 |
| Click to read more... Read the article and comment on:
|
The article, Modern-day climate change witch hunt, by Brendan O'Neill, actually works as an example of Context writing. It demonstrates how topics can be melded together to present a perspective of the world.
The Context area of study asks students to create a piece of writing of that considers their Context and set text from a point of having explored its ideas and arguments broadly. Students need to show that they can combine general, societal knowledge alongside their own view of the world to impart relevant discussion that has a purpose and delivers a substantiated message.
If Modern-day climate change witch hunt was written as a Context piece its statement of explanantion would outline that:
The Context is Encountering Conflict and the set text is The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
The form is persuasive, it is an opinion piece.
The language is highly emotive. Attacks, anecdotes and humour are employed as persuasive techniques. References to history are used to inform the discussion, just as Miller used history to develop The Crucible.
The audience is politically aware adults who have an interest in the global warming debate.
The purpose is to challenge the global warming theories. A strong position is put forward with skepticism aimed at climate change supporters' arguments. Comparisons between witch hunters and global warming advocates are made as O'Neill outlines a belief that debate on the issue is unreasonably one-sided.
The Context is a current environmental conflict being explored through an observation that it involves the same ignorance and discrimination that shaped unfortunate moments of hysteria in instances such as the Salem and McCarthyist witch trials.
WHEN A PERSON READS THIS ARTICLE THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR CONTEXT AREA OF STUDY, imagining a student has developed this for a SAC or exam piece, THEY CAN SEE HOW IT: CONSIDERS THE CONTEXT AND DRAWS FROM THE SET TEXT OF THE CRUCIBLE. WHILE OBVIOUSLY USING IDEAS AND THEMES FROM THE SET TEXT, IT ALSO SHOWS THE AUTHOR HAS EXPLORED BEYOND THE SET TEXT TO DEVELOP A SOPHISTICATED PIECE OF WRITING THAT DEMONSTRATES A BROAD WORLD PERSPECTIVE ON ISSUES OF CONFLICT.
In O'Neill's article, Modern-day climate change witch hunt, there are many inferences that link to the set text we are studying The Crucible. He uses historical reference throughout his discussion to enhance the point of view he is putting forward. This is just as Miller did in The Crucible, when he wrote about the Salem witch trial aiming to actually make commentary on the Marcthy with hunt that was taking place in America at the time. O'Neill's article early on states that '500 years ago...they'd...burn"witches" who caused extreme cold'.
ReplyDeleteThis article also makes connections about the Context - Encountering Conflict by going beyond the set text. Its main discussion point is global warming and whther or not it is true. O'Neill is adamant that it is a myth. The debate about global warning also gives O'Neill room to bring in conflicts that people face in their day-to-day lives. He mentions, 'elerly people [get] hypothermia...car accidents [happen] on slushy roads.