Speech

1) Find a speech (no specific length, but pick something meaty enough that you can discuss it at length). You can go to famous historical examples, although fair warning, a lot of people have already done MLK’s “I Have a Dream.” If you are looking for something lighter or more recent, YouTube is simply lousy with “TED Talks”, brief informative speeches on a vast array of topics. 2) Analyze its content using the methods we have been discussing: what is the speaker, the audience, and the medium for this message? Also, how does it employ Pathos, Ethos, and Logos? If one of the three rhetorics is absent then that is fine, but you should note that it is absent. If a speech has loads of emotion but no logic, that is worthy of commentary. 3) In conclusion, explain whether or not you think the speech effectively communicates its point. Please note, the point is not whether you AGREE with the message or not. For example, there are some politicians whose views I absolutely oppose, but who I would credit as excellent speakers and debaters. If you do agree then that’s fine, but rather than getting distracted by how YOU feel about the message, instead focus on how most other people would respond. Why would it appeal to a mass audience, whether or not it appeals to you?