Purposes for Good Introductions
1. Introduce/Reveal the Topic of the Speech
Introduce the Subject. Perhaps the most obvious purpose of an introduction is to introduce the subject of a speech. Within a few seconds after you begin your speech, the audience should have a pretty good idea of what your speech topic. Do not get so carried away with jokes or illustrations that you forget this basic purpose. There is not much point in telling a joke or a story and thcn failing I to relate it to your topic. Few things will frustrate your audience more than having to wait through half your speech before figuring out what you are talking about!
The best way to ensure that your introduction does indeed introduce the subject of your speech is to include a statement of your central idea in the introduction. In the introduction to a speech on geriatric medicine, the speaker left little room for doubt about the subject of her speech: After opening the speech with an illustration about her grandfather's poor health care at the hands of a doctor who misdiagnosed the disease, the speaker said that:
"Doctors have simply not been provided with proper medical training in the care of the elderly."
In a speech on the importance of listening, another speaker offered this statement of her central idea near the end of her introduction:
"Listening is the interpretation and evaluation of what we hear. Today I'd like to talk about listening…"
In both cases, the speakers made certain that the subjects of their speeches were announced in the introductions.
In short, don't get so carried away with trying to open with an interesting, creative, empathetic, or funny introduction that you forget the foremost purpose of the introduction: It should introduce the subject of your speech.
2. Gain Favorable Attention
Gain Favorable Attention. You are exposed to countless verbal messages every day, both from the media and from other people. For you to focus on anyone message, something about it has to grab your attention and put you in a receptive mood. So a second purpose of the speech introduction is to gain favorable attention for your speech. This concept is called several different names including attention getter, lead and hook.
Think about how long it takes you to decide whether to watch the channel you're on or to surf further. Think about how long it takes your parents to sort through junk mail. The people who design these mailings spend millions of dollars on "favorability gimmicks" to get their audience to read. Think about how long it takes you to decide if today's class is going to be fun or a bust.
Because listeners form their first impressions of the speech quickly, if the introduction does not capture their attention and cast the speech in a favorable light, the rest of the speech may be wasted on them. The speaker who walks to the podium and drones, "Today I am going to talk to you about. . ." has probably lost most of the audience in those first few boring words. Your peers will be discussing some of the ways to specifically gain favorable attention. Most people can be "hooked" by a good illustration, humor, a startling fact or statistic, or one of the other methods we will discuss.
Why do we emphasize favorable attention? For one very good reason. It is possible to grab an audience's attention but in so doing to alienate them or disgust them so that they become irritated instead of interested in what you have to say. For example, a student began an anti abortion speech with a graphic description of the abortion process. She caught her audience's attention but made them so uncomfortable that they could hardly concentrate on the rest of her speech.
Another student gave a speech on the importance of donating blood. Without a word, he began by savagely slashing his wrists in front of his stunned audience. As blood spurted, audience members screamed, and one fainted. It was real blood, but not his. The speaker worked at a blood bank. Using the bank's blood, he placed a device under each arm that allowed him to pump out the blood as if from his wrists. He certainly grabbed his audience's attention! But they never heard his message. The shock and disgust of seeing such a display made that impossible. He did not gain favorable attention.
3. Preview the Body of the Speech
Preview the Body of the Speech. The second purpose of a speech introduction is to preview the main ideas of your speech. As you saw in Chapter 8, the preview statement usually comes near the end of the introduction, often immediately following a statement of the central idea. It outlines for the audience what the main ideas of your speech will be. The preview statement "tells them what you're going to tell them." It allows your listeners to anticipate the main ideas of your speech, which in turn helps ensure that they will remember those ideas after the speech. After opening with an illustration, a speaker talking about political prisoners of conscience offered this preview statement:
"I'll begin with a definition of a prisoner of conscience. I'll present a rough outline as to their numbers and locations. I'll examine some of the reasons for their abuse; and finally, I'll offer some solutions to ease their suffering."
This preview statement makes clear to the audience what the main points of the speech are going to be.
An effective introduction not only introduces the subject of the speech, but it also previews the main ideas that will be presented in the body of the speech.
4. Motivate the Audience to Listen--Relevance
Establish a Motivation or Relevance for Listening. Even after you have captured the attention of your audience, you have to give them some reason to want to listen to the rest of your speech. An unmotivated listener quickly tunes out. You can help establish listening motivation by showing the members of your audience how the topic affects them directly.
Relevance is the concept that listeners will be most attentive to information that affects them directly. Relevance is important in introductions because most people decide very quickly if a presentation applies to them and their lives. "This concerns me" is a powerful reason to listen. Notice how this speaker involves her audience with the problem of toxic silver dental fillings:
"It's estimated that 90% of the American population has silver fillings. That's some 225 million Americans with mercury in their teeth. Because this number is so large and many of us are counted in this number, I'd like to tell you about mercury, the toxic poison, and show you why we must escape its contamination."
