Travel Writing
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/sep/06/mount-everest-base-camp-trekking-himalayas-trekking
I am taking my ideas for my travel writing from my style model: Trekking to Everest Base Camp by Alex Vink. Alex's travel writing includes lots of techniques and is written in the same style I would like to. The topic of his travel writing is a trek he goes on to Everest. This is very similar to the type of thing I am planning to write for my course work. I personally want to write about an experience I went on to Norway where I ran in the Kjeringi Open. Therefore Alex Vink's writing gives me lots of inspiration and structure for my writing.
The writer, Alex Vink uses lots of graphology in his travel writing including headings, sub headings and lots of pictures. This gives the reader plenty of imagery and helps them figure out the topic of the lexical field. To do this Alex also uses lexical sets as well as subject specific lexis which interests a certain audience of people who enjoy travelling or want to read about peoples experiences, the purpose of this test being to inform and entertain. Sibilance is used lots in the text to speed up the reader, "stone slabs" and "shy, sweet-toothed" this could represent the business and excitement of everything going on around the people trekking to Everest Base Camp. Lastly, the writer uses two complex sentences in one paragraph symbolising the hectic and chaotic atmosphere and helps the reader to engage with the text through imagery.
Article
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/18/south-africa-racism-rugby
Although both my style models are from The Guardian, this article on Racism in Sport helps me to understand how articles are written in the third person and how they're set out. Looking at this article allowed me to be able to decide how I would like to set my article out and also to include dialogue to include other peoples opinions bedsides the writer as they can be bias depending on the topic of the writing.
This article by The Guardian similarly to the travel writing style model contains plenty of graphology which attracts the reader when seeing the heading, subheading and pictures. It distinctively tells the audience what the text is about and the picture gives out plenty of imagery so the reader can put their selves in the situation. The article also uses speech to put across other peoples views and opinions which can help the reader sympathise with the situation e.g. racism in sport. People may describe how it feels to be discriminated against for the colour of their skin and people can explain how it is extremely hurtful. Therefore this article has a purpose to inform and persuade people to do what they can to prevent racism.
Monday 20 October 2014
Sunday 28 September 2014
A Monologue From The Perspective of Geoffrey
Geoffrey is a vicar. He is intelligent, friendly and helps the village community. He stands at the front of the church. It is early on a Sunday morning.
This mornings lesson was the business in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and his disciples and Susan has disappeared once again. It's the traditional Holy Communion in the middle of winter, around this time I seem to be constantly apologising for my failure to de-frost the church. I love Sunday mornings, a day for the village to prey to Jesus and the holy spirit. The church wrapped in their thick coats due to the sub-zero temperature in the chapel. Unfortunately Mr Medlicott was unable to attend as he had shingles. He always plays the organ so Mrs Bee had to take over instead, she was very good and we sang songs it was so very peaceful and the village love the holy communions.
Susan, my wife is probably at home. Sat upright on the chair in the kitchen as usual. Most probably smoking a cigarette ... and she doesn't think I know. I also expect she's muttering under her breath about me being a vicar and believing in Christianity as she usually does. She's been acting rather strange at the moment ...- although I trust she relies on me if she needs me. I ask what's wrong and I usually get back a grunt or some kind of noise that will usually mean leave me alone.
In the afternoon I usually have to wait for Susan to make an appearance, she tells me she often parks in the lay-by on the ring road asking herself what happened to her life ... she never wants to talk to me about her problems and she never wants to come to Evensong. I usually have to pretend she has a headache.. I no longer think its believable, she's had a headache for the past three months now. Susan doesn't understand why the vicar's wife is expected to go to church ... it's a mark of respect towards me - something she doesn't seem to have. I'm so loving towards that women but I'm beginning to wonder if she even feels the same.
Actually I'm beginning to wonder if she has any respect for me at all, she's constantly going to that shop around the corner and she thinks I don't know what she buys...-well, I'm not that stupid. She buys sherry, and she's in debt. I mean, how is it even possible to become in debt to a corner shop? The whole place is only worth a couple of hundred pounds. So anyway, she's started going to another shop she's found, run by an Indian family, they seem nice. However when I walk in they give me a funny look, almost like I've got ... three heads or something, they've probably never seen a vicar in public before.
This mornings lesson was the business in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and his disciples and Susan has disappeared once again. It's the traditional Holy Communion in the middle of winter, around this time I seem to be constantly apologising for my failure to de-frost the church. I love Sunday mornings, a day for the village to prey to Jesus and the holy spirit. The church wrapped in their thick coats due to the sub-zero temperature in the chapel. Unfortunately Mr Medlicott was unable to attend as he had shingles. He always plays the organ so Mrs Bee had to take over instead, she was very good and we sang songs it was so very peaceful and the village love the holy communions.
