Task 2
Working on the text
Do the following tasks, writing coherent texts. Use you own words as far as appropriate.
1.
Outline the information about Manuel and his performance.
2.
Analyze how atmosphere is created in this excerpt.
28 BE
Writing
3.
Choose one of the following tasks:
3.1
"We've all had this dream [...]. The dream in which, to the world's surprise and our own, we turn out to be best." (l.62-63)
Using the quotation and Manuel's example as a starting point, assess to what extent educational institutions can help young people realize their potential.
or
Using the quotation and Manuel's example as a starting point, assess to what extent educational institutions can help young people realize their potential.
b)
You are taking part in a TEDYouth event on equality and social justice with live speakers and discussions for young people.
Write a speech, commenting on different ways to overcome prejudices in society.
Write a speech, commenting on different ways to overcome prejudices in society.
32 BE
Excerpt from the novel "Trust Exercise"
In this excerpt, Latino student Manuel is auditioning for the school musical, "Guys and Dolls", an American musical romantic comedy from 1950. Among the audience are his charismatic drama teacher, Mr. Kingsley, and Sarah and Ellery, two of his classmates.
1
Manuel had come onstage, an apparition. Perhaps it wasn't Manuel. He wasn't dressed like
2
Manuel, in the slightly too-small and slightly too-youthful striped T-shirts you could tell, just
3
from looking, had been bought from the sale rack at Sears, or maybe from the Purple Heart
4
Thrift Store, by Manuel's unknown mother, after being discarded by whoever had bought them
5
at Sears. The shirts Manuel wore every day had pills, and faint, ancient stains of the kind that
6
defeated all efforts, and they squeezed his upper arms and his neck. For pants, Manuel wore
7
corduroys that had almost no cord left. And regardless of weather conditions, Manuel never
8
took off his jacket, the same fake-wool-lined corduroy jacket they'd first seen him in, and that
9
seemed to them now as permanent as a turtle's scuffed shell. The onstage Manuel was missing
10
this traditional garb, though not dressed any better. He wore a pair of black slacks that were
11
shiny with age, and a grayish-white button-up shirt that, despite being short at the sleeves, was
12
tightly buttoned at the cuffs, emphasizing the bony excess of his wrists. The feet were encased
13
in hard black leather shoes that looked too small, and the usual bushy brown hair was combed
14
back from the face exposing large, startled eyes, unfamiliar to all, beneath an equally novel,
15
creased brow. A sheaf of paper was gripped in the hands. The Manuel-apparition looked like a
16
waiter, an unhappy and poorly dressed waiter.
17
Sarah realized with amazement he was dressing, as well as he could, for the part. Guys and
18
Dolls would of course call for old-fashioned menswear: leather shoes, slacks, a button-up shirt.
19
Not one other boy, for the sake of the audition, had made the slightest alteration to his everyday
20
clothes. They'd all auditioned in their Levi's and polos and dumb slogan T-shirts. [.. .]
21
Manuel again turns that mesmerizing color of a live coal. At length he says, barely audibly, "I
22
am going to sing the 'Ave Maria' of [a bunch of syllables Sarah can't hear]." Strings seem to
23
be tied to his elbows, equally pulling on him from both sides, so that, in his tensile, motionless
24
state, he might fly to pieces. Then the stage-left string breaks, and he lurches toward Mr.
25
Bartoli, extending his music. Mr. Bartoli pages through it, nods. "Shall I begin?" he asks.
26
Manuel wrings his hands in a fretful grandmotherly way, abruptly drops them to his sides. Mr.
27
Kingsley, still standing, his back to the rest of the house, says, "Manny, I know you can do it."
28
He speaks as though he and Manuel are entirely alone. Yet no one in the house fails to hear
29
him, to the very last row.
30
It's possible for silence to change quality. The silence had been enforced, the silence of quashed
31
merriment. Now it's the silence of genuine puzzlement. Mr. Kingsley never uses nicknames or
32
pet names. To indicate an altered attitude he sometimes calls them, instead of their given names,
33
Ms. or Mr. and then their last name. This denotes bemusement, disapproval, and much in
34
between, but whatever the case there is always a distance implied. "Manny" observes no such
35
distance. "Manny" doesn't even observe that there might be some forty-odd people elsewhere
36
in the room.
