Pygmalion By George Bernard Shaw
Distinctive voice refers to a variety of voice types and the function that voice plays In different texts. The personality or position of a speaker or character is reflected through voice. Distinctive voice can be used to represent an Issue, a group of people, a set of values, a point of view or a variety of perspectives. All people have a distinctive voice; our voice Is developed and changed through our experiences, interactions and understanding of the world. The language, the purpose and the manner of a distinctive voice influences audiences in, subtle, direct and powerful says.
In the text Pygmalion; George Bernard Shaw has created and utilized incredibly distinctive voices to communicate the themes of his play, the being character transformation and the distinguishing parameters of social class. The transformation of Elise Doolittle from a poor flower girl to a lady of society depends upon her ability to speak phonetically correct- as identified by English society in the 20th century. The entire play centers on the transformation of the “flower girl’, that of her voice and of her manners as a way of defining her social class and life opportunities.
The voice of Shaw Is evident throughout the play and Is shown through the voice of the characters. Anthony Browne uses the voices of the characters within the picture book Voices In The Park to Impress upon the reader the Inequity and limitations of social class and division. The voice of the children is used to show the innocence and disregard for such division, where as the adults are used to show the pre-conceived and unjustified beliefs relating to social class. Elijah’s transformation is evident in the third act when she visits Mrs. Higgins at her “at home day”, “How do you do Mrs. Higgins?
Elijah’s dialogue, full sentences and correct pronunciation demonstrate her metamorphosis. In Voices in the park Anthony Browne uses the voices of each character to retell the same event that being a parent take their child and the family pet to the park. Each voice is used to retell the event from an individual perspective. The division that social class can create Is explored through the distinctive voices within the text. Browne uses written and visual clues to give the readers an Insight Into each character. Shaw makes use of articulation and word pronunciation to characterize class division between the characters in the play.
Browne gives each character their own distinctive voice through their use of language. Their social class is reflected through the correct use of grammar and choice of words. The mother who represents the middle-class speaks in full and correct sentences; she speaks with authority and in a judgmental way, “You get some frightful types in the park these days” she is making reference to the unemployed father. Her words are critical and harsh. Shaw used the character Elise Doolittle and her transformation and social class to create a distinctive voice. Both Shaw and Browns characters successfully explore distinctive voices.
Shaw Involves the audience to think deeply about his provocative Ideas by utilizing humor. The harsh words of Higgins are often humorous and rarely affect the Intended target. He calls Elise a “splashed cabbage leaf’ and an “Incarnate Insult to the English language” the audience can not help but laugh, aware of his good natured insults. The humor used encourages the Voices In The Park who we know is unemployed, and his daughter both speak colloquially and less formally than the mother and her son. “l needed to get out of the house, so me and Smudge took the dog to the park”, “He went straight up to this evolve dog and sniffed its bum… The daughter is also Judgmental; explaining that she thought the boy “… Was a bit of a wimp at first” indicating that she had prejudiced him based on how he looked and spoke. Browne also uses the distinctive voice of each character to compare their experiences and feelings. The unemployed father who has much to be worried about in his life tries to look at things in a positive way. He looks through the newspaper for a Job and remains hopeful of getting one. He has enjoyed his time at the park and the time he has spent with his daughter.
In contrast he mother is frustrated by her visit to the park with her son. The scruffy mongrel’s dog bothering her pedigree dog frustrated her and the fact that she does not speak to her son as they walk home from the park. Her lack of voice here indicates that her experience was not one she wished not to talk or think about. It is evident that in Shaw five act play Pygmalion and Anthony Browner picture book Voices In the Park social class and transformation are key themes displaying recognizable and distinct voices. Everyone has a distinctive voice but are we too quick too Judge somebody by theirs?
