Power and Control Dialouge Essay Weapons Training and Up the Wall Essay
Mrs. Kennedy
Year 11
Poetry
English Essay by Cassandra Sakley Dialogue is spoken language used to convey messages between people. Throughout this term, we have studied dialogue and how it has revealed the way that the features of verbal and non verbal exchanges between participants have the capacity to reveal much about the nature of power and control.. The poems used to study dialogue were ‘Weapons Training’ and ‘Up the Wall’ by Bruce Dawe, as well as the additional text of ‘……’ by . In my exploration of dialogue in the two poems and the related text, it becomes apparent that gender and power differences may be expressed through the presence of dominant and silenced voices along with a broad range of representational techniques. Bruce Dawe uses dialogue manipulatively and effectively in his poem “Weapons Training” it is an excellent example of how dialogue may be used to provide meaning and substance to a poem. The poem is created around the dramatic monologue of an army sergeant to his platoon during the years of the Vietnam War. It concentrates upon the theme of war yet meaning is placed upon the structure of the poem and the accompanying imagery which allows for a variety of apparent interpretations. Being in the form of a dramatic monologue, the focus of the poem is based around the sergeant’s use of language which captures the initial speech and attitudes of the stereotypical military figure. His voice is aggressive and demanding such as the hyperbole “When I say eyes right I want to hear those eyeballs click” which enforces a strong sense of discipline and authority over his recruits. The sergeant asserts his authority over the soldiers and the use of onomatopoeia in ‘pitter patter’ gives the reader the impression that the soldiers have become very quiet. The role of this intimidating sergeant is to train the recruits and instill the necessary skills and knowledge for their survival. In order to peruse this he has to adopt an
Year 11
Poetry
English Essay by Cassandra Sakley Dialogue is spoken language used to convey messages between people. Throughout this term, we have studied dialogue and how it has revealed the way that the features of verbal and non verbal exchanges between participants have the capacity to reveal much about the nature of power and control.. The poems used to study dialogue were ‘Weapons Training’ and ‘Up the Wall’ by Bruce Dawe, as well as the additional text of ‘……’ by . In my exploration of dialogue in the two poems and the related text, it becomes apparent that gender and power differences may be expressed through the presence of dominant and silenced voices along with a broad range of representational techniques. Bruce Dawe uses dialogue manipulatively and effectively in his poem “Weapons Training” it is an excellent example of how dialogue may be used to provide meaning and substance to a poem. The poem is created around the dramatic monologue of an army sergeant to his platoon during the years of the Vietnam War. It concentrates upon the theme of war yet meaning is placed upon the structure of the poem and the accompanying imagery which allows for a variety of apparent interpretations. Being in the form of a dramatic monologue, the focus of the poem is based around the sergeant’s use of language which captures the initial speech and attitudes of the stereotypical military figure. His voice is aggressive and demanding such as the hyperbole “When I say eyes right I want to hear those eyeballs click” which enforces a strong sense of discipline and authority over his recruits. The sergeant asserts his authority over the soldiers and the use of onomatopoeia in ‘pitter patter’ gives the reader the impression that the soldiers have become very quiet. The role of this intimidating sergeant is to train the recruits and instill the necessary skills and knowledge for their survival. In order to peruse this he has to adopt an