Reel War – Movies & Language
Mass Media, especially the news, film and now video games – are littered with the language of war. We are all aware of these terms, but to what extent has this particular lexicon worked its way into our everyday lives? Although war itself is unfortunately a daily occurrence, how then have we become so laissez-faire and apathetic in the face of these atrocities?
How does the “language of war” permeate our everyday life?
Significant Concept: Communication is a source of power, it is key to expression and organization.
TOK Links:
Ways of Knowing: Language, Emotion, Reason, Sensory Perception
Areas of Knowledge: Ethics, The Arts, History, Human Sciences
You will study a range of media that explore issues of humanity, culture, society and perspective with regard to the guiding questions:
Advertising:
Propaganda Posters & Recruitment advertisements throughout the years
TV and Movies:
Glory (1989) Dir. Edward Zwick
Passchendaele (2008) Dir Paul Gross
Platoon (1986) Dir Oliver Stone
Three Kings (1999) Dir David O. Russell
M.A.S.H. TV series (1972-1983)
Novels:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Noer
War Poetry:
Flanders Field by J McRae
Not to Keep by R. Frost
Aftermath by Siegfried Sassoon
Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen
America by Claude McKay
I, Too, Sing America by Langston Hughes
Assessments:
- FOA
- Written Task 1
Types of Text
Poetry, novel, Manifesto, cartoon, photograph, film/tv, news report, radio broadcast, speeches, letters (informal)
Literary Terminology:
Point of view, tone, structure, setting, mood, character arcs, diction, allusion, figurative language
Lang & Lit Classroom 