Hey strawberrye, I've been given my English speech which is due in around two weeks from now and the question that was given is this:
Compose a speech in which you demonstrate how your understanding of the interplay between history and memory is shaped by the construction of the texts.
All I've done so far is dumb down the language to be written like this, "How does your understanding of history and memory cooperating with each other form the making of the texts", but I don't know how to go from there due to such a vague and open to interpretation question.
Could you please provide some help to kickstart my preparation?
You need to deconstruct the key words of the speech question to expand your understanding and possibility of different theses to answer this question, for example, you need to refer back to the module rubric to understand the many possibilities presented by this question.
Interplay between history and memory-this sounds very similar, if not the same as the current HSC module elective for Module C in Advanced English called 'history and memory', i am not sure whether the module rubric you have been given is the same as the current HSC module, but essentially you may choose to explore how history is often portrayed as an objective understanding of the past while memory is a more subjective interpretation, but ultimately, if you closely examine history is made of memories/eyewitness accounts, then the supposed distinct divide between history and memory breaks down.
Although I personally haven't studied this module for my HSC, you may choose to explore conceptual concerns relating history and memory together, i.e. perhaps a combination of history and personal memories is essential for construction of a more holistic understanding of truth of any particular historical event, and also you need to be aware construction of texts-is talking about techniques, including structural techniques, and depending on what your prescribed and related text are, you may choose to expand/contrast/compare these key conceptual concerns within the two texts.
Very important is to incorporate a personal voice into your speech, try to investigate unique ideas that are particular to the texts you have selected, and be specific in your thesis. Ultimately you may choose to find that the interplay between history and memory is an inevitable result of the universal shortcomings of humanity, in that we all have a tendency to forget things with the progression of time, and that our memory is vulnerable to distortion, no matter how confident we are in our memories. I would highly recommend you to have a look through the module rubric you have been given for this topic to really investigate into how you can answer this question: (an extract from the current HSC syllabus is provided below):
"Their responding and composing, students consider their prescribed text and other texts which explore the relationships between individual memory and documented events. Students analyse and evaluate the interplay of personal experience, memory and documented evidence to broaden their understanding of how history and personal history are shaped and represented."
Essentially the question is seeking for your understanding how the techniques and textual form/media/structural features deliberately/judiciously chosen by composers enhances your understanding of the complex and intrinsic relationship between memory and history-in the context of projecting some timeless/universal human concerns... hope this helps a bit
Best wishes for your speech
-this question is not vague, it is broad and allows you a lot of flexibility in expanding your understanding