In Laura Boushnak's speech entitled "For these women, reading is a daring act", she shares the very inspiring stories of young women from south eastern countries (Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen) and the importance of an education in these countries and how difficult it is for women to get one. Boushnak is a very well respected Arab photographer who was born in Kuwaiti. She has experienced the struggle of Arab women first hand and talked to many women personally, learning their touching stories. She uses pathos by telling these powerful stories and allowing people to feel for these women and their struggles. She talks about one women in particular name Fayza. "Fayza was forced to drop out of school at the age of eight when she was married. That marriage lasted for a year. At 14, she became the third wife of a 60-year-old man, and by the time she was 18, she was a divorced mother of three. Despite her poverty, despite her social status as a divorcee in an ultra-conservative society, and despite the opposition of her parents to her going back to school, Fayza knew that her only way to control her life was through education" ( Boushnak 3:15). This not only makes her audience have empathy towards Fayza but also backs up the main point she is trying to make on how important education is but how difficult it is for women to acquire it. She keeps her audience engaged by lightening the mood a little bit by making a joke about a women names Umm El-Saad," Months later, she was joking that her husband had threatened to pull her out of the classes, as he found out that his now literate wife was going through his phone text messages. Naughty Umm El-Saad. " (Boushnak 1:51) In this video I learned that women in different countries do not get all the opportunities that women in America might get and it can even be dangerous for women in the Arab world to have an education.
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This speech connects to both the American dream and the Global dream. Education is a very important component of the American dream, seeing as it leads to a financially stable job and family. This ideal of education carries over not just in America but globally as well. Education is valued all over the world. However, in countries such as Egypt and Yemen education much harder dream to achieve.This relates to the video we watched called "My Reality: Hidden America" by Diane Sawyer. It talks about how it is difficult for Americans to acquire above minimum wage jobs without some sort of degree; whereas Boushnak talks about how it is hard to have a successful life as and Arab women without an education.
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I liked this speech a lot because i thought it was a very powerful message. I think sometimes we don't realize how amazing the opportunities are in America and that most people around the world don't get those opportunities.This speech made me really understand how important education is and how highly is should be valued. I would recommend this speech are Arab women to give them hope and courage to go out and pursue an education. The only thing I would like to see more of in this speech is more detail about the women stories.
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