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Telephone Conversation - Coggle Diagram
Telephone Conversation
Structure
free verse, dialogue format, sparse punctuation (minimalistic, spaced evenly)
Tone
cautious, uneasy to mocking, witty...general: frustrated, ironic, sarcastic, conversational
Themes
Racism and prejudice, power and inequality, communication and misunderstanding, identity and dignity
Mood
uncomfortable, anxious anticipation
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1.
The price seemed reasonable, location
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But self-confession. ‘Madam’ I warned,
Last thing to do is admit his race (seen as shameful or problematic when it isn't -- he hasn't done any crime -- irony); he knows racism is an issue and feels the need to say it so that he doesn't get rejected later
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Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
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2.
Lipstick coated, long gold rolled
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OR VERY DARK?’ Button B, Button A. Stench
She is asking him to choose between identities (not that simple) and forcing him to categorise himself into a racial group; also the buttons in the phone booth
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3.
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
She is rude by being silent; speaker is embarrassed; Irony: earlier she was "well-bred" but now her silence is rude; pretending to be polite but is actually racist
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Considerate she was, varying the emphasis -
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Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
She is cold and harsh; treats race like a scientific measurement instead of meeting person and seeing them for who they truly are
impersonality . Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
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4.
I chose. ‘West African sepia’ - and as an afterthought,
"sepia" is a shade of brown; doesn't answer directly; uses sophisticated words to show absurdity of this question; making fun of her obsession with skin tone
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Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
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‘THAT’S DARK, ISN’T IT?’ ‘Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see
5.
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused -
hyperbole: exaggerates differences between skin tones; Since she is so obsessed over his race, he jokingly describes different body parts as different colours (sarcasm)
Foolishly, madam - by sitting down, had turned
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About my ears - ‘Madam’ I pleaded, ‘wouldn’t you rather
See for yourself?’
He is offering her a chance to look past her prejudice and see him for his personality and who he is as a person
Sarcasm
Instead of getting angry, the speaker uses sarcasm and humour to expose her racism, make her feel embarrassed and gain power in the conversation
"Considerate she was"; ‘You mean - like plain or milk chocolate?’; "West African sepia"; "Palm of my hand, soles of my feet are a peroxide blond."; "My bottom raven black"
mock/making fun of her obsession with race; not directly answering her; showing absurdity of her question