Susan, my wife is probably at home. Sat upright on the chair in the kitchen as usual. Most probably smoking a cigarette ... and she doesn't think I know. I also expect she's muttering under her breath about me being a vicar and believing in Christianity as she usually does. She's been acting rather strange at the moment ...- although I trust she relies on me if she needs me. I ask what's wrong and I usually get back a grunt or some kind of noise that will usually mean leave me alone.
In the afternoon I usually have to wait for Susan to make an appearance, she tells me she often parks in the lay-by on the ring road asking herself what happened to her life ... she never wants to talk to me about her problems and she never wants to come to Evensong. I usually have to pretend she has a headache.. I no longer think its believable, she's had a headache for the past three months now. Susan doesn't understand why the vicar's wife is expected to go to church ... it's a mark of respect towards me - something she doesn't seem to have. I'm so loving towards that women but I'm beginning to wonder if she even feels the same.
Actually I'm beginning to wonder if she has any respect for me at all, she's constantly going to that shop around the corner and she thinks I don't know what she buys...-well, I'm not that stupid. She buys sherry, and she's in debt. I mean, how is it even possible to become in debt to a corner shop? The whole place is only worth a couple of hundred pounds. So anyway, she's started going to another shop she's found, run by an Indian family, they seem nice. However when I walk in they give me a funny look, almost like I've got ... three heads or something, they've probably never seen a vicar in public before.
Dramatic Monolouge Analysis- Bed Amongst the Lentils
1. Which techniques has Bennett employed to make this sound like spontaneous speech?
Throughout the monologue Bennett employs techniques to make his speech very spontaneous and to sound as though he is writing as he thinks. For example on page 32 Bennett talks about Susan's daily routine. "I top off a thrill-packed morning by taking round Meals on Wheels... somehow-'and this to me is the miracle', says Geoffrey." In my opinion this is very spontaneous speech as Bennett uses ellipses to make it seem as through he pauses implying he is writing spontaneously. Alan Bennett also includes lots of hesitation where he writes ... and fillers such as 'well'. He also includes long pauses or a rapid change in subject as the writer thinks of something else to include in the monologue. For example Susan talks about Ramesh Ramesh and then she would suddenly change the subject and go back to talk about him a couple of paragraphs later.
2. Read the opening stage directions. What key information do we learn about Susan?
The opening stage direction simply states 'Susan is a vicar's wife' this gives the reader a picture of how this women is presented. The first thing that came to my head personally was that she is very well mannered and very well dressed lady. Who has a respectful attitude and is someone younger people can look up to. However following the opening stage direction, Alan Bennett continues to describe her appearance 'she is thin and nervous and probably smokes.' This portrays a completely different image of Susan, that she is the opposite of everything a vicars wife should be. The reader now has an image of little old lady who doesn't look after herself very well and smokes. It may make the reader assume she is quite timid and that she has had something go wrong in her life.
'She sits on an upright chair in the kitchen. It is evening.' Overall the opening stage directions imply Susan is quite a shy old women who can also be extremely stubborn. She may have had something go drastically wrong is her life which could be why she smokes and is thin and nervous.
3. What does Susan's language reveal about her age, social class and attitude?
Susan uses more middle class sort of language, with complex words and with quite a stubborn attitude. She acts as though she is better than everybody else especially her husband Geoffrey who is a vicar. She is extremely discriminatory towards the Christian beliefs, which makes her social class very low and shows she has a childlike attitude. 'Geoffrey's bad enough but I'm glad I wasn't married to Jesus.' From initial thoughts Susan seems like an older women however her frame of mind and how she talks to her husband gives her a very young age mentally. In my opinion she likes to think she is an upper class, older lady however Alan Bennett presents her as quite immature with a lower social class.
Throughout the monologue Bennett employs techniques to make his speech very spontaneous and to sound as though he is writing as he thinks. For example on page 32 Bennett talks about Susan's daily routine. "I top off a thrill-packed morning by taking round Meals on Wheels... somehow-'and this to me is the miracle', says Geoffrey." In my opinion this is very spontaneous speech as Bennett uses ellipses to make it seem as through he pauses implying he is writing spontaneously. Alan Bennett also includes lots of hesitation where he writes ... and fillers such as 'well'. He also includes long pauses or a rapid change in subject as the writer thinks of something else to include in the monologue. For example Susan talks about Ramesh Ramesh and then she would suddenly change the subject and go back to talk about him a couple of paragraphs later.
2. Read the opening stage directions. What key information do we learn about Susan?
The opening stage direction simply states 'Susan is a vicar's wife' this gives the reader a picture of how this women is presented. The first thing that came to my head personally was that she is very well mannered and very well dressed lady. Who has a respectful attitude and is someone younger people can look up to. However following the opening stage direction, Alan Bennett continues to describe her appearance 'she is thin and nervous and probably smokes.' This portrays a completely different image of Susan, that she is the opposite of everything a vicars wife should be. The reader now has an image of little old lady who doesn't look after herself very well and smokes. It may make the reader assume she is quite timid and that she has had something go wrong in her life.
