Language, communication & cultural identity

• Engels
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Goals today 

The power of language as a theme in our extract 

Literary and stylistic choices in the extract 'oxtail' 

Choosing and using effective quotations 

Extract comparative using concepts

Rikard

Coen

Elsje

Anna

Kate

Zoë

 

Andrea

Emilia 

Aamu 

 

Hugo 

Erik

Shamatmika

Ella 

Lena 

Mia 

Cleo 

Neysa 

Megan 

Dheeshitha

Alastrina 

Damien 

Robin

Kim 

DOOR

WINDOW

BOARD

The 'oxtail' incident 

"No object is in a constant relationship with pleasure, wrote Barthes. For the writer, however, it is the mother tongue. But what if the mother tongue is stunted? What if that tongue is not only the symbol of a void, but is itself a void, what if the tongue is cut out? Can one take pleasure in loss without losing oneself entirely? The Vietnamese I own is the one you gave me, the one whose diction and syntax reach only the second-grade level. 

1. Research a little who Roland Barthes was and the focus of his work. 

What do you know about the power of languge? 

How can language shape our identity and experiences? 

Consider: 

language barriers, misunderstandings or moments when you have struggled to communicate. What did you think and feel? How did it affect your understanding of your identity? 

Discuss

The author makes a number of literary and stylistic choices to help convey the concepts of language, communication and cultural identity. For the technique given to your group, discuss and write down your thoughts on these aspects: 

1. How does your assigned literary or stylistic technique contribute to the overall meaning of the extract? (which concept does it help convey and what aspect(s) of that concept does it explore?)

2. Which specific quotations from the extract support your analysis.?

You will share your findings with the class. 

Goals today 

The power of language as a theme in our extract 

Literary and stylistic choices in the extract 'oxtail' 

Choosing and using effective quotations 

Extract comparative using concepts

Having heard your peers' ideas, write, in your exercise book, your response to these questions:

1. What role does language play in this extract? 

2. How does Vuong use imagery and symbolism to convey the emotional experience of the characters? 

3. Why does the repetion of the phrase “Đẹp quá” matter in the context of this story? 

Imagery and Symbolism

"hummingbird whirring over the creamy orchid", "glass orb filled with a clear sweet nectar"

Tactile, gustatory, visual, auditory imagery. Sensorial rich imagery. 

These descriptions evoke a sense of beauty and fragility which symbolise the delicate nature of communication between the narrator and his mother. Beauty exists but is hard to grasp or name. 

The humming bird is a symbol for the fleeting moments of communication, connection and understanding between the narrator and his mother. 

Repetition

“Đẹp quá”, meaning "it's beautiful" repeated several throughout the extract. This highlights the simplicity and limitations of the mother's vocabulary both in Vietnamese and in English. It also illustrates that even though communication is limited the emotional appreciation and innerworld of the mother is still complex. There is a sense of longing and a search for connection in a world where words are "wrong everywhere". 

“'Đẹp quá,'" you said after a while, barely audible." each repetition contains a different meaning although the words are the same. 

Tone and Mood 

"You were drowning, it seemed, in air." metaphor - helplessness and suffocation 

"Your face wet, pleading." visual imagery illustrates a mood of desperation, shame and frustration. 

"Our words suddenly wrong everywhere, even in our mouths" mood of alienation

The initial mood of nostalgia when describing the hummingbird feeder becomes humiliation, overwhelm and embarrassment. The narrator feels shame and powerlessness. 

Characterisation 

The mother is characterised as both resourceful and determined; however, she is also vulnerable in a society where she cannot express herself. The narrator is both a participant and observer in his mother's struggles to communicate. This translates into the conflict between love and frustration. This is a struggle that is seen throughout the novel. 

"I shook my head, shame welling inside me." 

"You placed your index finger at the small of your back, turned slightly[...] then wiggled your finger while making mooing sounds." 

Indirect characterisation - STEAL

Diction and Cultural Identity 

The use of the Vietnamese language raises the question as to whether it is possible to find beauty and meaning when one's language - and by extension, identity - is incomplete. 

"You wanted to buy oxtail, to make Bún bò huế for the cold winter week ahead of us." inclusive personal pronoun emphasises the connection felt between grandmother, mother and son who share aspects of cultural identity. The Vietnamese represents the culture that they share. 

Extract analysis - the whole extract

When you write a response to an extract remember that the whole extract must be considered relevant. 

This extract has a number of parts, for example: 

- Appreciation of beauty without language 

- Lack of language to communicate resulting in humiliation 

- Impact on cultural identity 

- Other forms of communication 

- Intellectual consideration of the impact on identity of a 'stunted' mother tongue. 

Mood rings 

• Mood rings gained popularity in the 1970s due to their supposed ability to reflect the wearer's emotions through color changes.
  
• The color changes in mood rings are caused by body temperature fluctuations, rather than any accurate reflection of mood.
  
• While they may not accurately portray emotions, mood rings remain a fun and nostalgic fashion accessory for some people.

Adapted: Howstuffworks.com

How does the addition of this scene help to explore one of the topics: language, communication or cultural identity? 

Choosing and using quotations effectively in literary analysis

Good quotations are specific, relevant and demostrate the point you are making. 

Within a literary analysis, your purpose is to develop an argument about what the author of the text is doing—how the text “works.” (intended effect on the reader) You use quotations to support this argument. This involves selecting, presenting, and discussing material from the text in order to “prove” your point—to make your case—in much the same way a lawyer brings evidence before a jury.

Quoting for any other purpose is counterproductive. Do not quote to “tell the story” or otherwise convey basic information about the text; you can assume your reader knows the text. Do not quote just for the sake of quoting or to fill up space.

adapted writing.wisc.edu

Choose one quotation from the extract that you find the most powerful or meaningful. 

Write your quotation down and add two to three sentences explaining how it relates to one, two or three of the concepts  - language, communication and cultural identity - that we identified. 

You will post your quotation on the next slide. 

Post your powerful quotation
You do not need to post your explanation

Write a single paragraph analysis on how Vuong uses one of the literary or stylistic techniques discussed in class to develop a specific theme in this extract. Use at least three quotations to support your claims. 

You will need to articulate the concept as a theme. This means that you express what the author's message is about language, communication or cultural identity. 

Goals today 

A comparative response to two extracts

Close analysis of a longer passage

Investigation of the structuring of the events in chapter 3 

 

Comparative

1. Read the extract from If this is a Man. 
   
2. It can be argued that this memoir also considers the concepts of language, communication and cultural identity. 
   
3. Formulate the theme (message) that Levi wishes to convey about one of these concepts. 
   
4. How does his message differ or have similarities with that of Vuong?
   

What is your global issue?

Comparative

Write a response comparing and contrasting these two extracts. Consider how the literary and/or stylistic choices are similar or different to convey the author's theme. Write two paragraphs. 

Your response can be as long as you feel is necessary to convey your ideas. 

Remember to use quotations that are specific, relevant and demostrate the point you are making.