Speeches_Hsc_2010

‘The value of great speeches is that they effectively convey important ideas that continue to speak to us.’ To what extent does your interpretation of TWO of the prescribed speeches support this view' Selected Speeches: Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, Statement to the Knesset, 20 November, 1977. Translated from Hebrew. Prime Minister, The Hon. P.J. Keating MP, Remembrance Day Speech, Eulogy at the Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier, 11 November, 1993. When the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat addressed the Israeli parliament on November 20, 1977, he planted a seed for peace and a hope for a better future in the Middle East. The frankness and sincerity in Sadat’s words led to peace between Egypt and Israel and inspired peace between Israel and Jordan, and today, as the conflict ebbs and flows in the region, his seed of hope remains, not dormant but still to fully germinate. From the eulogy at “The Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier” delivered sincerely and sombrely by Prime Minister Keating in 1993, a timeless tribute has been formed in the minds of all Australians and an enduring message that “in the sacrifice of the men and women whose names are recorded here, there is faith enough for all of us.” With the use of various rhetorical devices, combined with sincerity, honesty and commitment, Sadat and Keating have effectively conveyed the important ideas in their speeches by successfully engaging not only their audiences but those of the future. In 1973, Egypt, together with Syria, engaged in a war with Israel in an attempt to reclaim parts of the Sinai Peninsular, which had been subjugated by Israel in the Six Day War in 1967. The Arab-Israeli conflict has been an epic struggle within the Middle East since biblical times and with Sadat’s victory, Egyptian morale was restored which then enabled him to initiate his Nobel Prize winning peace proposal of 1977. Sadat employed strong rhetorical techniques to convey his idea of a “permanent peace based on justice” to what would have been at the time a relatively suspicious and in part, hostile audience; not only the Knesset to whom he was addressing, but his own colleagues, the Palestinian people and Arab heads of state who objected vociferously to any form of talks or negotiations with the Israelis. The use of religious and emotive language is foremost in Sadat’s speech; by beginning with “Peace and the mercy of God Almighty be upon you and may peace be for us all, God willing,” Sadat is appealing to the religious sentiments of the Jewish people and thus finding common ground with his audience. He states he comes to them on “solid ground”, the land they all share regardless of their religion and continues to refer to ‘God’ as the common denominator between them, the one who judges them all and decides their ultimate fate. The phrase “permanent peace based on justice” is repeated throughout the speech to reinforce this most important idea to his audience; one that is relevant to all humanity and is still relevant today and into the future. Through imagery, Sadat paints a gruesome scene of life without peace with harsh and vivid words describing the “horrors of shocking and destructive wars”. These words are also repeated to impact upon the listener by reinforcing the image of the devastation of war in the minds of his audience. The metaphors, the “huge wall of a continuously inflammable and escalating psychological warfare” and the barrier of “suspicion”, “rejection” and “fear of deception” add emphasis to the desolate picture he has already embedded in the minds of his audience of an existence without permanent peace. The depressing imagery of “the ruins of what mankind has built and the remains of the victims of mankind” juxtaposed with the hopeful image of “a smile on the face of every child born on our land” relieve this tension by providing the alternative outcome that appeals to a common value and goal of all humanity - “permanent peace based on justice.” Sadat’s rhetorical question “Why should we bequeath to the coming generations the plight of bloodshed, death, orphans, widowhood, family disintegration and the wailing of victims'” marries the two nations into one people and completes his canvas of a life without “permanent peace based on justice”. Sadat knew that his historical address to the Knesset would be scrutinised and judged by every nation on the planet and to be successful in his goal of initiating peace in the Middle East he needed to be honest, confident, forthright and sincere. He continually reinforced this throughout his speech repeating the words “frank”, “sincerity”, “honesty” and “truth”. Through imperative statements he boldly declared his audience had to face reality as he had done; “There can never be any solution to a problem by evading it or turning a deaf ear to it”, and “It is useless to create obstacles. Otherwise the march of peace will be impeded or peace will be blown up.” Sadat went to the Knesset with a plan and a solution that he effectively presented to his audience through enumeration. By structuring his arguments “The first fact”, “The second fact” and so on, he clearly stated a situation “which no one can deny”. Using “First”, “Second,” and “Equally” he was direct, frank and sincere with his purpose. Sadat’s five point concept for a peace agreement was straightforward, fundamental and achievable. Sadat ensured that his audience clearly understood his principal of land for peace; end the occupation of Arab territories and Israel’s security would be ensured. Anwar Sadat’s address to the Knesset was undeniably a great speech not only of it’s time, but for all times. His rhetoric clearly presented an image of life with and without a “permanent peace based on justice”. His arguments were honest and decisive, his solution sincere and achievable. His openness and honesty made it possible for formal negotiations to continue between the two parties to attempt to secure peace in the Middle East. The recent blockade by the Israeli’s in