Preparation for Essay Flashcards
What should I explain in the introduction for the first paragraph?
- Start with:
“Meyne Wyatt’s monologue in his highly-rated, semi-autobiographical play, “City of Gold,” delves into….. - Talk about Aboriginal racism and the struggles of Aboriginal public figures, such as former AFL athlete Adam Goodes.
- Talk about Meyne Wyatt being a proud Aboriginal and critically-acclaimed actor.
- Talk about how he spoke his monologue in an episode of ABC’s Q+A program and how the show was attended by local audiences onsite and broadcasted on TV channels such as the ABC.
- Talk about the intended audience being Australia itself and explain why.
- Talk about how the purpose was for Wyatt to show his anger at the unjust behavior the Aboriginals have been fed, as well as how this is worse for Aboriginal public figures.
- Talk about why the speech is in an informal register.
How should I analyse how the speech starts in the second paragraph?
-Start by noting how Wyatt does not bother to include a formulaic opening and instead gets to the point, giving away his anger.
- Ignores social etiquette as he lets his emotions loose by being loud and verbose. It gives off his unfiltered opinion, making it more pure.
- Annoyed facial expressions and expressive body language, such as hand signs and body swaying, complement his speech in portraying his acrimoniousness towards the racist Australia. This is displayed as he exclaims “Well what part [of black am I]? My foot? My arm? My leg?,” as he is still is a black person and will still live with the disadvantages of it, despite only being part black.
- Talk about how Wyatt ends his intro with “It’s not [the majority of the audience’s] fault you have white skin, but you do benefit from it.” to give the audience a realisation of the fact that someone’s societal worth is determined based on their skin colour.
- Talk about how the introduction disempowers the audience by making them realise that the issue of racism is still at large.
What two written language features should I talk about in the analytical essay in the third paragraph?
- Rhetorical question:
“And What? [Adam Goodes is] supposed to sit there and take it?”
This highlights the sheer stupidity of the hate Adam Goodes received when he got booed for essentially standing up to a racist kid.
- Repetition:
“I’ll tell you right now, Adam Goodes has taken it. His whole life he’s taken it. I’ve taken it.”
This enforces the idea that the Aboriginal community is a prime target for racism by listing successful Aboriginals who are prime victims to racism.
What two spoken language features should I talk about in the analytical essay in the fourth paragraph?
- A supplementary combination of fast tempo and sudden pausing:
“But sometimes I just wanna be seen for my talent. Not my skin colour. Not my race.”
This showcases the idea that Wyatt is fuming at the idea of people identifying him as part of a minority instead of viewing him as one with the country and one with them.
- Falling intonation; Rising at the first sentence and falling at the second.
“Being black and successful comes at a cost. You take a hit whether you like it or not.”
This displays the agony that Aboriginal public figures face. Public figures already have to go through full schedules, paparazzi, a lack of privacy and harsh criticism. However, public figures belonging to cultural minority groups have it worse, as the criticism converts into racism.
How should I analyse the ending in the 5th paragraph?
- Talk about how Wyatt starts off the monologue’s conclusion by the sharp repetition of “That shit needs to stop!” as he mentions how Aboriginals should be seen as humans and that black deaths in custody are immoral.
- Talk about the use of rhyme in “Silence is Violence! Complacency is Complicity!” to amplify the motivational impact of those phrases.
- Talk about how the speech ends off with a powerful listing of “I don’t want to be quiet. I don’t want to be humble. I don’t want to sit down!” as Wyatt shows his passion for advocating for Aboriginal rights.
- Talk about how there are no vocative endings and informal register to show unfiltered emotions.
- Talk about how the discouraging words and aggressive demeanour can be initially disempowering, but overtime becomes empowering as audiences become motivated to make a change.