'She sits on an upright chair in the kitchen. It is evening.' Overall the opening stage directions imply Susan is quite a shy old women who can also be extremely stubborn. She may have had something go drastically wrong is her life which could be why she smokes and is thin and nervous.
3. What does Susan's language reveal about her age, social class and attitude?
Susan uses more middle class sort of language, with complex words and with quite a stubborn attitude. She acts as though she is better than everybody else especially her husband Geoffrey who is a vicar. She is extremely discriminatory towards the Christian beliefs, which makes her social class very low and shows she has a childlike attitude. 'Geoffrey's bad enough but I'm glad I wasn't married to Jesus.' From initial thoughts Susan seems like an older women however her frame of mind and how she talks to her husband gives her a very young age mentally. In my opinion she likes to think she is an upper class, older lady however Alan Bennett presents her as quite immature with a lower social class.
Sunday 21 September 2014
Travel Writing- A day at the Beach
Everybody loves a day at the beach, June 14 France, Chez Moines.
As I sit on the gorgeous golden sands the crystal blue water looks right at me, the glistening reflection from the red hot sun makes the beach that little bit more beautiful. The grains of sand rest in my palm and in between my toes as I admire the view. The calm waves lap over the beach in layers and go back in simultaneously. I close my eyes and listen to the calm water lying still whilst a few children sing and play at the other end of the beach.
The abandoned rocks look picturesque as people get lost in the rock pools, midday arrives and the sun is beaming from the centre of the sky as the beach becomes busier. The atmosphere is beautiful, young families bonding with their children and the elderly enjoying the views and the fresh air. The air feels so clean and cleansing its lovely to be out in. As early afternoon draws to a close the sun lowers towards the sea becoming redder and redder by the second. The breeze chills the beach as the white ripples in the sea become more prominent as it heads towards the shore.
Late afternoon causes for a stroll along the beach, ice cream stalls surround the area like bee’s surrounding honey. Behind the beach a row of beautiful restaurants line the sea front, catching all the passers-by’s eyes calling them in with the beautiful patisserie. Not to forget those traditional French restaurants where the most appetising meal on the menu is either snails or frogs legs. Early evening and the sun has dropped once more, the beach is completely calm and the sun is beginning to disappear creating the most beautiful reflection. The sky lights up red, yellow and orange as the sun drops down below the horizon.
As the sun goes down and the stars come up, I gaze up at them twinkling in the midnight sky, the scenery is beautiful and the sea goes back to being all settled and calm while it waits for the next busy day to begin.
Wednesday 17 September 2014
Armstrong and Miller's Sketch
In the Armstrong and Miller's sketch 'Chalky's a Spy', the language used is very uncommon and informal for this era. This is partly why viewers would find the sketch interesting, the lexis and semantics used by the two men from the 1900's in this sketch would not be using the language teenagers of our generation use today. Throughout this lexical field there are lots of slang and simple sentences to discuss how Chalky, one of their colleagues is a spy. The lexis is easily noticeable especially for teenagers as this is the kind of language they use, this makes the discussion in the sketch very humorous and interesting.
Lexis such as 'swear down', 'oh my days' and 'homeboy' did not exist in the time period of which Armstrong and Miller's sketch was set. Therefore this is much more suitable for a younger generation who use slang and who know what the men are talking about. In my opinion this kind of language can educate younger people such as teenagers to understand events that happened years and years ago in a certain style that they are able to interpret.
The sketch also entails an element of humour which is entertaining for younger people but also educational in the fact that the slang words used such as: 'whatever', 'totally' and 'well betrayed' is the kind of lexis younger people use and are able to understand.
Lexis such as 'swear down', 'oh my days' and 'homeboy' did not exist in the time period of which Armstrong and Miller's sketch was set. Therefore this is much more suitable for a younger generation who use slang and who know what the men are talking about. In my opinion this kind of language can educate younger people such as teenagers to understand events that happened years and years ago in a certain style that they are able to interpret.
The sketch also entails an element of humour which is entertaining for younger people but also educational in the fact that the slang words used such as: 'whatever', 'totally' and 'well betrayed' is the kind of lexis younger people use and are able to understand.
Saturday 13 September 2014
Tavel Writing Analysis
Language Frame Works of Charlotte Hobson's Travel Writing
Charlotte Hobson's travel writing by the name of Black Earth City contains lots of subject specific lexis related to travelling such as hostel, room, train, tram and luggage. Subject specific lexis can encourage an audience who enjoy reading about specific subjects be it sport, computer gaming or travelling etc. Charlotte's piece of writing automatically becomes interesting to an audience who enjoy reading about the genre of travelling. Charlotte includes subject specific lexis by using a range of sentences in her travel writing mainly including complex sentences. She has used complex sentencing in her writing to emphasise the cramped room in which she stayed in Russia, it portrays a strong image of the place.
