POLITICAL OR SOCIAL COMMENTARY EXAMPLE 2

Online bullying is a growing problem in the UK. Three celebrities have spoken out about their experience.

Zayn Malik was targeted by cyberbullies whilst he was part of One Direction.

‘Nasty things [were said] like I’m a terrorist, and this and that. How can you justify that? How can you call me that and get away with it? You can say whatever you want about me, I’m not really bothered, but when it starts to upset people I care about or I hear about it from my mum, then that’s a problem.’

Olly Alexander from Years and Years has spoken about negative comments he has received online after appearing on TV.

‘I don’t understand why people @ me on Twitter to say ‘Olly Alexander can’t sing’ or ‘Olly Alexander, you’re ugly as ****’. If we’ve been on TV I don’t go on Twitter for a while after’

Selena Gomez has spoken about negative experiences she has had on Instagram.

‘I delete the app from my phone at least once a week. Imagine all the insecurities that you already feel about yourself and having someone write a paragraph pointing out every little thing, even if it’s just physical.’

Part 1

Using the events above as a stimulus, you have two minutes to create a character connected to the scenario. In the scenario is your character:

• A defender • A perpetrator • Neutral/caught in the middle • The accuser/victim

Once you have made that decision you have 10 minutes to answer the following questions to help you to start writing your monologue.

1. How has your character been affected by the event?

2. What does your character know about the event and what do they reveal in their monologue?

3. Is there anything your character doesn’t know?

4. To whom is your character speaking?

5. What does your character want to achieve? What do they want from the person to whom they are speaking or the audience? Sympathy, forgiveness, punishment, for the person to know they have won or lost?

6. Does your character lie or tell the truth? When are they lying or telling the truth and why?

7. Decide if your character uses, and how they use, persuasion, comedy or emotion?

Part 2

Once you have answered each of these questions try freewriting your monologue to see what you come up with. Read over your work and consider how your monologue might have turned out differently if you had chosen a different perspective on the event.