Today, I have been asked to justify the inclusion of any two speeches in the

module B Critical Study of Text. To begin my justification, I give you this quote by
Marcus Garvey:
A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a
tree without roots.
Without the acknowledgement of the past, origin and culture, citizens of a nation
have no fundamental roots, no national identity.
The two speeches I have chosen are It is still winter at home by Sir William
Deane and the Redfern Speech by Paul Keeting. Both speeches are occasional
speeches, Redfern addresses an uncomfortable past, an almost forgotten part of
time, to unite Australians under a common cause, and establish national identity.
The other also strives to establish a sense of national identity, although this
speech addresses a tragic event, an event that was almost grotesquely
prominent in Australian society.
It is still Winter at Home is a speech that addresses a tragic aspect of
Australian history. The speech opens with the line We are gathered here in great
sadness to mourn the deaths of the 21 young people , which establishes the
eulogistic context and purpose of the speech, to acknowledge the tragedy of the
1999 canyoning accident. Deane then adds a spiritual dimension to the opening,
with a Biblical quote from Matthew they will truly be comforted . From the
beginning, the responder can see that the tone of the speech is solemn,
appropriate for the context of the speech.
Throughout his speech, Deane uses key rhetorical devices to convey meaning
and to portray purpose. The use of key verbs throughout the speech, we pray, to
mourn, to sympathise which are repetitive in nature, coveys the explicit
message, that this speech is one of sorrow.. Deane uses highly emotive language
to convey this meaning also, sadness, mourn, profound tragedy, grieve,
compassion, shock .To involve the immediate and wider audience, Deane uses
inclusive language We pray, We are, Our Nation, all of us feel. This establishes
a connection between the Australians that died, and the rest of the nation. The
use of strong symbolism at the end of the speech, the golden wattle also
established a sense of national identity, patriotism, and symbolised that the
youth were brought back to their nation. In a symbolic way, helping them home
to our country.
The use of alliteration competence and compassion, families and friends
helps to add rhythm to the speech, allowing the responder to remain engaged,
and drawing attention to key ideals. The use of Literary allusion, The inclusion of
John Donne No man is an island broadened the scope and audience of the
speech, highlighting the collective loss of the tragedy, and appealing to peoples
sense of shared humanity. Deanes philological choice of words and the
emphasis on the youth of the victims shared the spirit of adventure, the joy of
living, the exuberance and the delight of youth. Evokes emotions from the
responder, and this coupled with the metaphor were in the flower of their youth
adds to the aesthetics and appeal of the speech.
The closing paragraph: It is still winter at home. But the Golden wattles are
coming into bloom. This strong imagery portrays the deeper purpose of the
speech, that from death comes hope and a sense of unity. The value of this text
is overwhelmingly large, as it addresses such a sensitive time in Australian
history and uses this time to convey a sense of national identity. Deane
eloquently acknowledges the tragedy, and unites the nation under a sense of
shared humanity.

The Redfern Speech also addresses a tragedy in Australian history. The speech
shares a common purpose, to unite Australians under a common cause, to
establish national identity. Keating uses the occasion of the International Year of
the Worlds Indigenous People to address the issue: That Australias national
identity cannot be separated from Aboriginal Australia. The speech is kept
simple, not highly intellectual, as Keating recognised the audiences context, and
adhered to that. The tone of the speech is optimistic but cautious, empathetic
and reflective. Keating keeps the context of the speech at the centre focus, and
finds the delicate balance to ensure he does not upset the intended audience.
The use of short, static sentences in the beginnings of his speech helps to
convey importance, drawing attention to the fundamental ideas of the speech.
Keating uses inclusive language and different tenses to encourage the purpose of
reconciliation in the speech. Us being we non-Aboriginal Australians, them
being Aboriginal Australians. The unifying characteristic of the word us places
the obligation of the Aboriginal dispossession on all of the Australian nation, to
acknowledge that national identity wont occur without the embracing of
Aboriginal Australia. As the starting point of the speech, Keating faces the history
of the situation, and uses anaphora to convey his point. We took, we brought,
we committed This appeals to peoples sense of reason, and evokes a strong
reaction from the responder. Keating continues to use Anaphora throughout the
speech If we, They are, Imagine if to reinforce points and it creates a vision for
the responder. The use of rhetorical questions Didnt Australia care for the
dispossessed Irish? drills in the message of the speech, highlighting the harsh
reality of the context, and forces the responder to acknowledge the
uncomfortable past. The use of emotive alliteration devastation and
demoralisation and the inclusive language affect us all combined expresses
the theme of national identity, how it wont be achieved until the Indigenous are
removed from the metaphorical shadow. The speech has effectively expressed
its purpose to the intended and wider audience through the use of simplistic
statements and honest approach. The speech ends on a cautiously optimist tone,
highlighting that the quest for national identity is ongoing, and still has enduring
relevance in the current society.
The image behind me links in with the key themes evident in both speeches.
That through misfortune, comes new hope, new beginnings and new identities.
That culture helps to shape and unite the nation, making people who they are.
The roots of the tree are the nations colours, Australia, Switzerland and the
Aboriginal flag. The skeletons symbolise the tragedy, and from them stems new
hope, shaping the nation, which is why the tree forms in the shape of Australia.
The hands symbolise the people who help make history, and help to shape
national identity.
Speeches enduring relevance relies on the composers ability to influence with
conviction, incite reactions, cut to the heart of the matter and capture the
audience. A speech dealing with a rhetorical depiction of national identity must
be done so diplomatically, which is so the case with both of the chosen
speeches. Both speeches deserve to be included in the Module B syllabus, as the
purpose of both speeches are eloquently defined through the use of rhetorical
devices, and have had an enduring relevance on both the intended and wider
audience. They painstakingly point out the importance of national identity and
the importance of history, and pinpoint that A people without the knowledge of
their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.