Yes, the significance of the statistics is attention-getting, but it also motivates her audience to listen further by pointing out their personal susceptibility to the potential dangers.
After introducing the problem of unfair political asylum, another speaker observed:
At this point, you are probably asking yourself: "Why should I be concerned about a problem involving only foreigners?" First of all, our government makes the decisions--it represents us. As a nation, we assumed the responsibility of political asylum. Therefore, we must deal with it, however complex. Finally and most importantly, the problem deserves our attention, because the policy serves humanity. We know that it is only right to correct the inconsistencies within the system."
In this passage, the speaker made an impersonal problem-political asylum-morally relevant to her listeners. She motivated her audience by placing on them a burden of personal responsibility; she told them why the problem-should be of interest to them. Demonstrating that your topic is of vital personal concern to your audience is an effective motivator.
5. Establish Credibility
Establish Your Credibility. Credibility is the attitude listeners hold toward a
speaker. A credible speaker is one whom the audience judges to be a believable authority and a competent speaker. A credible speaker is also someone the audience believes in and can trust.
You should be mindful! of your listeners' attitude toward you. When thinking of your listeners, ask yourself, "Why should they listen to me? What is my background with respect to the topic? Am I personally committed to the issues about which I am going to speak?" Many people have so much admiration for a political or religious figure, an athlete, or an entertainer that they sacrifice time, energy, and money to be members of an audience to which one of these admired persons is speaking. When Pope John Paul II came to the United States during the summer of 1987, people traveled great distances and stood for hours in intense heat to celebrate Mass with him.
Most people cannot take their own credibility for granted when they speak. If you can establish your credibility early in the speech, it will help motivate your audience to listen. One way to build credibility in the introduction is to be well prepared and to appear confident. Speaking fluently while maintaining eye contact does much to convey a sense of confidence. If you seem to have confidence in yourself, your audience will have confidence in you. A second way to establish credibility is to tell the audience of your personal experience with your topic. If you are an expert on your topic, don't let modesty keep you from letting the audience know. Instead of considering you as boastful, most audience members will listen to you with respect. Notice how the following speaker opened his speech on Boy Scouting:
"I come before you today representing one out of fifteen million people in over 67 countries throughout the world who belong to a very special organization, an organization designed I to help prepare youth for their future life. The organization is Boy Scouting, the world's best known youth movement."
Learning that the speaker was someone who was actively involved in scouting undoubtedly helped motivate the audience to listen to his point of view. Another student opened her speech with this personal illustration:
"Within the last year, two members of my family were diagnosed by their doctors as having skin cancer, caused by the sun. In my mother's case, she had purposefully, although naively subjected herself to the sun, laying out, tanning in tanning salons, etc. In my, grandmother's case, she was diagnosed by her doctor as having skin cancer from her I normal exposure to the sun. This woman had never sought the sun. Both of these cases made me realize that even though I don't subject myself as my mother does; I certainly get more unintentional exposure than my grandmother. So, I came face to face with the fact that I too could contract this disease."
Because she revealed her personal involvement with the topic, the speaker undoubtedly gained authority in the eyes of her audience. Her listeners would probably say to themselves, "She really knows what she's talking about." By enhancing her own credibility, the speaker established a strong motivation for the audience to listen to her.
A speaker should not take for granted some variables in his or her control. One of these considerations is personal appearance. Like it or not, how we dress plays a role in how people listen to us. Take, for example, the student who shows up in tattered jeans and a "holey" t-shirt to talk about a serious social issue. It might be difficult for the most objective listener to fully overlook this type of dress. The person simply hasn't considered how he/she is presenting themself. In like fashion, take the example of the man who shows up in a full suit to apply for a job in dry-wall installation. The foreman interviewing him and the other on-lookers might have quite a chuckle at his expense. Dressing for audience, occasion and purpose are always important considerations if the speaker is to be taken seriously.
The audience's speaking experience begins much sooner than when the first words come from the speaker's mouth. Some speakers underestimate their audience(s). Audiences are very observant and smart. By enlarge, they want speakers to succeed. However, certain behaviors seem to stick with the audience and their perception of the speaker.
Take, for example, the Olympic medal winner who was caught "picking his nose" in front of an auditorium of high school students before he spoke. Weeks after the speech when a teacher made reference to his speech, one of the students chimed in, "you mean the guy who kept picking his nose." Audiences use all sorts of information to judge a speaker. We need to be aware of our behavior and our dress when we are in front of an audience.
Speech introductions, then, should introduce the subject, preview the body of the speech, gain favorable attention for the speech, establish a motivation for listening, and establish your personal credibility. All this-- brevity too-may I seem impossible to achieve. But it isn't!
