The speeches were great. I'll try to write something about every single one:
Steve - Steve had great stage presence, he was the only one who did not appear restricted by the podium. He moved around, he used changes in tone to his benefit, and it was especially impressive how he connected the charity to the texts we had read.
Breanna - Breanna earned the most "money" for obvious reasons - she had a very emotional speech that was presented in a very effective way. There's not a lot more that can be said than "wow".
Katie - It was clear that Katie was very dedicated to Schools on Wheels. You could tell that the charity was important to her. I was surprised and impressed with her speech.
Jessica - Jessica did a great job of using her statistics to present a compelling speech. She had great stage presence and it was clear that the charity meant a lot to her.
Chris - It was clear that Chris was very nervous, as he admitted in his blog, but I thought he still did an excellent job talking about Greener's Food Bank. It's a great charity and his speech reminded me that so many people in the world aren't as fortunate as us.
Ashley - It showed in Ashley's speech how much she cared about the charity. Her speech was effective because she combined ethos and pathos. I was impressed with her public speaking ability.
Kwame - Kwame obviously has some public speaking experience from his time in stewardship - and it clearly showed. Kwame was very confident in talking about Second Helpings.
Alyx - Alyx did a great job presenting her speech on the Special Olympics. I found her story about the boy from her brother's basketball game very touching. It was difficult for a lot of us to wrap up our speeches, but Alyx did a great job of leaving the speech on a big note.
Brian - Brian's speech was impressive because it was clear that he could have kept talking about United Way forever. He was very well prepared and it showed in his speech.
Jordan - Jordan's experiences with School 67 showed through in her speech, it was clear that the school was very important to her. It was particularly interesting how she brought up the point that if the school wasn't so underfunded they could hire more teachers which would lead to better results - on tests and in the community.
Katie - I thought Katie started out her speech very well by sharing a story from her personal experience in Big Brothers and Sisters. Like Breanna's speech, Katie's speech was effective because it shared a personal connection along with all the other important information about the charity.
Kailey - Kailey's speech was energetic and motivational - she did a good job of presenting the Julian Center in such a way that it showed the tragedy of the people who go there and then the great ways in which they succeed.
Molly - Molly impressed me with her public speaking abilities. She was very captive and kept a great stage presence throughout her speech on Habitat for Humanity. She did a great job of presenting how Habitat for Humanity helps people around the world and people locally.
Marcus - Marcus's speech was great considering what he had to work with - I know it's hard to find statistics on the Red Cross. But he did a great job of presenting what the Red Cross does - especially in their blood donation program. He also added some effective humor to his speech, but not so much that it overshadowed what he had to say.
I was impressed with everybody's speeches and thought everybody did a great job!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Willy
Blog – What does Willy Loman think about the idea of ‘individual opportunity’? What does playwright Arthur Miller think? What evidence exposes each opinion?
Willy Loman thinks individual opportunity exists - but he does not personally know it very well. Willy has seen individual opportunity with his brother Ben and his next door neighbors, and even in his son Happy. Perhaps Willy thinks individual opportunity exists for everybody but him - he certainly doesn't take any initiative into making sure he is present when opportunity exists - it is all he can do to muster up the courage to tell his boss that he doesn't want to travel anymore - and he ends up getting fired instead. For Willy there is a combination of bad-timing, bad-luck, and unwillingness to take the initiative that prevents him from finding his individual opportunity. So he tries to kill himself. But once his suicide attempt fails he realizes through his manic depression that maybe he hasn't ever found his individual opportunity, but his sons can if they were given a message. So he kills himself the second time around, so his sons can receive the life insurance money and so that they can finally be free enough to chase their dreams.
Arthur Miller thinks that individual opportunity exists for some people. But Miller seems to be saying that not everybody finds it - which is not an overwhelming observation. It appears that Miller thinks some people find individual opportunity, and the ones who don't provide it. Perhaps the people who don't find opportunity fulfill their lack of success by being successful in helping others find it. Willy is just one example, and a rather extreme example too, but I think that Arthur Miller is saying we all become successful by finding opportunity or by providing it for other people.
Willy Loman thinks individual opportunity exists - but he does not personally know it very well. Willy has seen individual opportunity with his brother Ben and his next door neighbors, and even in his son Happy. Perhaps Willy thinks individual opportunity exists for everybody but him - he certainly doesn't take any initiative into making sure he is present when opportunity exists - it is all he can do to muster up the courage to tell his boss that he doesn't want to travel anymore - and he ends up getting fired instead. For Willy there is a combination of bad-timing, bad-luck, and unwillingness to take the initiative that prevents him from finding his individual opportunity. So he tries to kill himself. But once his suicide attempt fails he realizes through his manic depression that maybe he hasn't ever found his individual opportunity, but his sons can if they were given a message. So he kills himself the second time around, so his sons can receive the life insurance money and so that they can finally be free enough to chase their dreams.
Arthur Miller thinks that individual opportunity exists for some people. But Miller seems to be saying that not everybody finds it - which is not an overwhelming observation. It appears that Miller thinks some people find individual opportunity, and the ones who don't provide it. Perhaps the people who don't find opportunity fulfill their lack of success by being successful in helping others find it. Willy is just one example, and a rather extreme example too, but I think that Arthur Miller is saying we all become successful by finding opportunity or by providing it for other people.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Willy VS. Cora!
Blog – Compare Willy Loman to Cora Tucker
Willy Loman and Cora Tucker are opposites, antipodes, antitheses, and polar. The most obvious difference between the two are there contrasting definitions of success. Cora Tucker's idea of success is helping black people secure positions in government as well as voicing the opinions of minorities to the government. She doesn't live in a big house, she doesn't have many material items, but she has seen so much change in her life that she feels successful for how far blacks have come in society. But she's still not content because she keeps fighting on for the rights of minorities. Willy Loman obviously is not a very content dude. His own job sucks - especially since he's getting older and traveling around is not very easy. On top of that, his kids are epic failures in his eyes. His first son, Biff, flamed out after being the star football player in high school. His other son, Happy, was still mad about being the "other son" growing up. Neither of Willy's sons are very successful by Willy's standards, while his brother Ben and his next door neighbors were very successful. So Willy kills himself, in hopes of providing a means for his sons to become successful through the life insurance money that they would receive. The oddity only continues when one considers that by Willy's standards he was probably more successful than somebody like Cora Tucker - but then we see who really was more successful.
Willy Loman and Cora Tucker are opposites, antipodes, antitheses, and polar. The most obvious difference between the two are there contrasting definitions of success. Cora Tucker's idea of success is helping black people secure positions in government as well as voicing the opinions of minorities to the government. She doesn't live in a big house, she doesn't have many material items, but she has seen so much change in her life that she feels successful for how far blacks have come in society. But she's still not content because she keeps fighting on for the rights of minorities. Willy Loman obviously is not a very content dude. His own job sucks - especially since he's getting older and traveling around is not very easy. On top of that, his kids are epic failures in his eyes. His first son, Biff, flamed out after being the star football player in high school. His other son, Happy, was still mad about being the "other son" growing up. Neither of Willy's sons are very successful by Willy's standards, while his brother Ben and his next door neighbors were very successful. So Willy kills himself, in hopes of providing a means for his sons to become successful through the life insurance money that they would receive. The oddity only continues when one considers that by Willy's standards he was probably more successful than somebody like Cora Tucker - but then we see who really was more successful.
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