DIstinctive Voices Essay

How does the use of distinctive voices emphasise the ways that individuals respond to significant aspects of life? In your response, make detailed reference to your prescribed text Severn Cullis- Suzuki and J.F. Kennedy and ONE other related text of your own choosing.

Distinctive voices provide understanding and emphasise the significant events and aspects of life in relation to the individual and their underlying place in the society. Both John F. Kennedy and Severn Cullis Suzuki provide evidence of this which is evident in the use of contrast, anaphora, imagery, rhetorical questions and allusion but is also perpetuated in The Sharpness of Death by Gwen Harwood.

These texts provide understanding and connections within eachother……..

Distinctive Voices engage with the audience to create an understanding with people about current events. The Address to the Plenary Session, Earth summit speech spoken by Severn Cullis-Suzuki is using a remonstrative voice to point out the issues in the environment today, she points out how important this earth is and how it is shared and illustrates the hypocrisy of adults in values they instill in children but fail to execute themselves.

Get quality help now

Marrie pro writer

Verified writer

5 (204)

“ She followed all my directions. It was really easy to contact her and respond very fast as well. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

“You don’t know how to fix the holes in our ozone layer. You don’t know how to bring salmon back up our dead stream. You don’t know how to bring back animals that are now extinct” this use of anaphora clearly highlights both the problems many places on earth are facing while also tying in the fact that it cant be fixed and how this needs to be changed.

The childs voice is also clear throughout this speech when she dreams “of great herds of wild animals, jungles and rainforests full of birds and butterflies” and she uses this to spike thought and emotion from the audience when she states “I wonder if they will exist for my children to see. Did you ever have to worry abput these little things growing up”. This speech sparks thought and emotion from the audience which is exactly what it needs to do so something will be changed and it promotes a significant environmental aspect of everyones lives aiming for change.

A voice is used to challenge, change and inspire audiences and John F. Kennedys Inaugural Address perpetuates this. He acknowledges change, pledges support, shows acceptance of responsibilities and rallys action and participation from the citizens. He uses a strong presidential voice to portray a view of the America he invisions, “we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom and to remember that, in the past, those who were foolishly sought power by riding the tiger ended up inside” this metaphor highlights his strength and authority to perpetuate to the citizens what they should do and what will happen if they don’t obey or learn from their mistakes.

He also uses a religious voice to show his beliefs and inspire more people to follow him, he states “to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free” which is a passeage from the book of Isiah. This passage declares the Christian faith and presidency is underpinned by Christian values. Through the use of metaphor and biblical allusion Kennedy was able to provide light onto his rein as president and show his intentions as president which inspired the individuals of America respond with hope for their country.

A distinctive voice is one way that composers connect with their audiences. Gwen Harwood in the poem The Sharpness of Death portrays the idea that life is to be treasured and if you stop and ponder death to often you will waste your life away, you may aswell be dead already, life is for the living through the composers voice which is evident in the use of an oxymoron. “untranslatable meanings” which shows understanding but in the voice of the character death is seen as inevitable and pain and suffering is normal, she sort of talks to death witnessed when she states “if I fall from that time then set your teeth in me”. The expresses the thought of her death and she tells death that if she were to forget of the greatest people and times in her life she wants to die for she does not want to experience life without these.

Through the two voices provided in one text Harwood was able to portray to visions of living which is an aspect of every individuals life, their demise. They imagine it over and think about it so often and Gwen Harwood aimed to provide an understanding of how she handles the concept of death with the thought of life and how we exist now and our memories are more important. She uses two voices to emphasise the fact that we exist now and how individuals should be reminded of this before they think of death.

Unique voices are what stands out when an influential person or significant topic are spoken about, These different angles provide individuals a way of understanding or thinking that would not be usual for them. These voices are able to locate and emphasise aspects of life all individuals will relate to and are able provide solutions or aid the thoughts of the individual. John F. Kennedys Inaugural Address, Severn Cullis-Severn’s address to the plenary session, earth summit and The Sharpness of Death by Gwen Harwood all perpetuate this theme using techniques such as metaphor, anaphora and biblical allusion allowing individuals to reflect and change themselves through inspiration of others.