Reminders: April 14th will be the last day to turn in a written preparation. You must do one on prose and on poetry. You also need to read The Great Gatsby by April 14th.
For Pinter this week, review the final scenes that we haven't discussed yet in class. If you would like to write on these scenes you can
1) Write 250-500 words discussing Emma's place among these men. We have not spoken a lot about her in class. Is this simply because we have chosen topics that stress the importance of Jerry and Robert? Or is there something in the play that has guided us towards this male dominated discussion?
2) A vous de poser les questions. In 100-150 words come up with a question that you think would generate a compelling discussion about these last scenes. In order to get credit for this shorter writing, you will have to present your question to the class. Note: Questions that you don't know the answer to often make for the best dicussions.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
L1 Lang: Social Norms for Apr. 2
Remember that your written homework is due this week in class.
For this week we will be discussing the different ways common social conventions influence the way we think and act. We began a similar discussion at times last week talking about the way the American Dream and the do-it-yourself philosophy influence some American's attitudes towards a national health care plan. This coming week we will begin by talking about the socially conventional idea of a nuclear family. To prepare this discussion, please listen to the following report from the BBC and answer the questions. For those interested in reading more about the way social convention influences the way we think and act, Michel Foucault's Histoire de la sexualité and his Surveiller et punir are great, though a bit sloppy on the level of historical documentation.
BBC on the Nuclear Family
1. Define "nuclear family" either based on the report or by consulting a dictionary.
2. How much longer will the nuclear family last in England according to Katherine Rake's report?
3. Conserving the traditional family system through the tax system would be a ___________ according to Ms. Rake's report.
4. According to the host, what is the typical conservative response to Ms. Rake's report?
5. What are the two points that Ms. Rake makes about "stable loving relationships?"
6. What are the European trends about cohabitation and marriage that Ms. Rake mentions?
7. According to Ms. Rake, tax breaks to support families have no ________________ impact on family stability.
8. "We want to give families support ____________ _______________ ________."
9. What are the positive trends in family life that Ms. Rake mentions near the end of the report?
10. Describe the tone between the interviewer and Ms. Rake.
For this week we will be discussing the different ways common social conventions influence the way we think and act. We began a similar discussion at times last week talking about the way the American Dream and the do-it-yourself philosophy influence some American's attitudes towards a national health care plan. This coming week we will begin by talking about the socially conventional idea of a nuclear family. To prepare this discussion, please listen to the following report from the BBC and answer the questions. For those interested in reading more about the way social convention influences the way we think and act, Michel Foucault's Histoire de la sexualité and his Surveiller et punir are great, though a bit sloppy on the level of historical documentation.
BBC on the Nuclear Family
1. Define "nuclear family" either based on the report or by consulting a dictionary.
2. How much longer will the nuclear family last in England according to Katherine Rake's report?
3. Conserving the traditional family system through the tax system would be a ___________ according to Ms. Rake's report.
4. According to the host, what is the typical conservative response to Ms. Rake's report?
5. What are the two points that Ms. Rake makes about "stable loving relationships?"
6. What are the European trends about cohabitation and marriage that Ms. Rake mentions?
7. According to Ms. Rake, tax breaks to support families have no ________________ impact on family stability.
8. "We want to give families support ____________ _______________ ________."
9. What are the positive trends in family life that Ms. Rake mentions near the end of the report?
10. Describe the tone between the interviewer and Ms. Rake.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
L1 Lit: Betrayal Scenes 3-5 for Mar. 30
Review scenes 3-5 from Betrayal. If you would like to write for this week, you can respond to one of the two following questions in 250 to 500 words. You can also write 250 to 500 words on how you would stage the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet or a scene from any other English language play that interests you. If you write about staging a different scene, please also provide me a copy of the text.
1. Describe and comment on the way Pinter uses pauses and silence in these three scenes.
2. Some of you in class today discussed how important friendship with Robert is for Jerry. Do scenes 3, 4, and 5 change or comfirm Jerry's attitude towards friendship that we saw today in scenes 1 and 2? Has time altered the way he thinks about friendship with Robert?
