By Zain Al-loos

TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE: TEXT ACTIVITY

- Editorial article - “A generation raised on gun violence sends a clear message to
adults: Enough is enough.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/14/us/national-school-walkout-gun-violence-
protests/index.html

U.S. Students Rally Over Gun Violence -

The article highlights how the experience of school and gun-related massacres in the United
States has impacted on its young people. The motivation for their action in walking out of
their schools for 17 minutes is clear and represents the transformative nature of the recent
high school shooting in Florida. Transformation should be considered as significant for the
participants as well as for the readers of the article.

The composer has a clear purpose in writing the article and positions readers to view the
walkout in a certain way through the use of language.

Complete the missing sections of the table below, analysing the text and the composer’s use
of language techniques to convey his ideas and consider the effect of this on the reader.

Text idea Technique used Effect

The title introduces the topic.
The metaphor of “A generation
raised on gun violence”
Lexical choice of “a generation”
Definitive phrase and repetition
in ‘enough is enough”
The metaphor of ‘raised on gun
violence” suggests that gun violence
has become an ingrained part of
american culture and that a change
must be made.
The extent of the problem is further
emphasised through use of the word
“generation” highlighting that this
problem with gun violence has only
become very relevant in our current
generation where gun availability and
distribution is at its highest.

“to demand stricter gun laws in a
historic show of political solidarity
that was part tribute and part
protest.”
Use of powerful words
“demand”, “historic”, “political
solidarity” “tribute” and “protest”
Establishes the clear purpose of the
walkout and rally.
The definitive nature of the language
highlights the importance of stricter
gun laws and how far these people
are willing to go for a change.

“Students across the globe”
Hyperbolic language
Used to exaggerate the truth in order
to place greater emphasis on the
issue and what is being done to
mediate it and to bring more attention
to what is happening across
American schools in concern to gun
violence and abuse.

“Wearing orange shirts and waving Passive verb use in “Wearing” The walkout is defined as resilience
signs, participants marched through and “waving” towards the active distribution of
the streets”
"We're all working together, which is
something we haven't seen from the
adults in a very long time."
"Many of our community members
and young adults have established
a sense of hopelessness and
normalized the suffering that comes
with gun violence," he said. "But
they're ready to see a change."
The inclusion of the quote from
Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
Use of the images
“the National Student Walkout
demanded three key actions from
Congress:
-- Ban assault weapons;
-- Require universal background
checks before gun sales;
-- Pass a gun violence restraining
order law that would allow courts to
disarm people who display warning
signs of violent behavior.”
Reference to Columbine High
Massacre
EXTENDED RESPONSE TASK - 500 words
Use your analysis of the text and the table above to answer the following-:
Direct speech
Powerful words from a
respected member of society.
Image of the banner positioned
hanging from the railing in the
grounds where the recent
school shooting occurred.
Other images of groups of
students and empty
classrooms.
Language is simple and direct.
Points clearly set out.
Allusion
guns and the poorly made gun laws
in place on American soil.
The inclusion of comments from the
student participants adds a sense of
closure and better explains the
motives of these students to create a
revolution for a safer schooling
environment by getting rid of guns.
Reinforces the notion established
through the title, that gun violence
and its aftermath is a normal and
acceptable part of life for them.
Adds further credibility to the article.
Her words echo the aim and
emotions of the students.
Adds emotion to the text as it shows
these scared students desperate for
their own safety. It creates empathy
for the students as it gives the reader
a better understanding of what is
happening through visuals.
Allows the reader to understand the
purpose of the student walkout in a
summarised and cohesive way. Also
gives the reader background
information about the gun violence
across America and how the main
reason it exists is because of the lack
of gun laws and gun moderation.
Shows how gun violence in America
has been a recurring thing throughout
history and further emphasises on
how nothing is being done to fix it.
The allusion creates a sense of
sadness to the reader as it shows
that there is no change being done
even though innocent lives have
been taken.
Examine how the composer has displayed a consideration of audience and purpose
in the choice of language techniques used in the text.

The walkout is not only a protest to push congress to pass gun reforms, but also serves as a
memorial to honour the victims who were killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman
Douglas Highschool in Parkland, Florida. More than 3100 walkouts have been planned at
schools nationwide where students will march, make signs and observe moments of silence
and had out orange ribbons to symbolise gun violence awareness and read essays and
poems about the personal scars gun violence has left behind on the people of America. The
walkout is defined as resilience towards the active distribution of guns and the poorly made
gun laws in place on American soil.

The walkout incorporates the repeated mantra ‘never again’, a promise to make the
slaughter at the Douglas Highschool the last and give hope to the generation of students
that grew up performing constant lockdown drills that a ‘revolution of sorts’ is on the way.
‘Students across the globe’ is used to exaggerate the truth in order to place greater
emphasis on the issue and what is being done to mediate it and to bring more attention to
what is happening across American schools in concern to gun violence and abuse.

The author of the editorial text makes clever use of the title ‘A generation raised on gun
violence sends a clear message to the adults: Enough is enough’ to suggest that gun
violence has become an ingrained part of american culture and that a change must be
made. The extent of the problem is further emphasised through use of the word “generation”
highlighting that this problem with gun violence has only become very relevant in our current
generation where gun availability and distribution is at its highest. This idea that gun violence
has been ingrained in today's America is further evident in reference to the Columbine
highschool shooting which shows how gun violence in America has been a recurring thing
throughout history and further emphasises on how nothing is being done to fix it. The
allusion creates a sense of sadness to the reader as it shows that there is no change being
done even though innocent lives have been taken.

"We're all working together, which is something we haven't seen from the adults in a very
long time." The inclusion of comments from the student participants adds a sense of closure
and better explains the motives of these students to create a revolution for a safer schooling
environment by getting rid of guns. This Reinforces the notion established through the title,
that gun violence and its aftermath is a normal and acceptable part of life for them. By
bringing the community together, we can tackle this issue from its roots and create a better
tomorrow for ourselves and our children.