rhetoric: mccarthyism - thomas telford school

Rhetoric: McCarthyism

Friday 5th February 2021

Learning Purposes

• Explore various rhetorical devices.

• Consider contextual influences.

• Identify a range of language techniques when annotating a speech.

Prior learning:1. Quiz to follow

Future learning:Consider historical context and how it may have influenced Miller in the stylistic choices he made when writing A View from the Bridge. Explore how this links to characters, themes and events.

Starter

1. What do you call an appeal to character?

2. What do you call an appeal to emotion?

3. What do you call an appeal to logic?

4. What is another term for exaggeration?

5. What do you call repetition at the beginning of clauses or phrases?

6. What do you call repetition at the end of clauses or phrases?

7. What kind of technique is the following: the man is a devil?

8. What kind of technique is the following: she was as cold as ice?

LP: Explore various rhetorical devices.

Recap: Context

What is context?• In literature, context refers to the background of a text,

such as the way society was at the time or what historical events may have influenced a writer.

• Knowing the context of a text enables readers to understand the story better.

The next few slides will provide you with contextual information to help you understand A View from the Bridge.

LP: Consider contextual influences.

Key Terms of the Day

• Communism – the belief in a society without different social classes in which the methods of production are owned and controlled by all its members. Everyone works as much as they can and receives what they need.

• Soviet Union (USSR) – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. A former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia, which included Russia.

• The Cold War – a time of political and military tension between the USA (and its allies) and the USSR (and its allies) between 1947 and 1991. No fighting took place, but there was attempts from the USA to stop the spread of Communism.


Senator Joseph McCarthy

• Senator from Wisconsin (1947 -1957).• Member of The House Un-American Activities Committee

(HUAC).• Believed that the American Communist Party was a threat to

National Security. • Used threatening techniques in his investigations into suspected

communists. People would be summoned before the committee, where they would be questioned extensively and expected to name any associates who were involved in the communist cause.

• We will read a speech that he gave at a rally in 1950. He was frustrated with parts of the government who he believed were covering for suspected communists.


McCarthyismMake notes as we are watching.


Link: A View from the Bridge

• On 21st June 1956, Arthur Miller defied the HUAC and refused to name supposed communist sympathisers.

• Within the play, Eddie tells the story of Vinny Bolzano, a boy who reported his own uncle to the Immigration Bureau.• “they grabbed him in the kitchen and pulled him down the stairs –

three flights his head was bouncin’ like a coconut. And they spit on him in the street”

• In relation to the play, the Immigration Bureau represents the HUAC. Vinny Bolzano, having ‘named names’, would represent someone who had disclosed information, and his family would represent the reaction of Miller.


Purpose, Audience and Form

When analysing non-fiction texts, it is important to consider:

• The purpose – why has the text been written?• To explain? To inform? To advise? To persuade? To

entertain?• The audience – who has the text been written for?

• Think about specific audiences like parents, people interested in politics, students moving to university etc.

• The form – how has the text been presented?• Article? Letter? Speech?

LP: Identify a range of language techniques when annotating a speech.

McCarthy’s Speech (9th February 1950)

As we are reading, try to identify the following features:• Direct address • Alliteration • Metaphors• Sentence types/moods• Repetition

EXT: Consider why they have been used? What is the effect?



McCarthy delivered his speech and, without evidence, accused 205 members of the State Department of being communists.

What is the purpose of this text?Who is the audience?What is the form?

How do you think this will shape McCarthy’s language choices?



Choose one of the terms and write an analysis of how it is used effectively in this speech. Try to look at several specific examples. Write one developed paragraph.Try to include:

• Topic sentence(s)• Embedded quotations• Subject specific terminology

• Link to context• Analytical vocabulary• Concluding sentence


Example Model

In Joseph McCarthy’s speech, the speaker powerfully creates a sense of togetherness with the audience from the opening. In particular, he uses flattery through respectful address such as “Ladies and gentlemen” which immediately attempts to endear himself to the audience. In addition, the repeated reference to the collective pronoun “we”, as for example when he says “we celebrate the one hundred forty-first birthday of one of the greatest men in American history”, effectively establishes a close relationship between McCarthy and his listeners. In doing so, McCarthy attempts to powerfully establish a sense of opposition with those Americans who he believes were part of the Communist enemy. This allows him to develop a bond with the audience, anvital purpose of speeches.

Copy down my annotations, and this means you will have a good model to use in future for analysing and alsowriting speeches.

• In Joseph McCarthy’s speech, the speaker powerfully creates a sense of togetherness with the audience from the opening. In particular, he uses flattery through respectful address such as “Ladies and gentlemen” which immediately attempts to endear himself to the audience. In addition, the repeated reference to the collective pronoun “we”, as for example when he says “we celebrate the one hundred forty-first birthday of one of the greatest men in American history”, effectively establishes a close relationship between McCarthy and his listeners. In doing so, McCarthy attempts to powerfully establish a sense of opposition with those Americans who he believes were part of the Communist enemy. This allows him to develop a bond with the audience, anvital purpose of speeches.

rhetoric: mccarthyism - thomas telford school

Documents