For poetry scansion, here are the responses for the lines I posted last week:
"TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night," From William Blake's "Tiger" Trochaic Trimeter with Masculin Ending
"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid art far more fair than she" From Romeo and Juliet Blank verse
"Here we go off on the London and Birmingham
Bidding adieu to the foggy metropolis" Dactylic tetrameter
"Come live with me and be my love Iambic tetrameter
And we will all the pleasures prove" From Christopher Marlow's"The Passionate Shepard to His Love"
And here are some more passages for practice. I will post the answers before next Monday so that you can check them before the retest on Tuesday.
"Nicholas Jonathan pacified Malachai Mulligun
That was a match for a title that nobody justified" from "Catcheur's Dream" by T.M. Defordy
"Am I strong?
Could I start a fight
And win?
With a black teen
In Brownsville?
I'm in my late youth;
It still feels like all there is.
I remember times when I felt strong" from an untitled poem by Victor Z. King a comtemporary American poet
"Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble." from Macbeth
For the retest you will be allowed again to use a dictionary. I've put the answers lower on the page so that you can practice without seeing them and then check your answers.
T.M Defordy- Dactylic Pentameter
Victor Z. King- Free verse
Romeo and Juliet- Blank Verse or unrhymed iambic pentameter
Macbeth- Trochaic Tetrameter
1. Describe and comment on the way Pinter uses pauses and silence in these three scenes.
2. Some of you in class today discussed how important friendship with Robert is for Jerry. Do scenes 3, 4, and 5 change or comfirm Jerry's attitude towards friendship that we saw today in scenes 1 and 2? Has time altered the way he thinks about friendship with Robert?
For poetry scansion, here are the responses for the lines I posted last week:
"TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night," From William Blake's "Tiger" Trochaic Trimeter with Masculin Ending
"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid art far more fair than she" From Romeo and Juliet Blank verse
"Here we go off on the London and Birmingham
Bidding adieu to the foggy metropolis" Dactylic tetrameter
"Come live with me and be my love Iambic tetrameter
And we will all the pleasures prove" From Christopher Marlow's"The Passionate Shepard to His Love"
And here are some more passages for practice. I will post the answers before next Monday so that you can check them before the retest on Tuesday.
"Nicholas Jonathan pacified Malachai Mulligun
That was a match for a title that nobody justified" from "Catcheur's Dream" by T.M. Defordy
"Am I strong?
Could I start a fight
And win?
With a black teen
In Brownsville?
I'm in my late youth;
It still feels like all there is.
I remember times when I felt strong" from an untitled poem by Victor Z. King a comtemporary American poet
"Had I your tongues and eyes, I’d use them so
That heaven’s vault should crack. She’s gone forever.
I know when one is dead and when one lives.
She’s dead as earth. Lend me a looking-glass" from King Lear"Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble." from Macbeth
For the retest you will be allowed again to use a dictionary. I've put the answers lower on the page so that you can practice without seeing them and then check your answers.
T.M Defordy- Dactylic Pentameter
Victor Z. King- Free verse
Romeo and Juliet- Blank Verse or unrhymed iambic pentameter
Macbeth- Trochaic Tetrameter
L1 Lang: Agreement and Disagreement for Mar. 26
This week in class we will be practicing with phrases that we use in English to agree and disagree with other people. To prepare for this class, please read the following editorial from The New York Times and write four or five sentences about the way the author presents his opinions.
Stanley Greenberg on U.S. Health Care
Please also read over the following list of common expressions for expressing agreement and diagreement.
EXPRESSIONS FOR CONVERSATION AND PERSONAL COMMENT
(1) When you start saying something
contributing to a conversation
making a contribution
First of all, I would like to say/state that.............
To begin with, I...................
In the first line, I.............
(2) What can you say instead of "I think" (don't sink, please)
I would say/think
In my opinion
To my mind
I am of the opinion that
I hold the opinion that
(3) When you want to stress your "personal opinion":
Personally I think
As far as I am concerned
As for me
As I take it
As far as I can see
(4) When you "agree" or when you "don't agree":
I entirely/quite agree with you.
