You Laugh But It’s True: Humor and Institutional Racism in Born a Crime

Lesson 3
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ELA

Unit 2

9th Grade

Lesson 3 of 25

Objective


Analyze Mandela’s inaugural speech for diction and imagery and how both contribute to his rhetorical purpose.

Readings and Materials


  • Speech: “Inaugural Speech” by Nelson Mandela, May 10, 1994 

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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

How does the diction and imagery in Mandela’s inaugural speech contribute to his overall purpose and message?

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • What tone does Mandela establish at the start of his speech, and how does his diction throughout his speech continue to convey that tone? 

  • Where does Mandela use repetition in his speech, and what is the effect of this rhetorical choice?

  • What imagery does Mandela use when describing South Africa’s past and future? What is the impact of this collection of images?

Vocabulary


Literary Terms

rhetoric

n.

the art of persuasion, including the study of techniques a writer or speaker uses to inform, motivate, or persuade a specific audience in a specific situation

tone

n.

An author/speaker’s attitude toward a topic or an audience, which is often conveyed through word choice and/or literary devices

imagery

n.

a literary device where an author includes vivid sensory details (sight, smell, sound, taste, touch), generally to develop the reader’s understanding of setting

anaphora

n.

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

epistrophe

n.

repetition of a word or a phrase at the end of successive clauses

Text-based

confer

v.

to grant or bestow

pernicious

adj.

having a very harmful effect or influence

ideology

n.

a set of beliefs or philosophies

indignity

n.

treatment or circumstances that cause one to feel shame or to lose one's dignity

covenant

n.

an agreement

inalienable

adj.

unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor

amnesty

n.

an official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offense

Homework


Students can finish the Target Task if it was assigned as independent work. Otherwise, they will be introduced to a research project in the following lesson.

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Standards


  • L.9-10.5 — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • RI.9-10.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RI.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
  • RI.9-10.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.

Supporting Standards

L.9-10.1
L.9-10.6
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.3
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.6
W.9-10.1
W.9-10.4
W.9-10.9
W.9-10.10

Next

Conduct a short research project on South African history in order to create a digital presentation.

Lesson 4
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