This paper will critique the speech Questions of Culture delivered by a graduate of Richmond University in 1996. The speakers name is Sajjid Zahir Chinoy. This critique will focus on the organization, content and delivery of the speech.
INTRODUCTION
Sajjid started the speech in a very interesting way. He used an anecdote to start off the speech; this method was effective because it grasped the attention of the audience. Many of the audience members could relate to Sajjids personal experience which he related at the beginning, he told the story of what it was like for him leaving his family behind in Bombay and venturing into an experience of uncertainty. I think this showed a sense of organization and importance to the issue of why he was there. From the commencement of the speech Sajjid set a personal and comfortable tone. He spoke to the graduates on a level of equality using phrases like “maybe it’s because we know….” and “our experience is no different from…..” This was an effective strategy of grasping the maintaining the audiences’ attention.
He then proceeded to the body of the speech. He specified the central theme of the speech which was, “in spite of cultural differences we are inherently the same.” Sajjid then defined and focused the central idea: “could different cultures come together to reinforce moments of human interaction and relationships.” A problem-solution issue arrangement was used as he identified the problems with our society and the principles, such as understanding, sensitivity and open-mindedness, he felt can resolve this conflict.
Sajjid used statistics as supporting material when he stated that in Bosnia between 1992 and 1996, 300,000 people were slaughtered, and in Bombay 2,000 Hindus and Muslims died. In Africa 1,000,000 Hutus and Tootsies lost their lives. Illustrations were used as he related some his own experiences to the audience. Sajjid did a good job developing the central idea; they were well