Voices of Modern Culture

Learning Focus:You Have Great VoiceAfter watching the latest person audition on a television show, your friendturns to you and says, “That dude’s got a great voice.” The meaning of voicein this context seems pretty clear; but what would it mean if, after readinga new story in class, your friend turned to you and said, “Wow, I love thewriter’s voice in this poem”? Or what if your teacher asked you, “How doesyour voice change in different social situations”? These last two questionsare central to the idea that “voice” is a deliberate creation, an expression ofwho you are.It is clear that there are many different factors that shape who you are. Yourfamily, the social roles you play, and the groups or subcultures you belongto all represent different areas or contexts that influence how you think andact and speak. They affect how you talk and what you talk about—in short,your voice. You probably talk and act differently in different contexts or roles.These differences help explain the concept of voice.Modifying your voice—what you talk about, the words you use to expressyourself, and the manner in which you deliver your words—is something youdo every day in speaking about different subjects to different audiences. Youtrade information with your friends differently than you persuade the adultsin your life to do what you want.In writing, as in speaking, voice is conveyed by the choices you make insubject matter, in diction, syntax, and punctuation. Crafting your writingdeliberately to communicate a certain voice illustrates the power written andspoken language has to entertain, persuade, complain, censure, praise, andamuse. Your ability to manipulate language to convey voice is central to yoursuccess as a writer, as a communicator, and as an individual.© 2011 College Board. All rights reserved.28 SpringBoard® English Textual Power Level 5