Ode to Cauliflower
If you love this nutrient-rich veggie, you might appreciate the evolutionary effort that created it.
November 2022 Paper 1
- An article written by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl for the online magazine Experience Life
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this
text?
• Before you begin planning your response, read the title and
strapline again...
What is an ode? Why is this an odd and engaging word to choose? What
does it suggest the writer feels about cauliflowers?
-Odes are structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature
intellectually as well as emotionally, classic odes are separated into three
Look at the word choices in the strapline . What tone is being created?
-Curiosity and appreciation
What do the title and strapline lead the reader to expect from the article?
- An article about how cauliflower was formed and certain facts
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this
text?
• This question is broad and encompasses many aspects of the
article. You need to avoid having an unfocused list of features in
your response...
What are the different approaches that you could take to focus
and organise your response?
- Focusing on the structure of the article and how the tone may differ from section to section
rather than being a set tone all the way through, each paragraph I write on being on a
different section rather than a run through of the entire article
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this text?
• Now read the article again...
If you had to sum up the article's content, and the writer's attitude in just
three points, what would you say? (Criterion A)
Introduction to the cauliflower, what it is
How the cauliflower came to life, how it
was formed
How cauliflowers are seemingly a miracle of
flavor
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this text?
• Your three points can form the focus for your response. (Criterion C)
• You can build your analysis of diction and imagery around these points. (Criterion B)
• Identify the main features of imagery and diction that support your three focus
points.
Punctuation, different sentence lengths,
exaggeration
personification
An awe tone, excitement
- The image...
Annotate the illustration by identifying features and making brief points about their connotations and impact.
- Monotone color Platte other
than the cabbage’s green
leaves and the lady’s shirt
- Smirk on the girl’s face
happiness, intrigued
- Multiple portraits of
cauliflower hard to dismiss
the point of the article
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this text?
• Now you are ready to write your introduction and thesis statement.
Identify the article and author. (1 sentence)
Give an overview of what the article is about. (1 or 2 sentences)
Write your thesis (the focus of your response). (1 or 2 sentences)
Finally, write 2 paragraphs in response to the Guiding Question.
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this text?
• Paragraph 1:
Grumdahl’s article "Ode to Cauliflower" instills a sense of wonder and amazement through her lively
diction and enthusiastic tone, which permeates the narrative of the vegetable's historical journey.
Phrases like "superstar veggie status" and "thorny cauliflower flower" not only add a vibrant character
to the cauliflower but also encapsulate the author's admiration for its transformation from a wild plant
to a culinary favorite. Grumdahl amplifies this excitement by drawing the reader into her sense of
marvel, suggesting that when one tastes a whole head of cauliflower, it’s akin to "feasting on a roasted
rose." This vivid imagery and joyful tone create an engaging reading experience, leaving readers with
an enhanced appreciation for the cauliflower.
– How and to what effect are diction and imagery used in this text?
• Paragraph 2:
Grumdahl’s use of personification breathes life into the cauliflower, making it more than just a subject
of botanical interest; it becomes a character in its own right. The cauliflower is depicted as performing
actions typically attributed to humans, such as "earning superstar veggie status," which conjures an
image of the cauliflower on a stage, basking in the spotlight of culinary fame. Additionally, the author
imagines the cauliflower as a guest at the Thanksgiving table, elevating it from a mere side dish to the
centerpiece of a festive occasion. These personified descriptions are not only charming but serve to
build a narrative that the cauliflower has its own story and legacy, which Grumdahl celebrates with
each sentence, thus fostering a connection between the reader and this ordinary, yet extraordinary,
vegetable.
