Analysing the representation of speech: Texts A and B are both similar texts in that they have the same purpose to try and change peoples views on animal rights.

by bellepomhotmailcouk (student)

AS English Language and Literature Assignment 5 – Analysing the representation of speech: comparison Texts A and B are both similar texts in that they have the same purpose – to try and change peoples’ views on animal rights. However, the ideas are conveyed in two different styles. In text A, Brigitte Bardot demonstrates the reality of how many animals are treated these days. The text is written in a serious manner and the author gets straight to the point by using very strong, vivid vocabulary which is shown in the first sentence: ‘Who has given Man (a word which has tragically lost all its humanity) the right to exterminate, to dismember, to cut up, to slaughter, to hunt, to chase, to trap, to lock up, to martyr, to enslave and to torture the animals?’ Here she uses a continuation of descriptive verbs which attracts the readers attention and shows them just a few of the many ways animals are treated. Brigitte Bardot is fighting for equality between humans and animals so that the earth is no longer a place ‘where men rule’, but ‘a shared Paradise.’ The middle paragraphs in this text

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all end in ‘(for our survival …)’. This repetition really shows the reader that animals are only treated like this so that us humans can survive – why should they have to suffer for us? She also explains the amount of different deaths which animals have to be put through: ‘a slow death… a useless death, a hellish death, a death endured in terror at the hand of sadistic evil..’. This shows the reality of the many different deaths which are occurring ‘each morning as dawn breaks’. The animal rights activist speaks about this ghastly reality as if it is from her own experience – she knows how the animals are feeling: ‘they see it, they smell it, they know it is coming’. The wait that these animals have until they are finally slaughtered is just as bad, if not worse than the actual death itself. They know that they are ‘destined for the slaughterhouse’; they are ‘crammed together without food or water… hooves broken, eyes blinded, they die for lack of air, freeze to death or expire from the heat.’ Brigitte Bardot keeps reminding us that this is all ‘for our survival’. She is asking for people’s help ‘to act, high time’ and ‘to regain the dignity the animals have never lost’.Text B is written as a conversation between two individuals, with the use of slang language. The text has been made to show not only the grammar and vocabulary that the people use, but also the way in which they speak (pauses, elongation, etc.). This gives the reader an idea of the age of these two individuals – they are possibly quite young adults. ‘R’ and ‘J’ have two very different opinions on animal rights: ‘J’ believes that being vegetarian will help to stop the ‘industrialised butchery that cows an sheep an chickens have to endure’. However ‘R’ thinks that you being vegetarian won’t help anything – if you eat free range meat it’s fine. He believes that meat is what we were born to eat: ‘our teeth are designed to rip an check meat an all that’. He uses very visual language here to get his point across. He does believe though, that the animals shouldn’t have to endure such horrid conditions. ‘J’ obviously feels very strongly towards animal rights and he tries to change ‘R’s’ views on eating meat (‘so you’ll becoming vegetarian then’) but he doesn’t succeed (‘ha (.) whadda you think’). He has similar views to Brigitte Bardot in that he says that the animals have to go through such misery ‘for what is ultimately our pleasure’, but he doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as serious as Bardot (he laughs after ‘R’ says he isn’t becoming vegetarian).To conclude, from looking at these two texts, you can see that Brigitte Bardot’s speech is a lot more forceful and serious than the conversation in text B. She is more likely to change people’s views on animal rights than ‘J’ is as she really gets her point across with a range of different techniques. It is obvious that she is truly passionate about the animals and will do anything to save them from poor conditions. You can see that ‘J’ does care about the animals, but isn’t going to fight to help them. He is a young person who doesn’t come across as having an awfully strong personality. I can see people really responding to Brigitte Bardot’s speech as it will have certainly got them thinking, and anyone who cares about the animals will want to assist her in solving the problems which they face.This is a strong piece of work. GOOD POINTS: Clear and sustained focus on the question with a strong comparative element. You clearly identify similarities in content but contrasts in style. A good overview at the opening of an answer is very reassuring to an examiner. You embed your quotations clearly so that they support your argument. Remember quotations should be as short and therefore as focussed as possible. Each needs to be integrated into the flow of your argument. You correctly identify and more importantly analyse key patterns of language use and their effects in representing the authors' points of view. You clearly represent and evidence your conclusions on the charaters behind the voices and their social and political motivations. Your work is concise, fluent and economical without being brief. All are excellent examination qualities. Therefore, apart from some minutiae eg Para 3 'number' for 'amount' I have very little to correct. Annabel Pomeroy Student Number SS126208