I agree to (with) her plan.
I am of the same opinion.
I differ from/with you entirely.
I disagree with you: I am sure you're mistaken.
I stick to my opinion.
Let's agree to differ!
(5) When you want to say the "opposite" of what someone else
said:
on the contrary! quite the contrary! just the opposite!
That is the very opposite of what I said.
That is quite the contrary to what I said.
I maintain the contrary.
In contrast to what you said, I maintain that...........
(6) When you are "quite sure" of something:
of course!
That goes without saying (It goes without saying
that......)
I contend/maintain that................
It's my conviction that..................
(7) When you want to "ask a question":
May I interrupt you?
There arises the question/point whether/if......
This question raises the whole issue
(8) When you "haven't understood":
I beg your pardon. / Pardon?
Could you repeat what you've just said? But slower, please./
Could you slow down a bit?
(9) If you should want to "correct a mistake":
Excuse me (for interrupting) you should have said:"....."
(10)When you want to "distinguish" (make a distinction between)
two aspects of a question, when you want to distinguish one
aspect from the other:
on the one hand on the other hand
in general in particular
generally speaking
on the whole
taken as a whole
at first sight on second thoughts
(11)When you want to "add" something(these are not usually used in conversation)
In addition,.........................
Moreover,....................
Furthermore,........................
Finally,...........................
(12)When you want to "emphasize" something:
I would like to lay (put) emphasis (stress) on the fact
that..
I just want to point out that................
(13)When you want to "say the truth":
To be frank (with you),...................
Frankly (speaking),.........................
To say the truth,........................
(14)And if you are "not sure":
I don't know exactly.
I don't know for certain.
(A) General phrases:
in other words in this respect
to a certain degree/extent It depends on your point
of
in brief/short.......... view
To be brief,..................
To cut a long story short,...... Let me put it this
way:....
I don't know. - I don't know either. Nor/Neither do I.
Stanley Greenberg on U.S. Health Care
Please also read over the following list of common expressions for expressing agreement and diagreement.
EXPRESSIONS FOR CONVERSATION AND PERSONAL COMMENT
(1) When you start saying something
contributing to a conversation
making a contribution
First of all, I would like to say/state that.............
To begin with, I...................
In the first line, I.............
(2) What can you say instead of "I think" (don't sink, please)
I would say/think
In my opinion
To my mind
I am of the opinion that
I hold the opinion that
(3) When you want to stress your "personal opinion":
Personally I think
As far as I am concerned
As for me
As I take it
As far as I can see
(4) When you "agree" or when you "don't agree":
I entirely/quite agree with you.
I agree to (with) her plan.
I am of the same opinion.
I differ from/with you entirely.
I disagree with you: I am sure you're mistaken.
I stick to my opinion.
Let's agree to differ!
(5) When you want to say the "opposite" of what someone else
said:
on the contrary! quite the contrary! just the opposite!
That is the very opposite of what I said.
That is quite the contrary to what I said.
I maintain the contrary.
In contrast to what you said, I maintain that...........
(6) When you are "quite sure" of something:
of course!
That goes without saying (It goes without saying
that......)
I contend/maintain that................
It's my conviction that..................
(7) When you want to "ask a question":
May I interrupt you?
There arises the question/point whether/if......
This question raises the whole issue
(8) When you "haven't understood":
I beg your pardon. / Pardon?
Could you repeat what you've just said? But slower, please./
Could you slow down a bit?
(9) If you should want to "correct a mistake":
Excuse me (for interrupting) you should have said:"....."
(10)When you want to "distinguish" (make a distinction between)
two aspects of a question, when you want to distinguish one
aspect from the other:
on the one hand on the other hand
in general in particular
generally speaking
on the whole
taken as a whole
at first sight on second thoughts
(11)When you want to "add" something(these are not usually used in conversation)
In addition,.........................
Moreover,....................
