BAC Oral d'anglais

The organization of any society implies a particular distribution of power between its different groups. That is why, a society describes inequalities between those who have and exercise the power and those who have none or a little part of it.
           To explain what this notion of “power” means, I will try to consider power with its different forms and seats.

First of all, power can take different forms. It can be found in politics, in the media, in art… .

In class, we started with the political power by taking the example of the USA. We studied parts of the US Constitution, which is the supreme law of the country. This document was written in 1787 and its first three words are: “We the people…”. Thanks to it, we understood that the US government exists in order to serve its citizens. It is a democracy, where the people have the power to elect its president

Thus, a written document in itself can be very powerful. The US Constitution defends democracy by separating powers. Indeed, if somebody had all the three powers, it would be a dictatorship                      .          
           Fortunately, the USA has a democratic system. This year, it was the race to the White House. Candidates, such as Hillary Clinton (Democrat) or Donald Trump (Republican), delivered many speeches.

Another form of power is the power of speeches. Making a speech is an art. To be convincing, you have to take care of your voice and your gestures. A lot of politicians have understood that.

        In groups, we could listen to the speech given by Barack Obama in 2004. He was, at the time, unknown but was already cunning, when he told the story of his family. A father who was born in a small village from Kenya or a grand-father who fought in WW2. Thanks to this beautiful story, the public imagined Barack Obama as a man who was simple, trustworthy and responsible but it could also forget Barack Obama’s flaws                      .

        So, when you speak in front of a public, you dominate it. A speech can make you win an election as we saw with Obama in 2004. You can influence the public opinion by giving your point of view. You have the power to say what you want and to decide what is really important. You will surely forget your flaws but highlight your qualities.                                              

        As a conclusion, power can take different forms. A document like the US constitution or a speech like the Obama’s speech in 2004 can be powerful. A form of power can be linked with a seat of power. For instance, the London eye has the power to attract a lot of people and becomes then powerful.

        In class, I made a presentation of the London Eye. The London Eye is unique and creates the charm of London. It is the tallest wheel of the world (135 meters tall). Thanks to its size, it gives this idea of offering a breathtaking view because you can see all London from it. That is why, the London Eye can be said to be a seat of power. It is really imposing, it is famous and it offers you the power to dominate London city.
        However, you have to pay to have this right. Are you really powerful when you pay for it? And, you just have 40 minutes to enjoy this time. You are passive. You just see with your own eyes the city but you cannot control it. Therefore, you do not dominate it. It could be an illusion. You believe that you have power but definitely not.

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