the Gaza is a timely example that Sadat’s speech will continue to convey his message of “peace based on justice” to all nations and be relevant to the current and future members of the Knesset and the Palestinian people; should they choose to listen. Prime Minister Paul Keating delivered the Eulogy at the Funeral Service of the Unknown Australian Soldier, on Remembrance Day, 1993; seventy five years to the day after the guns of World War I went silent. The purpose of Keating’s speech at the time was to commemorate and reflect on the selfless sacrifice made by thousands of unknown Australian soldiers who have been killed fighting in wars during the 20th century. The important ideas of unity, national identity and democracy have been potently reflected throughout the speech. Keating’s sincerity and the rhetorical devices employed in the speech effectively ensure that the ideals of the Unknown Soldier are still relevant in the 21st century and will continue to speak to us in the future. As a political figure in the 1990’s, Keating had supporters and critics. It was an era of debate and division over Australia becoming a republic and Aboriginal land rights and reconciliation. With a multicultural audience of indigenous Australians, colonial descendants and ethnic backgrounds who fought with - and some against - Australia in past campaigns, it was an opportunity to unite Australian society through the Unknown Soldier and all that he symbolised. Through the constant repetition of ‘We do not know…’ the audience, through inclusion, becomes a partner in Keating’s speech and a sense of community and identity is immediately established. Keating tells us we know almost nothing about this soldier, yet through his sad anonymity, he is symbolical to all of us because the one important thing we do know about him is that he is Australian. The connection between the audience and this Unknown Soldier is reinforced through the use of binary opposites that all Australians can identify with, ‘whether he was from the city or the bush; if he was married or single.’ Also using the vernacular “city or the bush” Keating connects with his audience on a more personal level; not as the Prime Minister, but a fellow ‘Aussie’, therefore giving his speech greater credence. Keating, stating the shocking statistics of Australia’s war dead, conjures the dramatic and devastating image of vast battlefields littered with copses. The single line paragraph ‘He is all of them. And he is one of us,’ emphasises the ideas of personal sacrifice and national identity with the Unknown Soldier who in turn symbolises all of the repercussions of war. Repetition of the inclusive and emotive words ‘one’, ‘believed’ and ‘duty’ reinforces the audience concept and belief in patriotism at all cost. War has dominated Australia’s short history; WWI, WWII, Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, all within a short century. Keating’s speech emphasises the great and tragic losses through war with emotive language and negative adjectives, ‘the mad, brutal, awful, struggle.’ The word ‘terrible’ is repeated. The phrases ‘the duty he owed his country and his King’, ‘inexcusable folly’ and ‘distinguished more often than not by military and political incompetence’ reinforces the important idea of the futility of war and the terrible sacrifices made by patriotic citizens. Keating’s speech is structured in a way that takes the audience on a journey of discovery through the paradox that is the Unknown Soldier; ‘We think that this Unknown Soldier died in Vain… But in honouring our war dead as we always have, we declare that this is not true.’ Out of a terrible war, came a ‘real nobility and grandeur’ that represents the ordinary Australian, always dependable. The important idea that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary feats is formed through emotive language and inclusion ‘to endure hardship, show courage, to be bold as well as resilient, to believe in ourselves, to stick together.’ As the audience identifies with the Unknown Soldier, this important idea flows on to create the image of a united national identity borne from the ANZAC legend. The juxtaposition of the antithetical opposites of war and peace, soldiers and civilians, men and women, race and religion are unified, rather than separated, through the commemoration of the Unknown Soldier. A sense of patriotism is built as Keating uses definitive statements to inform the audience what has been lost through war and what has been gained. ‘We have lost more than 100,000 lives, and with them all their love of this country and all their hope and energy’, and ‘We have gained a legend: a story of bravery and, with it, a deeper faith in ourselves and our democracy, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be Australian.’ The use of inclusion again cements the fact Australians have gained a national identity through the selfless acts of men such as the Unknown Soldier. The journey that Keating takes his audience on through his Remembrance Day speech reaches a final destination with the imagery of the Unknown Soldier continuing to metaphorically ‘serve his country’ and ‘enshrine a nation’s love of peace.’ Although our technological advances prevent the possibility of there being Unknown Soldiers in the future, the message, the sentiments and the values of courage against adversity remain the same wherever there are Australians at war. Great speeches effectively convey important ideas that continue to speak to us. As each new generation emerges, the speeches of both Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Paul Keating will still be relevant; to the youth of the Middle East with Sadat’s message of being willing to talk to your neighbours to overcome fear and hatred for peace and, to the youth of Australia as Keating reflects “We have gained a legend… a deeper understanding of what it means to be Australian.” Although the rhetoric of each orator has various similarities and differences, the sincerity imbued in both speeches is genuine, the content significant, timeless and memorable.