Boldtutor presents another response to the 2016 HSC English Advanced question focusing on ‘Speeches’. Use this response as a template to guide you to creating a response of your own.
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2016 HSC English Advanced Question 9: Speeches
How do writers highlight the significance of language and learning as a means of bringing about social change?
In your response, make detailed reference to On not winning the Nobel Prize and at least one other text set for study
Writers often use certain literary devices to convey the importance of language and learning as a means to bring about social change. The usage of literary devices allows writers to vividly promote a key message or perspective on important issues that may encourage listeners or readers to commit action that leads to positive social change. Doris Lessing’s speech ‘On not winning the Nobel Prize’ and Anwar Sedat’s ‘Speech to the Israeli Knesset’ each contain literary devices that serves to position the speaker as a compassionate individual who is keen to address important social issues by promoting the use of language and learning.
Lessing’s speech ‘On not winning the Nobel Prize’ relies on certain literary devices such as metaphors, alliteration, emotive language, rhetorical question and imagery to illustrate the significance of language and education when it comes to addressing certain social issues. Lessing’s speech was performed in the United Nations after she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. The irony in the title ‘On not winning the Nobel Prize’ reveals Lessing’s belief that there are deeper concerns to address in the world compared to her long drought without a Nobel Prize award. The first issue Lessing focuses on concerns the lack of educational resources available to the children of Zimbabwe – a nation she called home when she was a child. Lessing recalls her conversation with a teacher accomplice who reveals that there are not enough books to satisfy demand from students – ‘everyone begs for books’. The alliteration and emotive language here allows Lessing to convey a sense of urgency to the audience. This urgency aims to convince the audience that the demand for educational resources in Zimbabwe must be met in order to facilitate positive social change. Lessing then goes on to subtly critique the Nobel Prize and its nomination process. She states that ‘I do not think many of the pupils of this school will get prizes’. The schools that Lessing refers to are in Zimbabwe and they continue to be under resourced. As a result, Lessing reflects on the very real possibility that the intellectual and passionate brilliance of students in Zimbabwe will not be recognized by the wider world. Eventually, Lessing emphasizes the great potential that students in Africa possess when it comes to creating great literature. Lessing tells the story of a mother that provides for her children and also tries to read a page of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin. Lessing describes the woman as ‘reading slowly, mounting the words’. The metaphor of ‘mounting’ helps Lessing convey the strong determination of the young mother when it comes to developing her reading skills. Such determination is further reinforced when the mother says ‘I was best in the class. My teacher said I was best.’ Lessing portrays the mother as a symbol of hope and ambition who manages to defy the difficult living conditions prevalent in nations such as Zimbabwe. Such determination, Lessing believes, will one day conquer the inequality facing many citizens in Africa. As the speech nears its end, Lessing promotes the idea that ‘the storyteller is deep inside every one of us’. This metaphor aims to highlight the great potential that exists in all human beings, regardless of racial, economic or social background. Lessing then concludes with a rhetorical question that asks the ‘literate’ audience whether they consider themselves ‘better’ than the young mother referred to earlier in the speech. Of course, such a rhetorical question serves to encourage the audience to re-evaluate any prejudiced perspectives they may hold towards the people of Africa. Thus, through the use of certain literary devices, Lessing presents a speech encouraging audiences to do more to combat the social and educational inequality that exists between western nations and African nations. Her usage of metaphors in particular helps Lessing convey the passion and determination that African citizens have for education, and that such demand must be met for the good of the world. Lessing’s rhetorical question at the end of her speech is also effective in making the audience reflect on any prejudiced views they may have had regarding the potential of an African student to achieve literary greatness – greatness that will lead to positive social change throughout the African continent.
Anwar Sadat’s ‘Speech to the Israeli Knesset’ also incorporates literary devices such as religious allusion, imagery, emotive language and repetition to highlight the importance of language and education when it comes to combating social and political tension between Israel and Egypt. Sadat was Egypt’s president from 1970 to 1981. During this period, Egypt and several Arab nations were in conflict against Israel and tensions were (and still remain) very high. To combat this conflict, Sadat spoke before the Israeli legislative body in 1977 in a bid to foster dialogue between two nations discussing territorial boundaries that would hopefully lay the platform for peace. As a result of his speech, Sadat managed to convince Israel to sign a peace treaty in 1979. In the speech’s opening, religious allusion is prominent as Sadat positions himself as an everyday man of faith who is subject to God’s all encompassing power – ‘the Gracious and Merciful’ and ‘Peace and mercy of God Almighty be upon you and may peace be for us all, God-willing’. Sadat’s religious references throughout his speech are used to convey himself as a president whose only interests concern the attainment of peace in God’s name.
As the speech evolves, Sadat reminds his audience that Islam, Christianity and Judaism are bound by their faith in God. Sadat goes on to use accumulation to describe the wisdom that God imparts to his followers by teaching ‘love, sincerity, purity and peace’. Repetition is a technique that is also used frequently throughout Sadat’s speech, as he reiterates the reasons behind the conflict between Israel and Egypt. Phrases such as ‘Utter suspicion and absolute lack of confidence’ are often repeated to emphasise the lack of honesty and justice in the current political climate throughout the Middle East. Sadat makes reference to the suffering of innocent children in this conflict through emotive language – ‘Innocent children who are deprived of the care and compassion of their parents are ours, be they living on Arab or Israeli land.’ The reference to the suffering of innocent children is used by Sadat to convince the Israeli Knesset and the rest of the Middle East to develop compassion for the victims in this conflict. Furthermore, Sadat’s constant repetition of the expression ‘open heart’ and ‘open mind’ serves to encourage his audience to develop an unprejudiced, honest and empathetic mindset when it comes to dealing with the conflict between Egypt and Israel. This conflict, Sadat argues, will only be solved if both nations are able to promote a ‘permanent peace based on justice’, which involves the recognition of both nations’ territorial claims and right to self-governance. As the speech nears its end, Sadat relies on imagery to highlight the devastating consequences of continued conflict between Egypt and Israel. Sadat states this conflict has left the two nations on ‘the edge of a horrifying abyss and a terrifying disaster’. To avoid such a catastrophe, Sadat repeatedly illustrates his belief that peace will lead to a ‘happy present and happy future’ under God’s guidance. The use of emotive language, religious allusion and repetition throughout his speech helps Sadat present himself as a president who is deeply concerned with the conflict between Egypt and Israel. Furthermore, such language is used to portray Sadat as a leader who is fighting hard to establish peaceful and diplomatic relations between Egypt and Israel, thus showing why language and education are vital tools to assist in promoting positive social change and peaceful dialogue in a region where conflict and war continues to manifest at an alarming rate.
The usage of certain literary devices helps Lessing and Sadat convey a deep sense of passion and concern for social issues that, they believe, will only be fixed through the promotion of peaceful dialogue and education to unstable regions of the world. Literary devices help audiences imagine and appreciate the social issues engulfing our world, and thus, may encourage readers to learn more about problems that need to be addressed for the good of society.
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