Hi guys
Just need guidance and feedback on this comparative language analysis in preparation for exams and would appreciate it a lot and please be as honest and critical as possible. Thx! *Written under timed conditions.
Article 1 (Development and Infrastructure-Goodbye to a grand old lady- Willingham Community newspaper) is from Vate 2017 English Sample Exam which was then followed by a response (piece 2) in the form of a speech from Roger Smiley at a special council meeting).
Sorry couldn't provide articles.
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The aging Willingham baths, which have fallen into disrepair have aroused a heated debate amongst community. Within the Willingham Community Newsletter ‘The Voice’, the council announced the closure of the baths that will be replaced with a new development. In response to this, local resident Roger Smiles retaliates through his speech to the council his disagreement in closing the baths, a facility that holds years of history and memory. Although the audience is presented with two distinct opinions, both authors aim to support their views through a multitude of techniques varying from anecdotes and evidence to imagery.
Adopting a condescending tone, Willingham council announces the closure of the baths due to the many difficulties. In using emotive words such as “regrettably” to demonstrate their “struggle” in making this decision, it assures the community and the audience that their feelings and opinions were considered, promising them that they are not excluded. In doing this the author both includes the audience yet also makes the reader trust the council’s choice. The Council then further reinforces their choice by including supporting facts that clearly demonstrate the many difficulties involved with the maintenance of the pool, “repairs” that “will cost $2.6million with an ongoing cost of $700,000 per annum”. An appeal to the hip-pocket nerve that immediately demonstrates the mass scale of the amount of money spent on preserving the pool. This positions the readers to re-evaluate any doubts in regards to the true conditions of the pools and any pre-conceptions of the problems being minor. In contrast to citizen Roger Smiles who begins his speech with a very positive outlook on the pools and the many benefits it had. To further demonstrate his disagreement towards the new change proposed by the Willingham council, Smiles describes his own “76 years in Willingham” as some of his “best memories”. In using his own experience, he compels the audience to reminisce and look back at their own memories and experience. This has the added effect of reminding the audience about the significance of these baths. Furthermore, that loss of the baths implies loss of all “our” memories and fun times. In appealing to the audience’s emotions, Smile’s effectively brings the audience closer towards his view that this new change proposed by the council is not for the better.
To ensure that the council do not lose their audience’s interest, they then make a new announcement regarding a new development. The shift in tones from “sadly” to “exciting” reinforce the new change, the author intending to lift the spirits of the audience and make them forget about the closure and focus more on the new “Willingham Shire Aquatic Centre”. To alleviate this sense of hope and a new chapter, the Willingham council provide further information with “costs” to demonstrate that this new change is real and to ensure that they the council can be trusted. Similarly Smiles also points out the maintenance issue and the constant need to find “ways to improve Willingham”-evoking understanding from the audience that he is not only looking at one side and that the conditions of the pool is an actual issue. However, Smile’s then rebuts against this with an appeal to traditions and customs, stating that they “we have a heritage...a past that lives in these baths”. With specific reference to “we” he persuades the audience to agree, because this bath was the “first truly great thing we built”, indicating that “we” all have a say in this matter and that they all will be impacted by the closure. To further encourage the audience to align themselves closer towards his view, he states that even “Aldous” the creator of the baths were he to hear about the “’digging up” would make him “turn in his grave”. Through this descriptive expression and use of harsh words such as “slap” and “monstrous”, the author effectively demonstrates how angry and upset Aldous would be about the turn of events. A technique that effectively allows the audience to relate Aldous shock with their own inner feelings. Whilst both authors discuss the maintenance issues of the baths, they are distinct in their separate views, one author against the closure and new development whilst the other supports it.
Alongside the text, the Willingham council have also inserted two images that depict the new development whilst Smiles moves onto the facts of his arguments. In providing readers with imagery the Willingham council aim to further depict the new apartment and aquatic centre and focus the audience’s attention away from the closure and more towards the new change. In doing this the audience are compelled to feel excitement. However, these images can also work against the aim of the Willingham council and appeal to Smiles intentions The photographs can be interpreted by the community as reasons why the baths need to stay open because this new aquatic centre will become useless especially when “15,000 residents of inner Willingham do not want to travel this distance”. In Smiles incorporating facts in a blunt and deadpan method within his speech, he clears any doubts from the audience’s mind but also further persuades the audience in understanding that no-one will benefit from these new facilities, that the baths succeeded without. The first article concludes with Aldous Meredith, Smiles closes his speech in an effective and interactive way that influences the audience to evaluate the situation at hand whereas Willingham council do not.
Despite the separate views on the Willingham baths, Willingham council are forced to shut down the Willingham baths due to the conditions and costs of keeping the baths, whereas Roger Smiles states in his speech that within these baths lies too many memories and years of history. An article and speech that make use of imagery, expression, and evidence to reiterate these viewpoints.
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