
What makes a piece of writing poetry?
The video you just watched was of a poem written by Amanda Gorman. You probably noticed some of the rhetorical strategies, such as alliteration, repetition, allusion, etc., used in the poem. Authors often use rhetorical strategies to convey meaning and evoke a response from the reader. How did these rhetorical strategies help the flow of the poem and give it meaning? How did the poet draw you into her thoughts and emotions? Why do you think the author chose those strategies? To help you answer these questions, you will use a strategy called Categorical Highlighting to analyze two pieces of writing. Below, you will find instructions on what to highlight in the two selections.
Procedure
- This activity has two parts.
- First, watch these two speeches:
- The first video is of Amanda Gorman reading a poem she wrote and delivered at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration in 2021.
- The second video is of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as he delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, start at 11:10. As you watch the videos, think about who their audience is and what the purpose is of these two pieces. [Tech note: Embed these two videos in order on the page, between procedure step 2 and 3.]
- Next, use Categorical Highlighting to analyze some of the rhetorical strategies used in each piece. As you are analyzing the text, think about why the author may have chosen those rhetorical strategies and what effect the strategies may have on the audience.
- These are the rhetorical strategies you are to highlight and the colors you should use for each one:
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- Alliteration: alliteration is a device frequently used in poetry or rhetoric (speechmaking) where words starting with the same consonant are used in close proximity.
- Allusion: an indirect reference to a work of literature (not explicit) that assumes the reader is familiar with the work alluded to.
- Internal rhyme: also known as middle rhyme, is rhyme that occurs within a single line of verse, or between internal phrases across multiple lines. By contrast, rhyme between line endings is known as end rhyme.
- Repetition: repetition is repeating words, phrases, lines, or stanzas. Repetition is used to emphasize a feeling or idea, create rhythm, and/or develop a sense of urgency.
- You will complete the Categorical Highlighting using Google Docs. You can access both texts with these links: The Hill We Climb and I Have a Dream
- Watch this video if you need help using Google Docs for highlighting.
- When you are finished highlighting, submit both documents. Upload the completed document as a file or share a link to the file.