Readings: van Dijk, Frost
I think that van Dijk would use Frost’s passage as an example to convey his point that the opinions of people are very much swayed from what they see in the media. Although Van Dijk would argue that Frost’s passage lies on a micro-level of discourse, I believe that he would make the argument that Frost’s social power allowed him to influence the opinions of many others through the way in which he depicted the Appalachian people. Frost’s direct control over the context and topics within his article allow him to illustrate the Appalachian people in a way that legitimizes his personal agenda. Frost may counter this assertion by claiming that his overall purpose is to help the Appalachian people, and the tone in which he writes merely places emphasize on the idea that the Appalachian people are in need of serious assistance. Though this justification may or may not prove to be legitimate, it also plants an overwhelmingly negative impression of Appalachia in the minds of Frost’s readers. Over time, these types of connotations become normalized and ultimately evolve into a macro level of discourse about the entire Appalachian people. Similar comparisons can be made when examining letters written by European settlers justifying the colonization and exploitation of the African people.