37
Mr. Kingsley sits down again. The back of his head, with its limited features, its expensive
38
haircut, and the ends of his spectacles' temples hooking over the backs of his ears, is nearly as
39
expressive to them as his face - it radiates a peremptory certitude. "Come on. You know what
40
I want. Give it to me." If the back of his head can say this just imagine the front. [...] Manuel
41
- Manny? - seems to be in wordless communication with this hidden front of Mr. Kingsley's
42
head. He gazes into it, receives something from it - he looked different when he first came
43
onstage, and he somehow looks different again. With what might almost be called selfpossession
44
he nods to Mr. Bartoli. Mr. Bartoli raises his hands, brings them plunging back
45
dowii. Manuel sucks air into his lungs.
46
To this point in her life, Sarah has associated opera with Bugs Bunny in braids, PBS,
47
overweight men wearing tunics, shrieking women, and shattering glass. She's never
48
understood, certainly because she's never seen a live opera but also because she's never heard
49
a half-decent performance, not even in part, on TV, that opera, in fact, is the highest redemption
50
of longing. [...]
51
Manuel sings. His Spanish accent, which he drags like a weight on his uncertain journeys amid
52
English words, is a bona fide now. Who else among them could sing this, even if they were
53
blessed with the voice? Who else among them is blessed with the voice? Manuel sings, it seems,
54
to horizons beyond the light booth. His eyes are cast up, anxiously, as if he's aware he is barely
55
retaining the fickle attention of God. So plaintively does he exhort this remote audience that
56
Sarah glances back over her shoulder, expecting to see ranks of angels, their feet floating just
57
off the ground. Instead she sees the faces of her classmates, rapt with unself-consciousness, the
58
joyful respite from the problems of self. [...]
59
Her body twists forward again as if slapped, as Manuel, like a fountain, upraises his arms and
60
their glorious burden, his final note, into the air. As if they awaited this gesture, the house
61
detonates: clapping, whistling, foot-stamping, Ellery leaping up to shout, "Hombre!" Onstage
62
Manuel, streaming with sweat, grins while wringing his hands. We've all had this dream, Sarah
63
thinks. The dream in which, to the world's surprise and our own, we turn out to be best.
Choi, S.: Trust Exercise. New York: Henry Holt and Co, 2019, pp. 41-43
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Note:
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text. It must be noted that our conclusions contain only some of the possible aspects. Students can also find a different approach to argumentation.
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text. It must be noted that our conclusions contain only some of the possible aspects. Students can also find a different approach to argumentation.
1.
The excerpt from the novel "Trust Exercise" by Choi, S., 2019, is about a young man named Manuel who fulfils his dream and amazes the audience with his extraordinary and unexpected talent.
Introduction
- Manuel is a Latino student auditioning for the school musical "Guys and Dolls"
- he usually dresses in worn-out, ill-fitting clothes with pills, stains, and a corduroy jacket that he never takes off
- however, for the audition, Manuel dresses as best as he can, wearing black slacks, a grayish-white button-up shirt, and hard black leather shoes, trying to match the old-fashioned menswear required for the musical
- Manuel's appearance surprises Sarah and other classmates because none of the other boys made any effort to alter their everyday clothes for the audition
- when Manuel begins singing the "Ave Maria," his performance captivates the audience
- Manuel's voice carries a Spanish accent, which he struggles with amid English words
- despite his accent, Manuel's singing is powerful and touches the hearts of those listening
- he sings with great emotion, casting his eyes upward as if he is aware of the divine attention he hopes to retain
- Manuel's performance evokes a sense of longing and redemption in Sarah, who realizes the depth and beauty of opera for the first time
- at the climax of his performance, Manuel upraises his arms and delivers a glorious final note, which ignites an explosive response from the audience
- the audience erupts into applause, whistling, foot-stamping
- Manuel, drenched in sweat, grins while wringing his hands, realizing that he has fulfilled a dream and impressed the world with his talent
Main Body
2.