Charlotte has also included phonology in her travel writing, she uses onomatopoeia such as juddering, chugged, crackled and buzzed to give a real sense of emphasis and enhances the reader or listeners imagination to all the different noises constantly surrounding her. Charlotte has also used sibilance 'the stink of the rust-coloured paint that had been splashed all over the ceiling and grimy lino floor rose up to meet us, along with a stale, sweaty smell.' The repetition of the sounds S slows the reader down and creates a vivid imagery, setting the scene.
Thursday 11 September 2014
When my English teacher first mentioned that we had to write about ourselves, I think I felt the same as the majority of my class. Multiple thoughts circulated my mind as I wondered helplessly what was I going to right about? As a teenager you go through a lot of mixed emotions especially worrying about appearance, involving yourself in embarrassing situations, how we are perceived and especially attracting attention and talking to others about ourselves.
Writing or talking about myself is something I've always found particularly challenging, I'm not the type to big myself up about anything and am constantly putting myself down. I'm extremely indecisive and appreciate continuous guidance in the right direction which I suppose sums up some of my personality. People often describe me as a 'right worrywart' which is very true because I've most probably spent over 50% of my life worrying about pointless things and situations that come to nothing.
So I felt like writing about a past experience that was very special to me. In 2012, I was in year 10 at my secondary school, The Grange School and Sports College. At school, as it was a sports college I was selected as gifted and talented in sport by my PE teachers and school sport coach. This meant I was given the opportunity to go to Norway and live with a family for 5 days. During the 5 days we took part in a commenius project where we went to a Norwegian school and also took part in a big event called the Kjeringi Open.
It was the morning of April the 5th at 5am. Me, my friends Ellie, Liam and Nick, along with two teachers: Mr Allister and Mrs Wilson all queued at the check in desk ready to make our way to Norway. We all knew it was going to be an extremely long day of travelling ahead having to catch three planes. As we arrived in Amsterdam our flight number was called, stranded at one end of the airport we needed to run to the opposite end in order to catch our plane on time. Luckily we boarded the plane however, unfortunately our luggage didn't. From Amsterdam to Oslo and Oslo to Leikanger we finally arrived at our destination... with no clothes. I was staying with identical twins, Ida and Ana, and by the time I left I still had no idea which one was which.
Finally receiving my luggage two days later and after attending the Norwegian schools and meeting loads of lovely new people it was time to compete in the Kjeringi Open. This is a downhill race which takes place in Leikanger every year and I had the privilege to be able to run in it. The race was tough and 5 miles downhill was a trek however finishing 21st wasn't too bad.
Despite staying with a family I had never met before was very scary I loved every minute of my time in Norway and I would absolutely love to be able to do it all over again.
Writing or talking about myself is something I've always found particularly challenging, I'm not the type to big myself up about anything and am constantly putting myself down. I'm extremely indecisive and appreciate continuous guidance in the right direction which I suppose sums up some of my personality. People often describe me as a 'right worrywart' which is very true because I've most probably spent over 50% of my life worrying about pointless things and situations that come to nothing.
So I felt like writing about a past experience that was very special to me. In 2012, I was in year 10 at my secondary school, The Grange School and Sports College. At school, as it was a sports college I was selected as gifted and talented in sport by my PE teachers and school sport coach. This meant I was given the opportunity to go to Norway and live with a family for 5 days. During the 5 days we took part in a commenius project where we went to a Norwegian school and also took part in a big event called the Kjeringi Open.
It was the morning of April the 5th at 5am. Me, my friends Ellie, Liam and Nick, along with two teachers: Mr Allister and Mrs Wilson all queued at the check in desk ready to make our way to Norway. We all knew it was going to be an extremely long day of travelling ahead having to catch three planes. As we arrived in Amsterdam our flight number was called, stranded at one end of the airport we needed to run to the opposite end in order to catch our plane on time. Luckily we boarded the plane however, unfortunately our luggage didn't. From Amsterdam to Oslo and Oslo to Leikanger we finally arrived at our destination... with no clothes. I was staying with identical twins, Ida and Ana, and by the time I left I still had no idea which one was which.
Finally receiving my luggage two days later and after attending the Norwegian schools and meeting loads of lovely new people it was time to compete in the Kjeringi Open. This is a downhill race which takes place in Leikanger every year and I had the privilege to be able to run in it. The race was tough and 5 miles downhill was a trek however finishing 21st wasn't too bad.
Despite staying with a family I had never met before was very scary I loved every minute of my time in Norway and I would absolutely love to be able to do it all over again.
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