Prof. Garcia | ENG 1121 - OL78 | Fall 2020

Title it “Micro-Activity # 7: Pick a Model & Organize Your Ideas”

I am going to choose the model of a speech because I am better at making speeches rather than writing letters. I am great at vocalizing my thoughts and I like getting feedback and arguing back at people who disagree with me. If it was a real life situation then I would definitely choose speech over a letter. Addition to that, I feel like speech gives the audience more of a chance to comment on and have their own side of the argument. Some elements to include during a speech is grabbing the audience’s attention. I think in my case if I start off by stating a controversial statement at the beginning of the speech, it may grab my audience’s attention. For instance, if there are traditional and/or religious brown parents as my audience, then if I state that young adults should be independent and should decide who they want to marry, then this statement is probably going to grab their attention. Another important aspect is the message I am going to send to my audience. My message is not about having more independence for young adults but it’s about young girls loving themselves, respecting their body, being independent, knowing how to earn money and being able to take care of themselves and their children without a husband. Another element my speech should include is calling for action. I want parents to raise their daughters strong and independent rather than raising a daughter only to have her arranged married to a guy. Another important element my speech should include is structure. Right now my ideas are disorganized and jumping one from another. I have to be able to stick with one theme, another key element, and have a proper structure that leads my audience with a clear understanding of my purpose. I also want to include my own personal life as an example to show my audience that I am an experienced person on this subject. 

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4 Comments

  1. Ruth Garcia

    Shahnoza–I agree that you have a lot of good ideas that maybe need a bit of organizing. Some things to think about are that like Douglass you may want to have a controversial statement but do you want it at the beginning? he does since he wants to make sure they don’t turn off and stop listening. Also, you know what you want for girls to have but how do you convince the parents who are set in their ways that this the best for the girls and them? You need to think about what would be convincing. Can you show that doing what you suggest is actually in line with a belief or value they have? Can you show them that doing what you think they should do actually gets them where they want to be? That is helps them accomplish the goal they are actually out to accomplish?

    • Shahnoza

      Thank you for your feedback. for convincing the parents, I could give examples of people who were arranged married, and now have grandchildren, but they regret about how they didn’t divorce their husband, how they struggled throughout their marriage. I know a specific person with this issue, perhaps I could include her story. Also, I was arranged married as well, maybe I could include my own story. Also, most of the people who are arranged married are muslims, I could give examples of strong religious women who succeeded so much on their own without their husbands.
      My main goal is to show parents that their daughters are strong, and needs to be more independent. Girls could reach so many accomplishments if they are given a chance before being forcefully married to someone who will further control every aspect of their lives.
      One thing that I am struggling with my assignment is the exact audience. I know who I am addressing but I don’t know the exact way of putting in words. also, remember when I said “brown” people but you said Mexicans are also brown and may not be part of the discourse community that I am discussing. I received a message from a classmate who is also Mexican, and she shared that she also related to my topic of arrange marriage. Apparently Mexicans also do arrange marriages. I wanted to ask, Could I just state as brown people for my audience?

    • Shahnoza

      If you think that just saying “brown people” which I also think too broad, I could be more specific and say “Uzbek Muslims” that way it could be more specific

      • Ruth Garcia

        Shahnoza–I don’t remember mentioning Mexicans, but in any event, I agree that many people practice arranged messages. But the reason I encourage you to focus on the community that is your DC (perhaps Uzbek Muslims if that is a DC you identify with( is that each group has its own beliefs and values (even though they sometimes overlap) ant to address a particular community will allow you to engage those beliefs as. you present your case. But ultimately the decision of what audience is yours as long as you have a reason.
        Also, I think having family and personal examples are a good idea as long as you are comfortable with that. And I think examples of strong religious women are also good as it shows that a woman can be the ideal being held up for them and this other thing. Perhaps like Wollstonecraft you might even find a way of arguing that being independent actually allows them to meet the ideal asked of them.

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