A Telephone conversation, sample Presentation for the short story

A presentation about the telephone conversation

1. Telephone Conversation GROUP 6 BELCHEZ, NERIZA E. BUENSUCESO, SARAH ALLIA CAHAYON, JUSTINE ROSE COLO SO, JUAN CYRUS CRUZ, JEAN FLORENCE OBTEC I-12 by Wole Soyinka ANALYSIS

2. Wole Soyinka

3. The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. “Madam,” I warned,
“I hate a wasted journey—I am African.”
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.
“HOW DARK?” . . . I had not misheard . . . “ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?” Button B, Button A.* Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis—
“ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?” Revelation came.
“You mean—like plain or milk chocolate?” Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
I chose. “West African sepia”—and as afterthought,
“Down in my passport.” Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
Hard on the mouthpiece. “WHAT’S THAT?” conceding
“DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.” “Like brunette.”
“THAT’S DARK, ISN’T IT?” “Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused—
Foolishly, madam—by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black—One moment, madam!”—sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears—”Madam,” I pleaded, “wouldn’t you rather
See for yourself?”

4. Table of Contents IMAGERY CHART VISUAL, AUDITORY, AND OLFACTORY PERSONA Who could be the persona? Describe him/her/it. ADDRESSEE Who could be the addressee? Describe him/her/it and explain why he/she/it is the persona. ISSUE What social issue does the poet discuss in the poem? Describe briefly. THEME/MESSAGES What does the poet wish to say about the issue? IMAGES AND FIGURES What images and figures of speech did the poet use to discuss the issue and present the theme/message of the poem? Why do you think are imagery and figures of speech important?

5. IMAGERY: VISUAL “Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled Cigarette-holder pipped.” “ Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered” “ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?” “You mean—like plain or milk chocolate?” “West African sepia” “Like brunette.” “Palm of my hand, soles of my feet Are a peroxide blond.” “My bottom raven black-”

6. IMAGERY: AUDITORY Silenced transmission of pressurized good-breeding, voice Omnibus squelchin tar Ill-mannered silence Till truthfulness clanged her accent Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap about my ears

7. IMAGERY: OLFACTORY Rancid breath of public hide and speak

8. Persona The persona is a black man, who just once again experienced racism against him.

9. Addressee The landlady, who stands in for the white community, might be the poem’s intended recipient.

10. ISSUE Racism/Discrimination Racism is the social issue represented in the poem, it is the discrimination against someone’s race, skin color, etc.

11. Theme/Messages The theme heavily focuses on racism as the poet wishes to express the undeniably depressing, frustrating, and unsettling discrimination that people of color experience on the daily.

12. Images and Figures CONSONANCE The poet also used consonance which can be seen in lines like “Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled”.

13. Why do you think are imagery and figures of speech important? You can feel the words with all five senses; you can taste it, smell it, touch it, see it, and hear it. It allows you to truly feel the words in your heart; it brings out your emotions with its clever use of words. Simply put, imagery and figures of speech are highly essential in bringing the text piece to life.

14. Thank You, God Bless, and Mabuhay