Module B: Speeches

Since the spoken word is claimed to be the most powerful form of communication the study of
how a speech conveys ideas and how it effects or is received by an audience is very useful to
us. All three speeches
- Paul Keatings eulogy: funeral for the Unknown Australian Soldier
- Margret Atwoods: spotty handed villainesses
- Aung San Suu Kyiis speech at the Beijing International conference for women
Use rhetorical devices to inherent social, political and/or historical value which are of timeless
relevance.
Speeches are important because
1. They move people and so make political change possible
2. They record for the future our interpretation of our world
3. They make us accountable for our promises
1. In order for the content of the speech to be appreciated and the listeners attention to be
sustained the speech needs to move the audience. Through rhetorical language techniques
and by structure, universal themes become presented which in return appeals to the
audience.
Paul Keating: Prime Minister Paul Keating delivered and spoke the soldiers eulogy on
Remembrance Day 1993, Australia. The eulogy celebrated the spirit of the ceremony which
commemorated and honoured the Unknown Australian Soldier and the individuals he
represented.
The speech raised issues of patriotism and national identity, war and peace and honour and
remembrance through the very precise deliverance of his speech.
- Keating draws on unification between the speaker, Unknown Soldier and audience
through its immediate use of inclusive pronouns; We do not know this Australians
name and we never will and struck patriotic and nationalistic chords with the
audience through the complimented short sentence structure; he is all of them and
he is one of us.
- This became the most memorable effect of the speech as it which whilst maintained
the sombre tone necessary for a eulogy and allowed the audience to take time to
reflect.
Keating appealed to his audience and fulfilled the function of the state occasion in honouring
the memory of the Unknown Australian soldier through
citing various Australian characteristics with colloquial language: endure hardship,
to show courage... stick together... bonds of mateship
Personalising and giving the Unknown soldier humanised characteristics, religion,
occupation, birth place, past; we do not know his age or his circumstances
- Alluding to the ANZAC story; at the heart of the ANZAC story the Australian legend
which emerged from the war
These techniques generated an increasing amount of pride within the population bringing
itself back to the core values and universal themes all Australians can relate to.
Margret Atwood: Is a distinct writer in literature who is respected by many highly educated
intellectual women for addressing the important issues of women in society yet in an
entertaining, informative and academic manner. Her speech was spoken at various
universities in 1994 where she explores the dichotomy of life vs. art (literature) and the
portrayal of gender roles in literature.
- She makes the audience see a different side to society rather than inspire the
masses.
Atwoods point is that there exist wicked women as there exist wicked men in real life
therefore literature has to reflect real life and portray women in these cases negatively;

literature cannot do without bad behaviour, but was all bad behaviour to be reserved for
men?
- Uses allusions both religiously; who created Adam so subject to temptation...leads
me to believe that God- who is among other things an author and within literature;
Was it all to be I ago and Medusa and Medea... and spotty handed Lady Macbeth
to highlight what literature is and which gender roles take part in todays society
- The reference and quoting of the rhyme at the begging in of the speech; when she
was good she was very very good and when she was bad she was horrid shows the
polarization between behavioural views.
- Her absurd humour and informal, light hearted tone lead her to the central spine of
her argument as she explores the dichotomy of life vs. Literature; Life is short, art is
long, motives complex and human nature is endlessly fascinating that the
idealised representation of women role models creates a disconnection with reality.
2. Composers write about the need for political change which reflected societies (responders
of the time) desire for a social revolution. It reflects how the context helps present
values/ideas/themes
Aung San Suu Kyi: Had the purpose of been Keynote speaker at the 4th World conference
for women. The purpose alongside her speech was to; voice some of the common hopes
which firmly invites us in all our splendid diversity and claims her speech is about peace,
security, human rights and democracy... in the context of the participation of women in
politics
- The speech itself is passionate, poignant and poetic in her modest and humble tone;
regaining of my freedomduty on me to work for the freedom and her poetic
rhetorical talent portrays her as an intelligent and emancipated new woman as she
emphasis on abstract concepts of peace and freedom; without tolerance,
foundations for human democracy and respect for human rights cannot be
strengthened and the achieved of peace will remain exclusive.
- The fact that she speaks in such a non violent manner becomes inspirational as the
purpose of her house arrest comes from an in just and violent perspective.
- To illustrate her fight for womens rights and recognition she refers to an ancient
allegory; outmoded Burmese proverb... the dawn rises only when the rooster
crows
- By appealing to the audiences cultural and religious values she illustrates how
women too can play a part in bringing change
- She also uses strong emotive language whenever discussing the role of women in
society with truly women understanding... no war was ever started by women
which is contrasted to the use of negative, emotive language to reduce the
contribution of men; spending less on the war toys of grown men.
- This further provokes progress, pride and hope within the role of women in todays
society.
Today San Kyi is received as a national and international pioneer of womens rights as her
personal story of self sacrifice and portrayal of empowerment of women guarantees a
timeless appreciation.