Distinctive visual images have the power to influence the understanding of particular worlds through the pathos evoked by the experiences of others. This notion is effectively portrayed through John Misto’s play “The Shoe-Horn Sonata” and Shane Koyczan’s TED Talk, “To This Day…For the Bullied and Beautiful”. The audience is emotionally stimulated by the dehumanising attitude and treatment towards others in their unique worlds, the imbalance of power. However, they also enlighten the power of music as a source of hope and a survival mechanic. Both texts draw the audience into their distinctive experiences through powerful thematic and literary devices.
Distinctively visual images present in texts are creatively implemented through the barbaric …show more content…
The stage directions and projected images, “[We see a photograph… They are stick-thin, obviously starving, dressed in rags, filthy]”, illustrates the malnourishment of the women and children in POW camps. The cumulative listing as well as the inclusive language ‘we’, accentuates how the audience is captivated into the torment of the women they encountered by the inhumanness of the Japanese. Collectively the visual elements provoke sympathy from the audience to appreciate and honour the women’s unspoken bravery and anguish encountered in their POW experiences which was “kept a secret”. In the TED Talk, Koyczan is subjected to bullying in the “battleground” of the “school hall”, as evident in the metaphor, “A kid who kept calling me ‘Yogi’, then pointed at my tummy and said, ‘Too many picnic basket’s”, illustrates the dehumanising treatment towards Koyczan, as he is ridiculed for his weight. The …show more content…
The repetition of negative conative words, “Not a headstone or memorial anywhere. Not even a cross survived the war. We were ‘useless mouths’ in death as well” articulates the injustices suffered to the memory of the “women and children” who were left in the jungle and their bravery not recognised by their governments. The perceived futility of the women to their governments are reinforced by the negative anaphora, which further contributes to the identical injustices suffered from both the dominant Japanese Army and the women’s governments, who are equally iniquitous. The absence of the symbolic elements of crosses in the context of war, demonstrates how the “British didn’t want anyone to know about us” and hence the lack of respect for the sacrifice and anguish the women suffered. Together, the visual techniques create a feeling of antagonism towards the government, as well as stimulating pathos for women and children whose true suffering was concealed and not esteemed. Likewise, in the TED talk, Koyczan is subjected to the dominance of the authoritative power, as his dreams and hence humanity, is deemed as “stupid”. The irony, “They asked me what I wanted to be, then told me what not to be”, instigates the authority of others, to deny Koyczan of his dreams.
Distinctively visual images present in texts are creatively implemented through the barbaric …show more content…
The stage directions and projected images, “[We see a photograph… They are stick-thin, obviously starving, dressed in rags, filthy]”, illustrates the malnourishment of the women and children in POW camps. The cumulative listing as well as the inclusive language ‘we’, accentuates how the audience is captivated into the torment of the women they encountered by the inhumanness of the Japanese. Collectively the visual elements provoke sympathy from the audience to appreciate and honour the women’s unspoken bravery and anguish encountered in their POW experiences which was “kept a secret”. In the TED Talk, Koyczan is subjected to bullying in the “battleground” of the “school hall”, as evident in the metaphor, “A kid who kept calling me ‘Yogi’, then pointed at my tummy and said, ‘Too many picnic basket’s”, illustrates the dehumanising treatment towards Koyczan, as he is ridiculed for his weight. The …show more content…
The repetition of negative conative words, “Not a headstone or memorial anywhere. Not even a cross survived the war. We were ‘useless mouths’ in death as well” articulates the injustices suffered to the memory of the “women and children” who were left in the jungle and their bravery not recognised by their governments. The perceived futility of the women to their governments are reinforced by the negative anaphora, which further contributes to the identical injustices suffered from both the dominant Japanese Army and the women’s governments, who are equally iniquitous. The absence of the symbolic elements of crosses in the context of war, demonstrates how the “British didn’t want anyone to know about us” and hence the lack of respect for the sacrifice and anguish the women suffered. Together, the visual techniques create a feeling of antagonism towards the government, as well as stimulating pathos for women and children whose true suffering was concealed and not esteemed. Likewise, in the TED talk, Koyczan is subjected to the dominance of the authoritative power, as his dreams and hence humanity, is deemed as “stupid”. The irony, “They asked me what I wanted to be, then told me what not to be”, instigates the authority of others, to deny Koyczan of his dreams.