It is said that speech can be a mirror of the mind. As John Andrew Holmes once humourously put it, ‘Speech is conveniently located midway between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both’.

A speech with no proper ideas and thoughts would be simply a waste of time. However, a well-planned speech has the power to influence and inspire people.

History tells us how some people became famous because of their command over language and the power of their speeches. Great religious leaders, politicians, statesmen and other renowned people have the power to influence others through their speaking skills. Examples of such great people are Mahatma Gandhi, Guru Rajneesh, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.

Mahatma Gandhi inspired millions of Indians to struggle for freedom from the British rule with the power of his words, the words of truth and non-violence.

Literature too can help us appreciate the power of speech, as in the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare.

Brutus and Cassius, the main conspirators and the slayers of Julius Caesar, deliver very powerful speeches during the funeral of Caesar and are able to fool the crowd and

bring them to their side. But when Anthony delivers his speech to the same mob, through his great oratorical skill, he manages to turn the crowd against Brutus and Cassius.

Thus speech has great power to influence and motivate people, which can be used for good as well as evil things. It also reflects the personality of a person. Hence, I suggest that everyone takes the opportunity to go through the speeches of the great people in order to understand the power and importance of speech and enlarge our vision.

— Sashi Shrestha,

Class 10, Goethals Memorial School, Kurseong, Darjeeling