Anna Quindlen Speech Summary

Community in the dictionary means a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. Everyone belongs to a community or considers themselves a part of one, however communities tends to take away individualism. Anna Quindlen, author of “Commencement Speech at Mount Holyoke College”, spoke to the graduating class and delivered a speech on the effects of society on individuals. The purpose of this was to lead and guide the graduates into a happier life. Being true to self can only bring happiness, conforming to mold never designed to fit will only cause discomfort and unhappiness. Anna Quindlen conveyed this message by using metaphors and comparing a backpack to the weight of perfection. Throughout Quindlen's

Aside from a few words, her speech was very easy to understand.For example when she states, “knows the parameters of a happy life when all it knows is the homogenization of human experience.”(299). Terms like “homogenization” cause the speech to become harder to read because unless the audience knows what the term means there is a disconnect between speaker and audience. Throughout the speech, Quindlen’s tone remained very playful and joyful. To connect with her audience, she had to approach the situation in a manner that connects with her audience. In the text she states “give up the backpack. give up the nonsensical and punishment quest for perfection that dogs to many of us thorough too much of our lives”(299). Including terms like “dogs” appeals and captures the audience because they are a younger generation so adding terms or slang that the younger generation uses helps connect with the audience on a deeper level. It also keeps the audience interested because the speaker is using common language. The entire commencement speech connects and resides mostly with the audience's feelings. Quindlen's talk on perfection and fitting into your own space while still remaining within society made a connection with her audience because in their current state achieving perfection and competition is all they know. Being that students are receiving this speech, the title of perfection was the perfect topic. For