Commemorative Speech

Christine Collins “Commemorative Speech” Topic – The topic is a commemorative speech. Specific Purpose – The purpose of me giving this speech is to inspire you, the audience, and to make you think about a certain person from a different perspective. Thesis Statement – By giving this speech, I hope to inform you about a certain person, and that you will take away some new knowledge about this person. Introduction  Amelia was an amazing person; went to the same elementary, middle, and high school  We blossomed together like flowers as we grew older  As much as we tried, we started to drift apart o The summer she went away changed everything o Her parents weren’t extremely wealthy, but they wanted to give her as much as they could  Something I admired about Amelia was her ability to turn any situation around o Like many people, unfortunately, Amelia was bullied in school o They called her, Amelia Bedelia (visual here) o However, she did not let it bother her; she embraced it Body  The summer before Junior year, Amelia went to Paris, France  Naturally, she found a boy while travelling in Paris, and they kept in touch o Now, of course, me, the best friend, and him, the new boyfriend were not always on the best of terms o We (me and the boy) did not always see eye to eye  I wanted to look out for her best interests, and everyone knew what his interests were  At this point, we had known each other for 11 years  A time of difficulty arose o Right before she left for Paris, I was over her house, saying goodbye  I knew she was going to be back after summer was over, so I don’t know why I was worrying o Something just didn’t feel right; I had a lingering, pestering feeling that there was something wrong  Very early the next morning, I wanted to see her off, so I snuck over through her bedroom window, which is conveniently placed on the first floor of the house o She was still asleep; I felt bad because I knew that she had been up all night packing for her trip o I spotted a note on her desk

     

 

At first, I thought that it was going to be a suicide note I apprehensively picked up the note and read it over slowly to myself She explained how she had leukemia I never had any idea; even though I spent so much time with her, I could never tell that there was anything wrong Initially, I was upset that she did not tell me After reading the letter extremely carefully, I felt a little bit guilty at first for snooping around  I knew that she meant for me to see that letter, though, I mean, are you really someone’s best friend if you haven’t snooped through their stuff No surprise, it took me a few seconds to realize what I had just read It turns out, that vacation to Paris was one last trip for her to enjoy before her final days

Conclusion  Sometimes, I forget that she is really gone, because I feel her with me all the time o Her unwavering loyalty was one of her best qualities o Her bravery and courage continue to linger with me o Her strength and continue to linger with me o Her ability to make any situation positive continues to linger with me  She is an example, every day, that platonic love knows no limits  Thank the audience