OCR English - Component One

• What is the mode of the Graduation Speech?

  Spoken
• What is the Purpose of the Graduation Speech?


  To share personal experience in order to give advise to the freshly graduated University students.
• Who is the targeted audience of the graduation speech?

  Graduates of Syracuse University
• Give context into George Saunders.


  He was 55 at the time. He was an American Writer of short stories, novels and children's books. He is also Buddist.
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "old fart"


  Colloquial language which creates humour. This makes him more approachable as he develops ethos with the audience. This perhaps makes him more understandable, especially to the older audience.
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "So: what do I regret" [...] "I don't even regret that."


  He creates humour through anecdotes. He utilises this to connect to the audience. This again develops pathos he wishes to connect with the audience so the speech is engaging to them.
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "Now, the million-dollar question: What's our problem? Why aren't we kinder?"


  The idiomatic expression is used here to display a sense of familiarity. Its idiom is used to display the message of the speech - everything relies upon this question. In addition to this, the rhetorical questions highlight his aim to make the audience think of their actions. As well, the use of the collective pronoun, "our" could reflect the idea that Saunder's doesn't want to put all the blame on his youthful audience, but instead includes himself to portray that he has also make mistakes.
• Is the George Saunder's speech rehearsed? Give evidence.

  The speech is rehearsed: "Unfortunately, I only have three minutes left."
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "We get our butts kicked by real life"

  Idiomatic expression and colloquial language shows that he is converging to the language of the younger audience.
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "The great Syracuse poet"

  Pragmatics are used here. The audience someone will know.
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "congratulations, by the way."


  Afterthought. An interjection which is comedic. It engages the audience.
• GRADUATION SPEECH - "Luminous" , "Bright" and "Shining".


  Lexical field of brightness. This has connotations of hope and positivity for the future. This is expected as he wishes the best for his graduates.
• What is Ethos?


  Ethos is how credible the writer or speaker is. It is how much we can rely on them for the information they are providing the audience with.
• What is pathos?


  Pathos is how much the writer or speaker appeal to the audience's emotions. This could be for effect.
• What is logos?

  Logos is the appeal to logic. For example, the writer or speaker may use jargon. This directly links to ethos as if they use logic within their text or speech then they are more credible.
• What is the targeted audience of the Edward and Helen Thomas letters?


  It is a private audience, so the audience is each other.
• What is the purpose of the Edward and Helen Thomas letters?


  To inform each other of the events in their life at the moment. They are separated in a time of war.
• What is the context of Edward and Helen Thomas?

  Edward was a poet. He was sent to War (WW1). He died just before the war ended. The last letter Helen wrote was sent back to her due to his death.
• HELEN AND EDWARD THOMAS - “The artillery is like a stormy tide breaking on the shores of the full moon”

  This simile illustrates that war is chaos. The use of poetic and descriptive techniques reinforces the context of Edward being a poet.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “saw one enemy fall on fire and one of ours tumble into the enemy’s wire”

  The rhyming couplet deters away from the horrific things he is saying. It gives it a rather upbeat tone compared to the events that are happening.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “trench was being made passable for the wounded that will be harvested in a day or two”

  A metaphor which dehumanises them. The verb, “harvested” suggests that the dead bodies are like crops - constantly growing in numbers.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “My darling my own soul…”

  Anaphora of “my” shows her endearing address to Edward. The hyperbolic metaphor shows she believes they are inextricable joined.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “souls”

  Gives the allusion that a higher power is connecting them as they are no longer together due to the war.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “Farewell Sweetheart” and “Farewell”

  The repeated use of “Farewell” could suggest that she is struggling to be separated from him. She knows that it could be the last time that she speaks to him.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “Baba says ‘give Daddy 100 loves’.

  Informal register - highlights that it comes from their children. It also illustrates the love between the family.
• HELEN AND EDWARD THOMAS - “I saw the Spring come sweet heart”

  Anaphoric reference to her. It suggests a new life after his death. The endearing address of, “sweetheart” develops pathos as the reader feels sorry and epithetic for Helen as her Husband died.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “I am so unstable”

  Short declarative sentence shows the sadness in the letters. Perhaps a realisation how much his death has impacted her. This develops pathos.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - “terror and death and grief”

  Negative lexical choice. It’s a triple which emphasises the negative emotions of losing her husband whilst he was away fighting.
• HELEN AND EDWARD THOMAS - “For a little while, Farewell”

  Religious allusion. The noun, “little” minimises the fact that she will live many years after his death.
• HELEN AND EDWARD THOMAS - Semantic Field of Love “dearest” , “love” “beloved“ and “beautiful”

  Highlights the love they have for eachother. Endearing tone this could be the last time they speak to eachother.
• EDWARD AND HELEN THOMAS - Alliteration of plosives. “difficult“ , “darkness” and “despair”


  Emphasis the hardships of war through harsh sounding words.
• What is the audience of the Nadiya Hussain interview?

  The audience could be the fans of the show, fans of Nadiya Hussain herself or simply people whom enjoy cooking.
• What is the purpose of the Nadiya Hussain interview?

  To inform and promote herself as someone whom appears on multiple television programmes and to promote her new book, along with her new television show.
• Is the Nadiya Hussain interview rehearsed or semi-rehearsed?


  Semi-Rehearsed.
• How does Nadiya Hussain develop ethos?

  Hussain is presented as nervous as she highlights her experiences suffering with anxiety during her time on the Great British Bake off. She also uses back channelling and fillers which highlights her nervous - this humanises her.
• NADIYA HUSSAIN INTERVIEW - "trying to balance the kids, and my kids don't..."

  Creates ethos as she is presented as more reliable and realistic. The audience will be able to see themselves within Hussain as they can picture themselves trying to juggle everything all at once when our lives get busy. This further humanises her.