The atmosphere in this excerpt is created through various elements, including the description of Manuel's appearance, the reactions of the characters, and the performance itself.
Introduction
- the detailed description of Manuel's attire sets a somber and downtrodden tone
- the worn-out and ill-fitting clothes, such as the striped T-shirts bought from thrift stores, his corduroys with almost no cord left, and the tight, buttoned cuffs of his shirt, evoke a sense of poverty and neglect
- this description emphasizes Manuel's outsider status and hints at the challenges he faces
Main Body
Manuel's apparition
Manuel's apparition
- the contrast between Manuel's effort to dress appropriately for the audition and the casual attire of the other boys creates a sense of isolation and uniqueness
- Sarah's judgments and opinions on Manuel's outward appearance and behavior, e.g. "he was dressing, as well as he could", "She's never understood, ... the highest redemption of longing." (l. 17-20)
influences the readers' view of the protagonist as the one responsible for the change in atmosphere
- it highlights Manuel's dedication and his desire to fit in and be taken seriously
Contrast to other students
- as Manuel prepares to sing, there is a build-up of tension and anticipation in the atmosphere
- the description of Manuel's physical state, with strings seemingly pulling on him and his wringing hands, conveys his nervousness and the high stakes of the moment
- the reactions of Mr. Kingsley and the other characters further contribute to the atmosphere of suspense
Tension and anticipation
- the climax of Manuel's performance triggers a burst of energy in the atmosphere
- rhetorical questions, e.g. "Who else among them could ... if they were blessed ...? Who else among them is blessed ...?" (l. 52/53) emphasize students' awe
- the house erupts with applause, whistling, and foot-stamping, while Ellery shouts with enthusiasm
- the explosive reaction signifies the impact of Manuel's performance and the audience's appreciation for his talent
- it creates a sense of celebration and triumph and an atmosphere full of joy
- repetition and imagery
"... silence to change quality. The silence had been enforced, the silence of quashed merriment. Now it's the silence of genuine puzzlement." (l. 30/31)
Reaction to the performance
- Sarah's internal thoughts and reflections add to the atmosphere
- the narrative technique (third person narration) only shows a limited point of view and therefore has an influence on how the atmosphere is perceived
- her realization about the transformative nature of opera and her connection to Manuel's dream resonate with the audience
- The atmosphere becomes one of shared aspirations and the possibility of surprising oneself and the world
Sarah's personal reflection and shared dream
Overall, the atmosphere in this excerpt shifts from somber and tense to awe-inspiring and celebratory, capturing the emotional journey of Manuel's audition and the impact it has on those witnessing his performance.
Conclusion
3.1
"We've all had this dream [...]. The dream in which, to the world's surprise and our own, we turn out to be best."
The quotation from the excerpt "Trust Exercise" by S. Choi suggests an universal desire to excel and prove oneself, even against expectations. It speaks to the dreams and aspirations of everyone.
The quotation from the excerpt "Trust Exercise" by S. Choi suggests an universal desire to excel and prove oneself, even against expectations. It speaks to the dreams and aspirations of everyone.
Introduction
Reference to quote
Reference to quote
- in the given excerpt, Manuel, a Latino student from a poor and underprivileged background
- he possesses exceptional musical skills but lacks confidence and hesitates to showcase his talent
- however, with the support and encouragement of his teacher, he manages to overcome his insecurities and fulfill his potential
- this leads to him achieving something that he previously believed was beyond his capabilities
Main Body
Manuel's example
Manuel's example
- educational institutions can fill gaps in childcare or provide special support services
- help to balance out deficits in resources and opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds
- this assistance can alleviate the burden on families and ensure that every child has access to quality education
- educational institutions can offer encouragement and assistance to families, particularly those facing challenging circumstances
- by providing guidance and resources, they can empower parents and guardians to actively participate in their child's education and create a supportive learning environment at home
- empowering students through engaging lessons and extracurricular activities, they can raise students' awareness of their own potential, foster their talents, and encourage them to explore new interests and aspirations
- educational institutions can provide opportunities for students to experience a sense of achievement, helping to strengthen their self-confidence and belief in their abilities
- recognizing and celebrating their accomplishments, whether academic, artistic, or personal, can have a lasting positive impact on their self-esteem and overall well-being
- by exposing students to a range of career opportunities and vocational training, educational institutions can help break the cycle of poverty
- when equipping young people with knowledge, skills, and guidance, they can broaden their horizons and empower them to pursue rewarding careers, potentially surpassing the achievements of their parents
Potential educational institutions can have to make a positive impact
- while educational institutions have the potential to make a significant impact, there are also limitations to consider
- potential limits of the support from educational institutions
- educational institutions often have a fixed curriculum that may not cater to the specific needs and interests of every student
- this standardized approach can limit individualized learning and hinder students from fully exploring their unique talents and passions
- small numbers of educators compared to the number of students results in students not receiving the necessary guidance and personalized instruction needed to reach their full potential
- the focus on supporting struggling students can sometimes overshadow the needs of high achievers
- the impact of educational institutions can be limited if parents are not actively involved or do not trust the institution's role in their child's upbringing and socialization.