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Types of Attention Getters
Types of Attention Getters, Leads, Hooks
1. Personal Reference
Personal Reference. A reference to yourself can take several forms. You may express appreciation at having been asked to speak. You may share a personal experience. Or you may reveal your authority on the subject of your speech.
British statesman Winston Churchill, whose mother was American, used this personal statement of appreciation to open his address to the U.S. Congress shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941:
"Members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives of the United States, I feel greatly honored that you should have invited me to enter the United States Senate Chamber and address the representatives of both branches of Congress.
The fact that my American forebears have for so many generations played their part in the life of the United States, and that here I am, an Englishman, welcomed in your midst, makes this experience one of the most moving and thrilling in my life, which is already long and has not been entirely uneventful.
I wish indeed that my mother, whose memory I cherish across the vale of years, could have been here to see. By the way, I cannot help reflecting that if my father had been American and my mother British, instead of the other way around, I might have got here on my own. In that case, this would not have been the first time you would have heard my voice. In that case, I should not have needed any invitation; but, if I had, it is hardly likely that it would have been unanimous. So perhaps things are better as they are."
Reminding his audience of his own American roots helped Churchill to establish a strong common bond on which he drew as he urged the cooperation of Congress in the war effort.
Here is an example of a personal anecdote meant to arouse audience empathy:
"As I was working my way through the public school system, I, like my peers, believed that I was receiving a fine education. I could read and write, and add and subtract-yes, all of the essentials were there. At least that's what I thought. And, then, the boom lowered: 'Attention class-your next assignment is to present an oral report at your paper in front of the class next week.'
My heart stopped. Panic began to rise up inside. Me? In front of thirty other fourth graders giving a speech? For the next five days I lived in dreaded anticipation of the forthcoming event. When the day finally arrived, I stayed home. It seemed at the rime to be the perfect solution to a very scary and very real problem. Up to that rime, I had never been asked to say a word in front of anyone, and, more importantly, had never been taught anything about verbal communication skills."
The third type of personal reference, that which establishes your authority, was illustrated earlier in this chapter by the introduction to the speech on Boy Scouting. In another example, a speaker draws on his military experience to establish his credibility:
"After 20 years in the army during peace and war, and after having made master sergeant twice and been busted back to buck private three rimes, I think I learned something about military discipline. Let me tell you, it's irrational."
Personal references, then, can serve a variety of purposes. But what they do most of all-in all circumstances-is establish a warm bond between you and your audience.
2. Rhetorical Questions, Q&A, Questions
Questions. When raising a question to open a speech, you will generally use a "rhetorical question," the kind you don't expect an answer to. Nevertheless, your listeners will probably try to answer mentally. Questions prompt the audience's thinking process. This speaker opened a speech on geographical illiteracy with a series of question:
"Can you name the states that border the Pacific Ocean? What country lies between Panama and Nicaragua? Can you name the Great Lakes?"
And another speaker opened his speech on teenage suicide with this simple question:
"Have you ever been alone in the dark?"
Using just one or two questions, though, is not enough. It is best to use a series of questions if used by themselves. Questions are commonly combined with another method of introduction. In fact, the last speaker went on to tell a poignant story about a young suicide victim and, after that, to relate some rather startling statistics about the problem. Another speaker opened a speech on the inadequacies of our current driver's license renewal system with three startling brief examples followed by a question:
"In 31 states a blind man can be licensed to drive. In 5 states, just send in your check and they will send back your renewed license, no questions asked.
In 1916 my grandfather got his license for the first time. No exam was required; no exam has been required since. Ever wonder why our highways seem a bit unsafe today?"
Either by themselves or in tandem with another method of introduction, questions can provide effective opening for speeches.
Attention Getters, Leads or Hooks:
Making the Audience Smile, Chuckle, Laugh
3. Humor
Humor, handled well, can be a wonderful attention getter. It can help
relax your audience and win their goodwill for the rest of the speech. The following anecdote, for example, could be used to open a speech on the importance of adequate life insurance:
"If you were to lose your husband," the insurance salesman asked the young wife, "what, would you get?" She thought for a moment, and then ventured: "A parakeet."
Humor need not always be the stuff of Drew Carey's "Whose Line is it Anyways?" routine or a Jim Carey slapstick comedy. It does not even have to be a joke. It may take more subtle forms, such as irony or incredulity. Here is another quietly humorous opening of a speech on deception in education:
"Sassafras Herbert proudly displays her certificate from the American Association of Dietary Consultants. This certificate entitles Herbert to a listing in the Official Directory of Nutrition and Dietary Consultants and special rates on malpractice insurance. She'll probably need those rates. Sassafras Herbert is an ll-year-old poodle."
Humor can be used in many circumstances and for many topics, but certain subjects do not lend themselves to a humorous introduction. It would hardly be appropriate to open a speech on teenage suicide, for example, with a funny story. Nor would it be appropriate to use humor in a talk on certain serious crimes. Used with discretion, however, humor can provide a lively, interesting, and appropriate introduction for many speeches.
