Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Project 6 Speech - Michael's Story

Today I am going to tell you a story. Just a simple story about a young man called Michael.

Michael was madly in love with a beautiful young lady Michelle. Infatuated by her, he spent all his time trying to woo her. “Michelle, my jewel”, he would say, “I love you! Can’t you see, what you mean to me? I’ll always be true so please love me too”.

Michael’s persistence bore fruit. They got married. But friends, marriage is not a bed of roses. Both the husband and the wife must work hard to make it a success. Michael worked hard to earn money. Michelle too worked hard. Worked hard to blow up Michael’s hard earned money!

And then one day Michelle wanted a diamond ring, which poor Michael could not afford. He tried to talk her out of it. “Michelle, my jewel. Is this our real need now? Why don’t you wish for some simple pleasures in life which requires little money”? Michelle got angry and walked out of the room. Thus seeds of discord were now sown in their happy married life. Michelle started nagging Michael everyday for the diamond ring.

Then one day Michael lost patience. “True, I am not able to get you a diamond ring. But I have been a very considerate and loving husband. I am not demanding as a man, why don’t you love me for what I am. If you are stubborn, I am afraid we will fall apart. Life is very short and there is no time for fighting, my dear. Either we can either work it out or say good bye”.

Next day Michelle left Michael. Michael was heart-broken for he still loved Michelle very much. As time went by Michael lost interest in life. He started drinking to forget his sorrows. He was fired from his job. His debts skyrocketed .He was surrounded with troubles.

He called on his friend and unburdened his sorrows. “ Only the other day all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks they are here to stay. Oh why she had to go? I said something wrong. Oh I long for those days when we were so happy! Help me if you can I am feeling down. And I do appreciate you being around. Help me get my feet back on the ground. Won’t you please help me?”

The friend took Michael to a life coach. The coach said, “You got no cash, got no style, got no girl to make you smile. But don’t worry be happy! Whenever you worry you come and meet me, I will make you happy”. But inspite of repeated visits to the coach Michael’s worries never ceased. But the coach became richer and happier at Michael’s expense.

Finally Michael decided to end his life. He was about to swallow an overdose of sleeping pills. At that moment he heard a sermon in the radio.
“Pray to God to grant you serenity to accept things you cannot change.
Pray that he grants you courage to change the things you can.
Ask him to teach you how to accept hardships as the pathway to peace.
Trust that he will make all things right for you.
If you surrender to his will you will be a happier man!”

This stopped Michael. He started praying everyday and tried his best to the teachings of the sermon. Within few months his life changed for better. He had given up alcohol; He had got back his job; He had paid off all his debts. And then he met a woman who was very understanding, considerate and was a great source of strength and support to him. He lived happily and peacefully with her for the rest of his life.
Friends, that woman was none other than Michelle who had realized her shortcomings and had turned over a new leaf.
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[Date Delivered : May 16 2009
Objectives:
  • Use voice volume, pitch, rate and quality to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message.
  • Use pauses to enhance your message.
  • Use vocal variety smoothly and naturally.
Time : Five to Seven minutes

Comment:
The story narrated above in this project speech is my first attempt at story writing. Story seems pretty mundane, a typical soap opera . But it gave me ample opportunity to exhibit a range of vocal variety expressing love, firmness, anger, sadness etc.
My creativity, if I may say so was in stringing together the lyrical content of several popular songs into the story. The dialogs in this speech were inspired by the songs of
The sermon heard by Michael in the radio is based on the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr.
]

2 comments:

  1. Very nice.Agree with you that the story was like a soap opera but it gave lots of opportunity for voice modualtion.Although to my understanding I alaways thought story telling would be apart of advance communication and the 6th project requires one to give a speech rather than narrate a story.

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  2. Absolutely a good story and appropriate for Speech 6. May be, could have considered to have local names so that helps the people to connect and walk through you. Thanks for sharing this.

    Mano

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