. Imagery is a central component of almost all imaginative literature and is often said to be the chief element in poetry. Two major types of imagery exist – the literal and the figurative. Literal imagery is purely descriptive while figurative may call to mind real things that can be perceived by the senses, but it does so as a way of describing something else- often some abstract idea that cannot be literally or directly described. Whether literal or figurative, however, imagery is generally intended to make whatever the author is describing concrete in the reader’s mind, to give it some tangible or real existence rather than a purely intellectual one. Imagery also provides the reader with a sense of vividness and immediacy.
Tone: The attitude of the author toward the reader or the subject matter of a literary work. An author’s tone may be serious, playful, mocking, angry, commanding, apologetic and so forth.
Moving on we used these words in order to describe a few examples of some speaker’s statements.
Firstly, as a class discussion, we described the first speaker’s statement of:
"Eating pizza is rather like embarking on a transcontinental excursion. You embark on the journey without being quite certain of what you will encounter. A well-made pizza contains the aromatic essence of fresh basil, oregano, and garlic that beckons invitingly. Once you bite into a perfectly sliced piece of pizza, your taste buds awaken and celebrate. When properly prepared, pizza is an extraordinary culinary creation."
The overall sentiment is shown within this chart:
After practicing with the class, we moved into groups, where we discussed and annotated three more speaker’s statements, which go as follows:
Speaker 2:
It’s yummy. I like it when the cheese is really gooey. My mom makes it for dinner on the weekends. When it’s too hot, I have to wait for it to cool. Mom says if I don’t wait I will burn my tongue. I like the way pizza smells. When I smell pizza cooking it always makes me want to eat it right up!
Speaker 3:
As long as not one speck of gross disgusting animal flesh comes anywhere near my pizza, I can eat it. I prefer pizza with mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach. Goat cheese is especially nice too. A thin whole-wheat crust topped with imported cheese and organic vegetables makes a satisfying meal.
Speaker 4:
Pizza is, like, one of the basic food groups, right? I mean, dude, who doesn’t eat pizza? Me and my friends order it like every day. We usually get pepperoni, and it’s great when they are, like, covering the whole top! Dude, hot steamy pizza dripping with cheese and loaded with pepperoni is awesome.
Diction
Syntax
Imagery
These are the conclusions we decided within my group.
Once leaving the breakout room of our groups, we rejoined the main room with the rest of class. Once back in the class, we shared the opinions from each group and discussed them. Most of the sentiments were similar, if not the same as the information in the table above.
Finally, we returned to the Do Now question. We had some students read out their answers and had other students determine their “voice” through diction, syntax and imagery. One student, for example, read their answer for this question. A few students raised their hands and gave their opinions on the student’s voice within the answer. In this example, the students noted how it was a somewhat scientific and calculated answer that explains the makeup of pizza rather than speaking from their own opinions on the food.
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