Analyzing Speeches

Speech Analysis Ted Sorensen, JFK’s speech writer eloquently stated, “A speech can ignite a fire, change men’s minds, open their eyes, alter their votes, bring hope to their lives, and, in all these ways, change the world. The written word has encouraged and inspired and should be revered; however, the spoken word has persuaded people into great action; speeches have changed the world.

Speeches are written… To inform To entertain To persuade

What needs to be present in order for a speech to occur? A speaker A message An audience

When considering the speaker… Think about Ethos, Logos, and Pathos! Be sure to never use these terms themselves within your essay, instead you identify the example and then explain it’s impact in terms of credibility, logic/reason (or lack there of..), and emotion.

When considering the message… This is the point the speaker is trying to effectively (and sometimes not effectively) convey to the audience.

Why is it important to identify the audience?

Speeches are meant to be heard, not simply read...Why is knowing this important for analysis? Particular Rhetoric is used to emphasize sound, meaning and effect! Alliteration, Allusion, Amplification, Anadiplosis, Analogy, Anaphora, Anastrophe, Epistrophe, Antithesis, Assonance, Asyndeton, Chiasmus, Climax, Expletive, Hyperbole, Hypophora, Understatement, Metaphor, Parallelism, Polysendeton, Simile

Queen Elizabeth's speech to the troops at Tilbury Guided Analysis:  Is this a successful speech? Why?  In what ways does Elizabeth use logos, ethos, and pathos?  Where are the tone shifts and why do they occur?

Speech Analysis Essay Some questions you may consider: Who is the speaker? Who is the audience? What makes the speech so remarkable? How did the author's rhetoric evoke a response from the audience? What was the author's purpose? (What is the message?) Why are the words still venerated today?