Furthermore,........................
Finally,...........................
(12)When you want to "emphasize" something:
I would like to lay (put) emphasis (stress) on the fact
that..
I just want to point out that................
(13)When you want to "say the truth":
To be frank (with you),...................
Frankly (speaking),.........................
To say the truth,........................
(14)And if you are "not sure":
I don't know exactly.
I don't know for certain.
(A) General phrases:
in other words in this respect
to a certain degree/extent It depends on your point
of
in brief/short.......... view
To be brief,..................
To cut a long story short,...... Let me put it this
way:....
I don't know. - I don't know either. Nor/Neither do I.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
L1 Lit: Poetry Scansion and Betrayal Questions for Mar. 23
As I announced in class last week, I will be retesting you on poetry scansion on Tuesday, March 30. Here are several passages you can use to practice. Remember that if you're not sure for multiple syllable words, you can look up stress patterns in a dictionary. I will post the answers next week.
"TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night," From William Blake's "Tiger"
"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid art far more fair than she" From Romeo and Juliet
"Here we go off on the London and Birmingham
Bidding adieu to the foggy metropolis"
"Come live with me and be my love
And we will all the pleasures prove" From Christopher Marlow's"The Passionate Shepard to His Love"
For Pinter's Betrayal, read carefully the first two scenes and if you would like to write for this week answer one of the following questions in a response of 250 to 500 words.
1. Comment on the relationship between the action that takes place on stage and the the action that happens offstage. What does the relationship between the two types of action suggest about how the play presents betrayal?
2. Comment on how Pinter's special use of dramatic irony and his reverse chronology function together to form a comment about sexual infidelity in these two scenes.
Finally, please do not forget that you must read The Great Gatsby for April 16th. If you start now and read 10 to 20 pages at a time you can easily finish the book. If you wait until the last week to start, it could be quite difficult for you to finish the novel.
"TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night," From William Blake's "Tiger"
"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid art far more fair than she" From Romeo and Juliet
"Here we go off on the London and Birmingham
Bidding adieu to the foggy metropolis"
"Come live with me and be my love
And we will all the pleasures prove" From Christopher Marlow's"The Passionate Shepard to His Love"
For Pinter's Betrayal, read carefully the first two scenes and if you would like to write for this week answer one of the following questions in a response of 250 to 500 words.
1. Comment on the relationship between the action that takes place on stage and the the action that happens offstage. What does the relationship between the two types of action suggest about how the play presents betrayal?
2. Comment on how Pinter's special use of dramatic irony and his reverse chronology function together to form a comment about sexual infidelity in these two scenes.
Finally, please do not forget that you must read The Great Gatsby for April 16th. If you start now and read 10 to 20 pages at a time you can easily finish the book. If you wait until the last week to start, it could be quite difficult for you to finish the novel.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
L1 Lang: Types of Comedy for Mar. 19th
This week we will be discussing the different ways we might use language to make each other laugh. To prepare for this discussion, please watch the two following clips and come to class with answers to the comprehension questions.
I. The Daily Show hosted by Jon Stewart is a satirical news program in the United States. Jon Stewart presents news stories in a style similar to the Guignols de l'info or Le Canard enchaine. In 2004, he did a story on Barack Obama's convention speech that we studied last week. Watch the clip, and answer the following questions. This clip does contain some scatological and explicit sexual material. If you fear you might be offended by such material, you may write a paragraph explaining your opinions about sexual language and comedy instead of watching the clip.
Son of a Goat Herder
1. What are the jobs that Jon Stewart compares in the opening of the clip?
2. Based on the clip and our discussion of President Obama's speech, try to define "bootstrap story."
3. Steven Colbert is from ___________ origins?
4. What is the comedy based on in this sketch?
II. Monty Python was a famous troop of English humorists. Their The Life of Brian is a parody of the story of Christ's life. Watch the clip from the end of the movie and answer the following questions. This clip contains comic material based on religious ideas, notably Christian ideas. If you fear you will find this material offensive, you may write a paragraph on your opinions about humor and religion instead of watching the clip.
