Style. Style is the manner in which something is said or written. Style is commonly broken down into three levels: high style for formal occasions or lofty subjects; middle style for ordinary occasions or subjects; and low style for extremely informal occasions or subjects. Factors that influence style include sentence structure and diction.
Diction. Diction, when applied to writing, refers to word choice. Diction can be formal or informal, simple or complex, ordinary or unusual. Writers can modify style and diction to match a particular purpose or audience. As you read “The Challenger Disaster,” think about the diction and style of the speech. Does the speaker use formal or informal language? Are the speaker’s points and ideas concrete or abstract? How complex are the speaker’s sentences?
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• History Connection. On January 28, 1986, an explosion destroyed the space shuttle Challenger less than two minutes after liftoff. Six astronauts and teacher Christa McAuliffe, the first observer aboard a shuttle launch, were killed in the disaster. Classrooms in many schools aired live coverage of the takeoff, and thousands of young people watched as the shuttle exploded in midair. The disaster was the most serious accident ever in the history of the U.S. space program. A later study showed that defective rubber seals on booster rockets caused the explosion. Shortly after this tragedy, President Ronald Reagan delivered this speech.
• Speeches, unlike most kinds of writing, are rarely associated with the writer. Instead, speeches are most often associated with the speaker. Peggy Noonan took credit for the speeches she wrote, an uncommon practice for speech writers.
• Science Connection. Following the tragic explosion of the Challenger, families of the shuttle’s crew members founded the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, an organization focused on forging interest in math, science, and technology among American young people. More than 35 Challenger Learning Centers across the nation provide students and teachers with the opportunity to fly in simulated space missions and take part in a variety of other activities. Students and teachers can explore the Challenger Center Internet site at www.challenger.org.
If a national tragedy occurred, would you want to talk about it with your family and friends? Why, or why not?
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