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AQA English Language and Literature B – Unit 3

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Applying conversational theories to A Streetcar Named Desire The examination mark scheme states that a top band candidate ‘applies relevant concepts and theoretical approaches to texts’. This part of the mark scheme is assessing AO1 – ‘select and apply relevant concepts and approaches from integrated linguistic and literary study’.

Task 1 Make brief notes on the following areas to recap the main conversational theories.

Accommodation theory (Hint: Think about convergence and

divergence.)

Grice’s Maxims of conversation

(Hint: There are four which can be flouted.)

Politeness principles (Hint: Look at Leech, Goffman, Brown and Levinson, Lakoff.)

Keith and Shuttleworth (Suggestions about male

and female talk.)

Robin Lakoff (Features of women’s

language.)

Eggins and Slade (Features of story-telling and gossip.)



Task 2 Draw a second table like the one on the previous page, with the same theories and theorists in the first column.

As a class, we are going to apply the theories to the extract of conversation between Stella and Blanche in Scene 1 beginning ‘Stella, oh, Stella, Stella! Stella for Star!’ to ‘The summer Dad died and you left us …’. Use your table to make notes.

Task 3

In pairs/small groups you will be assigned one of the following extracts and be given an A3 copy of the table from Task 1 to complete with relevant ideas and examples. This will then be photocopied for the rest of the class. Remember that you will not be able to apply every theory to every extract.

Scene 2 ‘What’s all this monkey doings?’ to ‘Not sold – lost, lost!’

Scene 3 ‘Hello! The Little Boys’ Room is busy right now.’ to ‘Guess!’

Scene 4 ‘I wish you’d just let things go, at least for a – while …’ to ‘Don’t – don’t hang back with the brutes!’

Scene 5 ‘Say, do you happen to know somebody named Shaw?’ to ‘You mustn’t wait on me!’

Scene 6 ‘Sit down!’ to ‘I guess it is just that I have – old fashioned ideals!’

Scene 7 ‘So I been told.’ to ‘Yes, Blanche?’

Scene 8 ‘Stanley, tell us a joke,’ to ‘You want me to clear your places?’

Scene 9 ‘Who is it, please?’ to ‘Huh’

Scene 10 ‘How is my sister?’ to ‘Swine, huh?’

Scene 11 ‘What a pretty blue jacket.’ to ‘Please don’t get up. I’m only passing through.’

Revision idea Open the text to a random page, re-read it and note down three or four ideas relating to conversational theories that could be applied. You could use a table to record your ideas.



Task 1: Answers

Accommodation theory

(Hint: Think about convergence and

divergence.)

Howard Giles Convergence – speech moves closer to that of other person and decreases social distance (upward/downward convergence). Divergence – people’s speech styles move further apart, emphasises differences between people. Mutual convergence – both participants converge towards each other.


(Hint: There are four which can be

flouted.)

Quality – should tell truth. Quantity – should be as informative as required, information given should not be too much or too little. Relevance – relate clearly to purpose of exchange. Manner – be clear, orderly and brief, avoid obscurity and ambiguity.

Politeness principles

(Hint: Look at Leech, Goffman,

Brown and Levinson, Lakoff.)

Leech – minimise the cost and maximise the benefit to the other. Goffman – ‘face’ e.g. forms of address, formality, turn taking etc. Brown and Levinson – positive politeness (showing someone they are well-liked) and negative politeness (avoid intruding on others’ lives; indirect, apologetic and respectful). Lakoff – don’t impose, give options, make your receiver feel good.

Keith and Shuttleworth

(Suggestions about male and female

talk.)

Women – talk more, talk too much, more polite, indecisive/hesitant, complain and nag, ask more questions, support each other, more co-operative. Men – swear more, don’t talk about emotions, talk about sport more, talk about women and machines in same way, insult each other frequently, competitive in conversation, dominate conversation, speak with more authority, give more commands, interrupt more.

Robin Lakoff (Features of

women’s language.)

Hedges, use super polite forms, tag questions, speak ‘in italics’, empty adjectives, hypercorrect grammar and pronunciation, direct quotations, special lexicon, question intonation in declarative statements, imperatives, speak less frequently, overuse qualifiers, apologise more, modal constructions, avoid coarse language/expletives, indirect commands and requests, more intensifiers, lack a sense of humour.


Storytelling – women don’t tell naughty stories, men tell stories regarding embarrassing/humiliating situations more, male speakers prefer heroes as feature, women present world where problems can be shared, women relate incidents of being scared/embarrassed of violating social mores, women’s narratives bind women together. Gossip – females engage in it more than men, asserts social unity, form of social control, makes it clear what is acceptable behaviour.



Task 2: Answers

Accommodation theory

(Hint: Think about convergence and

divergence.)

Stella – slight upward convergence, uses ‘look’n’ early in extract but no use of ellipsis in this way afterwards.


(Hint: There are four which can be

flouted.)

Quality – ‘Oh what a convenient location’ – Blanche doesn’t tell the truth. Also ‘leave of absence’ – euphemism. Quantity – Blanche gives more info than required. Relevance – mentioning ‘over-light’ doesn’t relate to purpose. Manner – flouted by Blanche, utterances not ordered or brief and ambiguous about leave of absence.

Politeness principles

(Hint: Look at Leech, Goffman,

Brown and Levinson, Lakoff.)

Leech – no tact used by Blanche: ‘you’ve put on some weight’. Goffman – appropriate forms of address e.g. ‘honey’, ‘baby’. Brown and Levinson – Stella uses negative politeness, ‘I thought you’d volunteer that information’ and Stella uses various compliments e.g. ‘You look just fine’.

Keith and Shuttleworth

(Suggestions about male and female

talk.)

Blanche talks a lot, asks questions and complains whereas Stella is polite and supportive.

Robin Lakoff (Features of

women’s language.) Blanche – correct grammar and use of modal constructions.


Blanche – one example of storytelling (‘Mr Graves’) but very brief – perhaps more idle chat?

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