The Life of Brian
1. Always ____________________________________ of life.
2. If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've ____________
And that's to ______________________________________.
3. For life is quite ______________.
And death's the final _____________.
4. Always ____________________________________ of death
Just before you draw ______________________.
5. Life's a ____________
And death's a _______________ it's true.
6. The last laugh is ___________________.
7. Which of the two clips do you find more amusing?
I. The Daily Show hosted by Jon Stewart is a satirical news program in the United States. Jon Stewart presents news stories in a style similar to the Guignols de l'info or Le Canard enchaine. In 2004, he did a story on Barack Obama's convention speech that we studied last week. Watch the clip, and answer the following questions. This clip does contain some scatological and explicit sexual material. If you fear you might be offended by such material, you may write a paragraph explaining your opinions about sexual language and comedy instead of watching the clip.
Son of a Goat Herder
1. What are the jobs that Jon Stewart compares in the opening of the clip?
2. Based on the clip and our discussion of President Obama's speech, try to define "bootstrap story."
3. Steven Colbert is from ___________ origins?
4. What is the comedy based on in this sketch?
II. Monty Python was a famous troop of English humorists. Their The Life of Brian is a parody of the story of Christ's life. Watch the clip from the end of the movie and answer the following questions. This clip contains comic material based on religious ideas, notably Christian ideas. If you fear you will find this material offensive, you may write a paragraph on your opinions about humor and religion instead of watching the clip.
The Life of Brian
1. Always ____________________________________ of life.
2. If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've ____________
And that's to ______________________________________.
3. For life is quite ______________.
And death's the final _____________.
4. Always ____________________________________ of death
Just before you draw ______________________.
5. Life's a ____________
And death's a _______________ it's true.
6. The last laugh is ___________________.
7. Which of the two clips do you find more amusing?
Friday, March 12, 2010
L1 Langue: Letter Format
FORMAL CORRESPONDENCE
LETTER OPENINGS
When writing to someone you know very little or not at all, the standard opening for formal correspondence is Dear.
If the name of the recipient is unknown usually you should write:
Dear Sir
Dear Madam
Dear Sir or Madam
If the name of the recipient is known you should write Dear followed by their surname:
Dear Mr Smith
Dear Mrs Smith
Dear Ms Smith
USEFUL PHRASES
Some useful phrases to begin your letter are:
I am writing in response to your advertisement in… (Publication e.g. The New York Times/The Guardian etc)
I wish to enquire about the vacancy for a (job title e.g. teaching assistant/swimming instructor etc.)
After having seen your advertisement in…., I would like….
With reference to…
Some useful phrases to end your letter are:
I look forward to hearing from you
Closure
If you know the name of the recipient e.g. Mrs Smith:
Yours sincerely,
If you do not know the name of the recipient e.g. Madam
Some points to remember about the English format of a letter
* The address of the sender i.e. you, goes in the top right-hand corner (unlike the French format whereby it is on the left).
* The date the letter is written is situated just below the address and you do not write the town you are sending the letter from.
* The recipient’s address is placed on the left side, one or two lines below the level of the date.
* When closing the letter, ‘yours sincerely/yours faithfully is written on the left side of the page, below the last line.
All the best
Love
Lots of love
See you soon
With love and best wishes
Monday, March 8, 2010
L1 Lang: Grade Breakdown and Homework
Like last semester, four grades will factor into your overall grade for the semester.
1) Written Homework 15%-description below.
2) Listening Exam 25% -In class on April 16th. You will hear a passage similar to the ones you prepare for class three times and answer comprehension questions. The passage will be linked to one of the topics we have studied during the semester.
3) Final Written Exam 40%-in class on May 7th. You will have sections on the different language points we have studied (ex. describing personality, giving instructions), a reading section, and a written essay. The material for the reading and essay will also be linked to topics we have discussed in class.
4) Oral Participation 20%. This grade will measure how efficiently you have tried to improve your spoken English during the 13 weeks in class.
