Spotty-Handed_Villainesses__an_Analysis_of_Technique

A successful speech is one that is not only deftly constructed, but also appealing and effective in the delivery of the overall message intended by the composer. Margaret Atwood’s Spotty Handed Villainesses is a prime example of an engaging, skilful and persuasive text that is masterfully enhanced by an array of techniques that combine to express her views on the representations and perceptions of females, feminists and feminism as a whole. That being said, Atwood’s playful humour and sharp wit skilfully counterbalance the underlying academic and authoritative tone in a manner that not only retains lasting appeal, but also maximises audience engagement. The use of an anecdote in the first few lines serves as a ‘hook’ in which the personal reflections of Atwood establish a sense of familiarity between composer and responder. Through this initial engagement, the cohesion of academic and literary references such as the ‘Angel/Whore split’ and reflections from her own childhood efficiently establishes the overall message of her speech. The following rhetorical questions, and in particular her line “But is it not, today – well, somehow unfeminist – to depict a woman behaving badly'” achieve their goal of challenging the responder to actively ponder the dimensions of their own opinions, as well as pave way for the introduction of Atwood’s. Questions such as “Isn’t bad behaviour supposed to be the monopoly of men” also aid in establishing her criticisms of extreme feminists, and in particular the ‘post-2nd Wave Feminism’ era that saw questions arise over the changing roles of men and women in society. In this, her persuasive tone is carefully masked through her uses of humour, irony and satire and she moves from questioning to criticising the excesses that all sides of the ‘feminist spectrum’ are capable of possessing. Atwood’s call for a disruption to ‘static order’ is skilfully illustrated through her use of the extended metaphor of the ‘eternal breakfast’ wherein a sense of monotony and tedium is created. Throughout the description of the ‘scene’ acted out by the children, Atwood makes repeated comparisons to dramatic playwrights in order to emphasise the differences between reality and literature, or rather, the expectations of females within them. It is through this that the full impact of her eventual repetition of the statement ‘something has to happen’ can be felt. In crafting the metaphor, Atwood is essentially stating that the ideas discussed in literature are not only a reflection of the attitudes in reality, but also of the values and expectations that society has come to associate with women in general. Essentially, Atwood discusses the persona of women in literature in order to draw a clearer distinction between that of women in society. The use of the rhetorical question, “What is a novel, anyway'” acts to encourage the responder to not only participate in questioning themselves, but also acts as a link to her subtext in a subtly persuasive manner. Following on, the use of anaphora in ‘Novels are not’ further establishes her authority and views which are translated to the responder in a fashion more readily adopted. As a result, the overall message and theme of females in reality versus females in fiction, as well as the criticisms of the feminist movement is made clear. The clever use of a paradox in criticising the divide within the women’s movement (“Women who wore high-heels and make up”/”Those in overalls”) serves as the culmination of the entire point Atwood aims to make. Such a technique allows a clear distinction between the two different ends of the scale, with her stance being carefully represented as the mid-point. By doing this, Atwood successfully ‘manipulates’ the opinions of the responder to be more aligned to her way of thinking through an appeal to logos. As a text, Spotty Handed Villainesses is built on a foundation of literary and academic references and a vast array of techniques. Through these, the meaning of the speech is expertly delivered and it can be surmised that without her deft construction skills, the position of Atwood on the topic of feminism itself would be difficult to comprehend and thus, rendering the meaning and message of the speech unclear. In summation, through the aforementioned devices, notion of feminism is carefully and meticulously discussed with ample textual support in a manner which is engaging, appealing and ultimately, memorable. Response Two “Speeches are written with detailed knowledge of the values and context of the intended audience. The best speeches can relate beyond that audience.” Throughout the ages, the most memorable speeches are those of which are able to transcend the period of time in which they were presented. A composer’s understanding of the key values and the context of the intended audience plays a vital role in crafting a valid, impacting and ultimately, timeless speech. Paul Keating’s Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier is an example of a speech wherein the social, historical and political context of Australian society is masterfully intertwined with key societal morals and values in order to simultaneously inspire and address a significant part of Australia’s history. From the commencement of the speech, the composer’s use of inclusive language serves as the primary technique in expressing the values of unity, mateship and valour - the basis of the Australian identity. The repetition of ‘We’ successfully addresses Australians both past and present in honouring the sacrifices made for the betterment of their nation. Given the significance of the address being delivered on Remembrance Day, the key themes of sacrifice and honour are extremely valid as the emotional impact of the speech is heightened given the public’s knowledge of the sacrifices of Australians in warfare. Thus, the detailed knowledge Keating has displayed in isolating the key values held most highly in the collective consciousness of contemporary Australian society has rendered the speech the ability to transcend time. The 1990s saw Australia emerge as a vast, multicultural nation with many migrants settling at the close of the Second World War. With this in mind, Keating’s ambiguity in describing the Unknown Soldier with statements such as ‘’If he had a religion” and “His age or his circumstances” appeals to the growing secularism and diversity of the public – a key indicator of his knowledge of the changing context of the audience. The juxtaposition of antithetical opposites such as ‘soldier’ and ‘civilian’ further aids in highlighting the combined identity all Australian citizens have in serving their country, regardless of factors such as race and religion. Through these techniques and values, the Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier has retained its timelessness, as well as its significance in history. Emphatic diction, emotive language and the use of anaphora throughout a majority of the speech demonstrates Keating’s goal of appealing to the ethos of his intended audience. Lines such as ‘mad, brutal, awful struggle’ are utilised in describing the tragedy counterbalances the description of those of whom fought as being honourable citizens and heroes. The use of statistics in illustrating the scale of the loss of life aims to heighten the underlying appeal for the revival of nationalism that has since begun to fade from the fervour displayed in times of conflict. Through these techniques, Keating has reiterated his fixation on appealing to the Australian values and the context of contemporary society. The use of the Unknown Soldier acts as a metonym for not only the sacrifices, but also the struggles, patriotism and achievements of Australians of the past who have worked towards establishing their national and global identity. As evident in the line ‘He is all of them, and he is one of us’, the Unknown Soldier transforms from merely a casualty of war, to a symbol of victory - of which Keating has purposely conveyed in order to encourage a sense of nationalism within the audience. ‘The Australian Spirit’ and the ‘ANZAC legend’ are two timeless concepts that have continued to pervade contemporary Australian society for the better half of a century. The need for the population to be reminded of these legends in times of peace has proven to be essential, and it is in taking advantage of this that Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier has proven significant. Through his detailed understanding and knowledge of not only his target audience, but also of the direction that contemporary Australian society is heading, the Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier has proven to transcend time. The values of mateship, unity, nationalism and valour are effectively incorporated in a way that revives the Australian Identity, whilst also paving way for the new one to be built from the diverse nation that has emerged from the end of the 20th century and onwards.