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Chapter 4.9 - Wonka, Dahl, and Creative Voice
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Chapter 4.9 - Wonka, Dahl, and Creative Voice

How the holiday season hit helps us better understand style, tone, and voice

Alicia and Sarah embrace the whimsy of Roald Dahl and Willy Wonka as they discuss the holiday film Wonka. They discuss teaching the literary and writing concepts of style, tone, and voice and all of the ways Wonka captures the literary style of Roald Dahl. At the end of this week’s discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom.

Literary terms of the week: Style, Tone, Voice

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Music by Craig Harmann

Cover art by Matt Holman


Show Notes:

Literary terms of the week:

  • Style: the effect a writer can create through attitude, language, and the mechanics of writing

  • Tone: word choice in writing that impacts the way a story is told (verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

  • Voice: who the readers hear talking when they read

    • (Arguably a combination of the first two)

  • How does an author find their voice?

    • Write as they talk

    • Varying punctuation

    • Change verb tense, narrative perspective

    • Stories that speak to personal experience

  • Elements of Roald Dahl’s voice as an author

    • Orphaned, isolated child (has to break away from corrupt adults)

    • Whimsy in the midst of darkness (“The greedy beat the needy every time.”)

    • Hyperbole as satire

    • Wordplay

    • Themes: food, family, transformation, monsters, power

What are we enjoying right now?

  • Alicia: Lessons in Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus), His Dark Materials (Max)

  • Sarah: How Far to the Promised Land (Esau McCaulley), Aquaman 2 (movie)

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