Delhi Safari - Alex's Speech SOAPSTONE Technique

Who is the voice telling the story?  Who is he representing?

• Alex, a parrot.

• Alex, a parrot is speaking on behalf of the animals.  

"We may come from the jungle, but you look like savages to me." This line is an example of what persuasive appeal?

• Ethical appeal- morals and credibility.

• Pathos-emotional appeals.

• Logos-logical appeals.  This is your argument/claim and support. 

O- of SOAPSTONES is for OCCASION.  The occasion can address many things.  Some are the time, place, and setting of the piece.  If it is something major in history, you are more specific with your answer.  In this case, it is simply what is happening that is forcing Alex to speak to the humans.  

O- What is happening that is forcing Alex to speak to the humans?

• Due to deforestation, humans are taking over their land and they have nowhere to go and are getting killed and bulldozed by the machines.  

• Humans are inconsiderate.

A of SOAPSTONES is for the audience.

Who is the target audience?  Who is Alex speaking to for change?

 

• The people of Delhi.

• The people and leaders of Delhi.

P of Soapstones is for PURPOSE.

What does Alex want to accomplish with his speech to the people of Delhi?

*You always want to support your purpose with text evidence. 

You will always have STAAR questions and Commonlit questions with those new strands that have part I and part II.  If you do this, it keeps you from second-guessing yourself and rushing. 

• Alex wants to share the world. 

• Alex wants Delhi to realize they need to come together in peace and share the world. He pleads, "We only have one world, let's share it in peace for all of our sakes." (Alex, Delhi Safari)  

The other S  of SOAPSTONES is for SUBJECT.

What are the general topics/and/or/ideas contained in the text?

 

• Fighting for land.

• Destruction of Delhi

• Deforestation in Delhi.

T of SOAPSTONES is for TONE

On this one when we do it on paper, I have the rule of five.  I have students write five-tone words and highlight and write text evidence for the top one. 

This is where I go back sometimes and reread key tone areas.  

Areas like "We may come from the jungle, but you are the real savages." or "A cub shouldn't have to plea for his life." "We only have one world, let's share it in peace for all of our sakes."  

Based on the text evidence I have provided, I am going to put my five-tone word in the choices and see if you can pick the top one. That the evidence would support.  

 

• Anxious 

• Serious

• Pleading

• Menacing

• Inspirational

The next S and final S of SOAPSTONES is for structure.  The structure is from the beginning to the end of the speech as a whole.  

Compare contrast, cause and effect, problem-solution, or chronological order.

• There is not a timeline for structure.  If it were a documentary showing over time and persuading by showing the forests changed then it would be chronological. 

• Cause and effect

• Problem-solution

  Does it start with the problem and end with a solution?

  What were Alex's last words?

  "Share the world."

• Was it comparing and contrasting from beginning to end?  There was only one line: "We may come from the jungle, but you are the real savages." But is that as a whole from beginning to end?  Remember, this is from beginning to end when you are looking for structure. 

How do you think this strategy will help you with any state testing?  How do you think it will help with comprehension and understanding what you have read or heard? 

Why does the director show the changes in Delhi?  How might this connect to the message?