Purpose

DEANE:
The speech serves to
mourn and pray
with the community
for their loved ones
who have died in the
accident. It also acts
to unify Switzerland
and Australia in this
time of tragedy.

PEARSON:
Pearsons speech
envisages a
harmonious
reconciliation of
Aborigines for peace
within society

Context
Presented in a time
of great tragedy
after the death of
twenty-one
individuals from six
different nations in a
wakeboarding
incident.

Delivered in 1996 to
an academic
audience at the
University of
Western Sydney as
he criticizes the
black armband view
of Australian history
that Howard
purported days prior

Theme/Value/Idea
Unity

Unity

Technique
Inclusive language &
repetition
We

Effect
Unifies the audience for the
common purpose of mourning the
lost loved ones.

Hyperbole
Switzerland has been in
every Australian home

Communicates the closeness of both

Australia and Switzerland after the
tragedy.

Irony
the disaster has [brought]
our two countries closer
together

Emphasises how ironically, a

negative event has successfully
unified the countries

Literary allusion to John

Donnes poetry
No man is an island
Direct language and
cumulative listing
You have taken from us
not just our land and not
just all of the icons of
indigenous Australia

Suggests how all humans constitute

humanity, further exemplifying the
unification of the countries involved.
Establishes the divide between
Aboriginals and Australians through
the incriminating diction of you,
highlighting the loss of important
Aboriginal totems and artifacts.

Repetitious inclusive
language
our nation, we

Cleverly weaved throughout the

speech to purport Pearsons belief
that the correction of past injustices
will unite the nation through
reconciliation

Political references
open our hearts

Reception
- Very well received
in bringing together
the nations
- Presented Australia
in a very positive
international light
- Not so relevant
today, however the
theme/value of
unification still
resonates as we
strive for the idea of
peace

Reinforces the importance of unity

between the Australian populace to
achieve reconciliation.

Highly successful in
addressing and
raising issues of
reconciliation and
unity of Aborigines
Requires
factual/cultural
understanding for
relevance today
International view
of just promoting
justice & unity

SUU KYI:
Suu Kyi promotes
the liberation of
women from gender
constraints to help
them fulfill their role
as peacekeepers

BANDLER:

Although detained
under house arrest,
Suu Kyis speech,
broadcasted via
video, facilitates for
a greater sense of
intimacy with the
audience.

Gender equality

Paradox
celebration of the struggle
of women to influence the
fate of our global village

Emphasises the universality of the

issue of gender equality

Positive diction, maternal

imagery
nurturing, protecting an
caring

Highlights the positive role that

women have had on society

Tone of conviction,
inclusive language
we can together strive to
identify and remove the
impediments to human
development everywhere

Reinforces her belief that such

gender discrimination hinders the
development of society and that the
nurturing qualities of women must
be recognised and adopted

Very well received

as speaker is an
icon for non-violent
political change and
the elimination of
human suffering
and exploitation