Rhetorical Questions – Waleed Qureshi

Waleed Qureshi

END 1121

Dr. Carrie Hall

03/07/2019

 

Q1. Who is the speaker? What do we know about this person? How do we know it?

The speaker is Shehzad Roy. He is a motivator who is trying to tell people to work for themselves by taunting them in a way.

 

Q2. What is the occasion? When or where did it occur?

It occurs in a random street of Pakistan where Shehzad Roy is speaking of the problem of the public.

 

Q3. Who is the audience. What group of people is he speaking to? How do you know?

His audience is the people sitting at home complaining about the problems Pakistan usually goes through but doing nothing about it. We know this because he actually narrates the situations at every point where people ask him, “so what should we do” and he answers, “nothing, just keep it up(sarcastically)”.

 

Q4. What is the purpose if the piece? What is the writer trying to accomplish?

He is trying to motivate people work for themselves or for the betterment of their country.

 

Q5. What is the tone of this? How can you tell the writer’s feelings by the words or phrases (for other clues)?

Throughout the song, the tone is sarcastic but in the end the tone changes to angry because people are still not understanding anything about what he is saying.

 

Q6. Other thoughts of this piece? And by the way, what’s your name?

I liked this song because it relates to one of almost every family member who just sits there in front of the television talking about that the country isn’t doing well and people need to do this and that but when it comes to themselves, they do the same things or some people only think of the things that support their ideas and ignore the rest. My name is Waleed Mustafa Qureshi.

Link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXesOFA8e0E

 

translation for song:

Shehzad Roy: When I was ten years old, I heard on the 9 o’clock news that Pakistani history is at a critical crossroads/crisis.

Kid: Daddyy!!

Then I turned twenty, and heard on the news once again…that Pakistani history is at a critical crossroads.

Having tied your impossible dreams to yourself, you’re standing, holding your ground.
You’re an ordinary person, dude, enough, can’t do it anymore.

Political activist: So what should I do? Lose hope?
Roy: No. Just keep at it.

Chorus:
Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you remain stubborn.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Respected elders–they asked me, how will the nation run?
Respected elders–I told them, keep at it, keep at it.
Respected elders–they asked me, how will the nation run?
Respected elders–I told them

I’m not concerned about whether the nation will run. I’m concerned that it might go on running like this.

Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Dude, there’s a lot of tension in the nation.
It’s nothing, it’s nothing, leave everything to Allah.

Don’t do a thing.
You don’t do a thing.
Everything you leave to Allah.
Allah is your protector, period.

Oi, brother, you too are facing a crossroads (can also mean “have become a cause of catastrophe“),
holding your ground.
You’re an ordinary man–hey, stop! …Now it’s painful, dude.

Lawyer: No way. There’re still a few noble people remaining…on the planet.

Respected elder–he asked me, who is noble, tell me.
Respected elder–I told him

A noble person is he who hasn’t had the chance yet to prove himself otherwise

Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.
Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Reporter: The entire country’s law and safety has been restored to order.

And then one day the ground will disappear beneath your feet (pun, can also mean “you will face the biggest catastrophe” and “your land will be snatched away“)
And then to you, they will say..
They will say, “you’re soaring in the clouds.”
You’re soaring in the clouds.
(pun, can also mean “you are finally free“)

Poor man: So…will we really, truly be soaring in the clouds? Eh?
Roy: If you won’t understand, fool, then…!

Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.
Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Poor man: That boy’s face resembled Shehzad Roy’s so much…

Politician 1: Sir, it might be time to wake up the nation.
Politician 2: Don’t wake them up! They’re sleeping because of some very important work.