Monologue
‘THE PIANO’ MONOLOGUE – STRUCTURE
Year 11 English
1) Introduction
• Establish your identity – through your use of language, your tone, your physical appearance & gestures, etc • Capture your character’s voice – how does he/she speak? Will you, for example:
- use figurative language and metaphor - speak in short, sharp sentences - speak in fragmented or rambling sentences - use lots of imperatives or commands and modal verbs (eg. She must obey me!) - include literary allusions in your speech (ie. References to other texts, such as fairy-tales) • Establish the tone of your monologue – Angry? Indignant? Confused? • Clarify the point at which you are speaking. At what point in your life’s story are you? What has happened to prompt you to examine the choices you have available to you? What dilemma(s) do you face? • Convey something of your:
- class and social situation - location - educational background - past experiences - gender and the pressures/demands/expectations associated with this - role within the small NZ community - relationships with others - values and beliefs – what is important to you?
• Identify a controlling idea – that is, the reason for your speaking. What is the main impression you wish to convey about yourself and your attitudes, beliefs and values? How would you sum up the situation you are in? (Trapped? Lost? Alienated?) What is the main force or motivation which drives you?
Possible controlling ideas or focal points include:
- a desire to inflict pain - a feeling of imprisonment - alienation from those around you - jealousy; possessiveness - a feeling of entitlement - a need to have a ‘voice’ - a hunger for power (over another person, over your environment, etc) - a desire for
Year 11 English
1) Introduction
• Establish your identity – through your use of language, your tone, your physical appearance & gestures, etc • Capture your character’s voice – how does he/she speak? Will you, for example:
- use figurative language and metaphor - speak in short, sharp sentences - speak in fragmented or rambling sentences - use lots of imperatives or commands and modal verbs (eg. She must obey me!) - include literary allusions in your speech (ie. References to other texts, such as fairy-tales) • Establish the tone of your monologue – Angry? Indignant? Confused? • Clarify the point at which you are speaking. At what point in your life’s story are you? What has happened to prompt you to examine the choices you have available to you? What dilemma(s) do you face? • Convey something of your:
- class and social situation - location - educational background - past experiences - gender and the pressures/demands/expectations associated with this - role within the small NZ community - relationships with others - values and beliefs – what is important to you?
• Identify a controlling idea – that is, the reason for your speaking. What is the main impression you wish to convey about yourself and your attitudes, beliefs and values? How would you sum up the situation you are in? (Trapped? Lost? Alienated?) What is the main force or motivation which drives you?
Possible controlling ideas or focal points include:
- a desire to inflict pain - a feeling of imprisonment - alienation from those around you - jealousy; possessiveness - a feeling of entitlement - a need to have a ‘voice’ - a hunger for power (over another person, over your environment, etc) - a desire for