The Hidden Power of Connotations

Overview
This is a lesson designed to make students aware of words’ connotations and how they might be used in the persuasive writing technique of name-calling. There are several separate exercises that can be done all in one class period or over a series of days to reinforce the meaning.

Objectives
Student will be able to define connotation and describe how to use it as a persuasive technique.

Standards Addressed
Language Arts — Writing Standards

Writing Applications, Benchmark E

Grades 8, 9 and 10

05. Write persuasive compositions that:

• Establish and develop a controlling idea.

• Support arguments with detailed evidence.

• Exclude irrelevant information.

• Cite sources of information.

 

Communications: Oral and Visual, Listening and Viewing — Benchmark B

Grades 8, 9 and 10

02. Identify and analyze the persuasive techniques used in presentations and media messages.

Procedure
Work through the following exercises as time, choice and need allows.

Exercise 1

1. Pass out blank, unlined paper and make sure all students have writing tools. Tell them they must remain completely silent during this exercise because even a small sound from them can change the outcome. Explain how, if you told them to draw a dog and someone yapped like a small Chihuahua, influence how they draw their pictures. Therefore, for the exercise to be successful, they must remain silent.

2. Tell the students that you are going to say a word and they should do their best to draw it. It can be comical or cartoonish, but it must be large enough on the paper to be seen from the front of the room. They are not allowed to ask questions or get clarification; they may not check each others’ papers. They must simply draw. When everyone is clear with the instructions, say the word “Bertha” and allow students time to draw.

3. Collect papers individually, putting the ones on top that best depict an obese female.

4. Show some of the pictures to the class and follow up with discussion: Why did so many people draw pictures of overweight, ugly-looking women? Possible answers include: The name rhymes with earth. There is a large golf club named The Big Bertha. There is a large gun called Big Bertha. There is a fishing rod by the same name. Big and Bertha are alliterative.

5. Tell the class that you have twin daughters, Bertha and Tina, who are going to a school dance. Ask any boy in the class which one he’d escort. The obvious choice will be Tina.

6. Lead discussion: What visual image do the students get for a girl named Tina? Possible answers will include: It sounds like Tiny. “T” is a quick and delicate sound, compared to the “B” in Bertha. “T” tinkles and “B” bombs. Point out that you said the girls were twins, but they still visualized two very different images.

7. Stress that some words have attachments much like the attachment device on e-mail. There is the exact text meaning, but then a picture opens up. Those attached pictures that go along with some words are called connotations.

Exercise 2

1. Ask the class to think of other names that have common connotations. A child named Brittany might make them think of Britney Spears, for example. The name Homer might make them think of Homer Simpson or the classical poet Homer. Chris Crutcher, a popular author of teen books, has a character named Mark Brittain whose siblings are Matthew, Luke, John and Mary. What is he suggesting about this family just by giving them these names? Keeping all that in mind, where do our connotations originate? Answers might include: popular culture, classical culture, historical influence, Biblical influence and music.

2. Have students write a definition of connotation in their own words. Review them to check for comprehension. Have the class work together to create a definition. Have students put that definition with examples in their notes.

Exercise 3

1. Review the definition of a connotation. Choose which of the following scenarios will work best for your class, write the choices on the board and have students discuss the effects:

   I’m going to have a conference with your parents. Do you want me to tell them you made an error, a mistake, a blunder, a miscalculation, a goof or a boo-boo? Why?

   You and your peers decide to protest the quality of the cafeteria food. You are going to skip lunch and go outside to stand along the street with signs asking for a change in your selections. The local press has been alerted. Would you like the reporter to refer to you as teens, hoodlums, rabble-rousers, freedom fighters, protesters, demonstrators, activists, marchers, a mob, a crowd or rioters? Can a reporter alter how listeners might feel about you by choosing particular words with an awareness of connotation? Should he or she?

   Would you rather own a dog, puppy, mongrel, hound or canine? What’s the difference? Which word would you use to sell the animal? Why?

   Parents are typically referred to as mother and father, mom and dad, mama and papa, ma and pa and mommy and daddy. What’s the difference?

2. What are the differences here: female, girl, lass, gal, lady, woman, dame, broad, doll, hottie and chick? Which gives the most intelligent connotation? Which the oldest? Which is most likely to smoke, drink and swear? Which cares most about a career? Now do the same with male, boy, lad, babe, chap, gentleman, man, dude, hunk and guy.
3. Review how connotations, especially the unspoken pictures they create, can be powerful persuaders.

Exercise 4

1. Explain that you are going to have students create a visual picture in their minds. They are not to talk while you do — they should work to create an exact picture in their minds. Ask them to picture a 19-year-old male sitting on the front porch of his own house during a summer day. He is playing a guitar. Now ask students to visualize the details. Remind them not to speak, just get clear pictures. What is he wearing? What kind of hair does he have? How is he seated? What does the porch look like? The porch furniture? Any flowers? What drink is on the table beside him? What car is in the driveway? What does the landscaping look like? The mailbox? The neighboring houses?

2. Tell the class that you are going to make one change in the picture: the guitar is now a banjo. Ask what happened to their visual pictures? Why? Both are stringed instruments, so why the abrupt change in the overall scene and feeling? Are such connotative changes valid or real? Probably not, but they strong.

3. Conclude that connotations can be subtle, sneaky and unfair, but there is no doubt of their power.

Exercise 5

1. Ask students if they’d wash their faces with a soap called Pigeon. The word dove is associated with spiritualism, Aphrodite, love, Valentine’s Day, peace, good chocolate … pigeon is associated with statues and window ledges.

Exercise 6

1. Have the class visualize walking through their favorite grocery store and looking at the various product names. Are advertisers trying to influence purchasing decisions through the use of connotations? Why is a brand of butter called Land O Lakes instead of Yellow Grease? Why Snuggle? White Rain? Tide? Why is “farm fresh” used when everyone knows it is actually “factory fresh”?

2. Now have the class think of car makes and models. Why Mustang? Viper? Explorer? Navigator? Mercury? Ram? Why not drive something named Pillow or Twinkle?

3. Can connotations be used to persuade and influence you if you’re not aware of them? How powerful are these names? Can they separate an unaware person from his or her money?

Exercise 7

1. Explain how during the 1950s, Americans sometimes feared the advance of communism as a threat to democracy. Senator McCarthy worked very hard to find and get rid of any hidden pockets of communism in this country. He often referred to the Communist belief system as “The Yellow Stain.” This is name-calling that relies heavily on connotation. Have the class discuss connotations that this phrase might have created, such as the following:

   A bigoted reference to skin color

   The idea that yellow is associated with cowardice

   The image of someone urinating in his pants and how that is shameful

   The relationship of the color yellow to urine, suggesting something spreading farther and farther

   The word stain suggests something that shouldn’t be there

   It suggests something that will be tough to fight

   Unaware people don’t take the time to dissect the term; they just feel and react to the negativity, so McCarthy’s strategy was successful for awhile

Evaluation
Distribute the Connotations handout for the students to complete. Instruct them to rewrite the paragraph given and purposely load it with words with strong connotations. They should underline all of their changes.

Changes such as adding adjectives (example: liberal) and changing verbs (example: spoke changed to whined) and nouns (example: issue changed to disaster) would be worth one point apiece.

10-12 points or effective changes = good understanding and awareness coupled with effort = A

7-9 points or effective changes = solid understanding and awareness = B

4-6 points or effective changes = comprehension = C

1-3 points of effective changes = may not understand completely = D