For your writing assignment this semester, you will be writing a cover letter for a job in the English speaking world. The first step will be for you to find a job posting that interests you. To do this, you might search on the internet or in English language newspapers. You will turn in a copy of the job posting with your letter. Once you have found a job that interests you, you will write a letter that describes:
1) What skills and qualities would be required in order to do this job? How can you present your skills as attractive to a potential employer?
2) What personality traits make you an attractive candidate?
3) What experience do you have that would help prepare you for the job?
You have the option of doing a first draft and receiving feedback from me before turning in the final version. If you would like for me to read your draft and propose suggestions, you need to have it for me in class on March 19th. The final version will be due in class on April 2nd. We will cover business letter forms at the end of class on March 12th. Your letter should be between 250 and 500 words, and you can contact me at njs2g@virginia.edu if you have any questions.
1) Written Homework 15%-description below.
2) Listening Exam 25% -In class on April 16th. You will hear a passage similar to the ones you prepare for class three times and answer comprehension questions. The passage will be linked to one of the topics we have studied during the semester.
3) Final Written Exam 40%-in class on May 7th. You will have sections on the different language points we have studied (ex. describing personality, giving instructions), a reading section, and a written essay. The material for the reading and essay will also be linked to topics we have discussed in class.
4) Oral Participation 20%. This grade will measure how efficiently you have tried to improve your spoken English during the 13 weeks in class.
For your writing assignment this semester, you will be writing a cover letter for a job in the English speaking world. The first step will be for you to find a job posting that interests you. To do this, you might search on the internet or in English language newspapers. You will turn in a copy of the job posting with your letter. Once you have found a job that interests you, you will write a letter that describes:
1) What skills and qualities would be required in order to do this job? How can you present your skills as attractive to a potential employer?
2) What personality traits make you an attractive candidate?
3) What experience do you have that would help prepare you for the job?
You have the option of doing a first draft and receiving feedback from me before turning in the final version. If you would like for me to read your draft and propose suggestions, you need to have it for me in class on March 19th. The final version will be due in class on April 2nd. We will cover business letter forms at the end of class on March 12th. Your letter should be between 250 and 500 words, and you can contact me at njs2g@virginia.edu if you have any questions.
L1 Lang: Persuasive Language for Mar. 12
This week in class we will be practicing with different ways of using language persuasively. We often encounter persuasive language in the political context and so we will begin with an extract from one of President Obama's most famous political speeches. In 2004, then Senator Obama gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention during John Kerry's election campaign. This is the speech that first brought Mr. Obama national attention. Read the following excerpt from the speech and write 3 or 4 observations on how he structured his remarks that night. If you would like to listen to the speech you can here.
Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic Convention Speech
Democratic National Convention on July 27, 2004:
"On behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln, let me express my deep gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely.
My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin- roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant to the British. But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place, America, that's shown as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before him. While studying here my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbor, my grandfather signed up for duty, joined Patton's army, marched across Europe. Back home my grandmother raised a baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI Bill, bought a house through FHA and later moved west, all the way to Hawaii, in search of opportunity. And they too had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America, your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. They're both passed away now. And yet I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride. And I stand here today grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my two precious daughters.
I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.
Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy; our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
That is the true genius of America, a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution; and that our votes will be counted -- or at least, most of the time.
This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers and the promise of future generations."
Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic Convention Speech
Democratic National Convention on July 27, 2004:
"On behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln, let me express my deep gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely.
My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin- roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant to the British. But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place, America, that's shown as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before him. While studying here my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbor, my grandfather signed up for duty, joined Patton's army, marched across Europe. Back home my grandmother raised a baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI Bill, bought a house through FHA and later moved west, all the way to Hawaii, in search of opportunity. And they too had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America, your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. They're both passed away now. And yet I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride. And I stand here today grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my two precious daughters.
I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.
Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy; our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
That is the true genius of America, a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution; and that our votes will be counted -- or at least, most of the time.
This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers and the promise of future generations."
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