Potential limits of the support from educational institutions
In summary, although educational institutions have the potential to fill gaps in support, provide encouragement and assistance, empower students, foster self-confidence, and break the cycle of poverty. By offering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment, they can positively impact the lives of young people and help them realize their full potential. However, it's important to recognize that educational institutions are just one pillar of a comprehensive education system and the influence of family, community, and other external factors are just as important to shape a student's growth and development.
Conclusion
3.2
Ladies and gentlemen, and most importantly, my fellow young minds, I stand before you today at this TEDYouth event to discuss a topic that is crucial to building a better future: equality and social justice.
Greeting
- in our journey towards creating a fairer society, we must confront one of the most significant obstacles that humanity faces: prejudice
- prejudice, born out of ignorance, fear, and stereotypes, has plagued our societies for far too long
- it has hindered progress, suppressed potential and perpetuated injustices based on ethnic background, gender, race or religion
- today I am here to present different ways to overcome these prejudices and pave the way for a more inclusive world
Main Body
origin of prejudice
origin of prejudice
- first and foremost, education is our most powerful tool
- by promoting education that fosters empathy, critical thinking, and cultural understanding, we can lay the foundation for a society that rejects prejudice
- we must challenge biased narratives, encourage open discussions, and expose ourselves to diverse perspectives
- knowledge is the key to dismantling stereotypes and eradicating prejudice
- incorporate media literacy into your teaching, focusing on racism and representation of minorities
educational approach
- let us also challenge our own biases
prejudice is not limited to any particular group or individual; it exists within all of us
- by acknowledging our prejudices and actively working to unlearn them, e.g. by stopping to use discriminatory language and raising awareness in those around us
we can become agents of change
- we must constantly question our assumptions, examine our privilege, and confront our own prejudices head-on and address it when it occurs
- only then can we truly break free from the chains of bias and create an environment utterly free of bias and prejudice
- additionally, fostering empathy and compassion is essential
- prejudice often stems from a lack of understanding and a failure to recognize the humanity in others
- through empathy, we can bridge divides and build bridges of compassion that unite us all
individual approach
- next, let us embrace diversity and inclusion as core values
- our differences should be celebrated rather than feared
- by cultivating environments that value diversity, we can create spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected
- we must actively seek out and amplify marginalized voices, ensuring that all individuals have an equal opportunity to thrive
- utilize role models and social media to share unbiased information
- from the workplace to educational institutions, from government policies to media representation, inclusivity must be our guiding principle
- by embracing diverse leadership, implementing inclusive policies, and demanding representation, we can create a society that values and uplifts every individual, regardless of their background
- emphasize the importance of safeguarding civil and human rights
- finally, let us remember the power of unity
- overcoming prejudice requires collective action and collaboration
- we must join hands across cultural, racial, and socioeconomic boundaries to fight for a just and equitable world
socio-political approach
In conclusion, my fellow young minds, we have the power to shape the future we desire. Overcoming prejudice requires education, empathy, inclusivity, self-reflection, and unity. Let us commit ourselves to these principles and work tirelessly to eradicate prejudice from our societies. Together, we can create a world where equality and social justice are not mere aspirations but lived realities for all.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you for your attention.
Closing