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Class 5 The Rivers of Blood
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Rhetoric The Rivers of Blood
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Metaphor Meta: accross, over Pherein: to bear, to carry Meaning: a tranfer from one meaning to another Definition: a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or suggest that they are similar (http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/metaphor)
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Metaphor Analysis J. Charteris Black Three concepts to analyse a metaphor: Source Domain > literal meaning, where the metaphor comes from, the lexical field of the literal meaning. Target domain > metaphoric meaning, what the metaphor refers to. Conceptual Metaphor > meaning of the metaphor.
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Metaphor Analysis Source Domain: Nature (water) Target Domain: immigration/ integration (or lack of it) Conceptual Metaphor: IMMIGRATION IS FLOWING/ POURING INTO THE COUNTRY
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Why are metaphors so powerful? « Metaphor is effective in public communication because it draws on the unconscious emotional associations of words and assumed values that are rooted in cultural and historical knowledge » Axis of evil: fire > burn, dangerous, purifying devil > bad, beast (not human) sin > religion, offence to God When you fight the ‘axis of evil’, you are fighting dangerous non humans who have sinned against God > you are a hero! Ex.: Iron curtain, arm race, big stick diplomacy, Desert Storm The shift in meaning strikes us and gets our attention Images are used as symbols which activate mental representations Images are often more telling than words
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Images
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The Rivers of Blood Rivers: Big, Majestic, unstoppable, perpetual movement, drowning, wash away characteristics and identity Blood: Violence, fight, struggle, Lineage, ‘blood of my blood’
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The Rivers of Blood Immigration will flow into GB and change its identity for the worse
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Rhetoric What do you think of that metaphor? Will Commonwealth immigration wash away British identity? Is immigration bound to be a source of violence?
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Rhetoric Tainted blood: efficient or dangerous image?
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Rhetoric Enoch Powel uses three elements in his demonstration: The average man that eveyone can relate to l3-4 Official figures so as to sound credible and to scare people l16-17 The idea of division (btw British ppl and immigrants and btw ‘good’ and ‘bad’ immigrants) l35-38
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Rhetoric Can it be seen as successful far-right tactic? Is it any different from what other politicians do?
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References The speech is filled with references.
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Religion « evils » l 1, 2, 25, « I can already hear the chorus of execration » line 10 (parole religieuse) “they don’t know what they do” line 10 (p2) > And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
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Literature and History « Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad” line 35 The Masque of Pandora, Longfellow Prometheus Gunpowder l9 (p2) > Gunpowder Plot 1605 “by hook or by crook” line 18 > John Wycliff, 14 th century
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Latin “per annum ad infinitum” line 41 “I seem to see 'the River Tiber foaming with much blood” line 43 > Sybil (prophetess) in Virgil's Aeneid VI > "wars, terrible wars, / and the Tiber foaming with much blood."
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Questions It would seem impossible today to find so many highbrow references in a political speech: Why do you think it was important for Powel to use such references (religion/ literature/ latin)?
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Today Old Elitism vs. New Populism > Levelling down politics?
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The 60s and Racial Tensions Why was there a rise in racial tension during the Sixties (UK and US)? Was it bound to happen? What kind of answers did the politicians provide? Have things much changed nowdays?
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Coming Weeks WEEK 6, 1974 Industrial Strike, p 27 WEEK 7, EEC Entry, p 29 News books
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