Evaluate the examples and the comparisons – set up the comparison.
Please refer to Exercise 29, pp 72-73 “Making a difference”, by Jane Achton
In her Seashells article, Ms Achton draws upon her 30-year professional experience as an educator to highlight the fact that social justice often begins with small initiatives. Basing her argument on a series of real-life examples, the teacher focuses our attention on the difference individuals can make by foregrounding principles such as care and concern for others and for the world in which they live. Specifically, she sets up an analogy between the figurative “cat lady” in “All the Cats in the World” and Meg Smith, the retired teacher to show that both had the courage to pursue their moral convictions. She uses emotive language in her depiction of the “cat lady” who withstood considerable “taunting and criticism” to “care for several stray kittens down by the beach”– a description that would certainly resonate with all concerned animal lovers. Ms Achton also provides the inspirational example of her fifth grade student, Sally Hong and her planting experiences, to highlight to all primary school teachers that all young students want to “make a difference” and are keen to help if they have the right guidance. She hopes that all readers will see the connection with Desmond Tutu’s view that those who perform good deeds can “overwhelm the world”. This acts as a call to action for all educators and pupils.
(Adopting an uplifting and enthusiastic tone) Ms Achton believes /recommends that every step can make a very real difference in the quality of life of many people around the world. Critical to the development of her views/argument, is the case study depicting Meg Smith, a retired teacher who helped to establish the Pollinate Energy company. Using emotive language and a common-sense approach, Ms Achton reveals that Ms Smith took part in a scheme to deliver “cheap energy to some of the poorest people in the world”. She uses statistics, such as the reference to 20, 0000 people to show the dual purpose of the scheme, namely that the Indian people not only benefited from the three-watt solar panels, but that the environment also benefited from the reduction in 450,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions. Accordingly, Ms Achton makes a comparison between the cat lady in the picture book with Meg Smith, and uses cause-and-effect reasoning strategies to prove that small initiatives can make a big difference to the lives of the less fortunate (people or “stray” animals). This endearing depiction is likely to inspire others and encourage them to think about how they can make a difference if they have the courage and the determination to care and consider the world in which they live.
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