4. Quotations/Using Explaining Famous Words on the Topic
Quotation Using an appropriate quotation to introduce a speech is a common practice. Often a past writer or speaker has expressed an opinion on your topic that is more authoritative, comprehensive, or better stated than what you can say. In a speech on the proliferation of "super babies," one speaker turned to Scripture to introduce her speech:
"'Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding, for the wisdom is more profitable than silver, and the gain she brings is better than gold.' This quotation, as taken from the New English Bible, Proverbs, Chapter III, is the cry that was uttered to the children of the earth. Today, the cries are coming. . . from the mouths of parents."
The passage quoted possesses both poetic beauty and scriptural authority, providing an interesting and effective introduction to the speech.
A different kind of quotation, this one from an expert, was chosen by another speaker to introduce a similar topic, the disappearance of childhood in America:
"As a distinctive childhood cultUre wastes away, we watch with fascination and dismay." This insight of Neil Postman, author of Disappearance of Childhood, raised a poignant point. Childhood in America is vanishing."
Because the expert was not widely recognized, the speaker included a brief statement of his qualifications. This authority "said it in a nutshell"--expressed in concise language the central idea of the speech.
It is vital that the speaker tie the quote to the topic if it is not so obvious. I'll never forget the speech where the young man began his speech in the following manner:
"'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, and wealthy and wise.' Those of you with chips in the windshield of your car should get it taken care of immediately."
There are several questions that one should ask this student: (1) Is this the best attention getter for this topic?; (2) What does this quotation have to do with chipped windshields?; (3) Who said this? Speakers must explain the relevance of the quotation with the audience. They must also always tell the audience where the quote originated. If they don't, they are guilty of "academic dishonesty."
After asking these questions, the student came up with the following attention getter:
"'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, and wealthy and wise.' I'll bet Ben Franklin never thought his quote would be used in a speech on car maintenance. When Franklin penned these words, he was really telling us to be more prepared and proactive in our daily lives. He was telling us that by being prepared for the unexpected, we really save ourselves lots of time and money. In 2005, one way to save your money is to make sure that you practice 'preventative maintenance' on your vehicles. Those nasty little chips in your windshield are one example of a small problem that can quickly become a large one if you're not careful."
Although a quote can effectively introduce a speech, do not fall into the lazy habit of turning to a collection of quotations every time you need an introduction. There are so many other interesting, and sometimes better, ways to introduce a speech that quotes should be used only if they are extremely interesting, compelling, or very much to the point.
5. Startling Statistic/Series of Facts
Startling Fact or Statistic. One method of introducing a speech is the use of a series of startling facts or statistics. Startling an audience with the extent of a situation or problem will invariably catch their attention as well as motivate them to listen further to what you have to say. This opening of a speech on teenage pregnancy must have caused the audience to sit up and take notice:
"There's a disease lurking in this country. A disease that quietly strikes one American teenager every 30 seconds--over one million a year. A disease that could be controlled . . . hasn't been; a disease that could be eliminated. . . isn't. It will affect 40 percent of today's 14-year-olds at least once before they reach 20. It's not contagious, not incurable; but once you catch it-you'll suffer from its effects for the rest of your life. What is it? The disease is teenage pregnancy."
The statistical information on teenage pregnancy is indeed startling. In addition, the speaker employed the technique of suspense, withholding the topic until she had relayed the statistics. Almost in spite of themselves, audience members must have found themselves guessing the cause of such alarming figures. And because they invested mental energy in thinking about the answer, the speaker had their attention. A similar example comes from a speech on the common cold:
"Americans get 500 million per year. This disease makes us lose 32 million days of work and makes us spend 105 million days in bed. We spend over 1 billion dollars in over the-counter drugs to help alleviate its symptoms, which include a sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, high temperature, and headaches. What is it? It is the oldest and most common ailment own to man-the common cold."
Like the methods of organization, the methods of introduction are not mutually exclusive. Very often, two or three are effectively combined in a single introduction. For example, the following speaker combined the methods of illustration and startling statistic for this effective introduction to a speech on geriatric medicine:
"Although my grandfather continued to struggle against dying, he did not go gentle into that good night. He died in an Arkansas hospital of what doctors officially termed as 'old age.'My grandfather was a member of one of the fastest growing groups in America: those over 65. Between the years 1900 and 1980, the number of people over 65 has tripled. By the year 2040, most of us will not be short of companions our age, because by then the elderly population will be at least 45%."
6. Illustration
Illustration. Not surprisingly, since it is the most inherently interesting type of supporting material, an illustration can provide the basis for an effective speech introduction. In fact, if you have an especially compelling anecdote that you had planned to use in the body of the speech, you might do well to use it instead in your introduction. A relevant story often effectively introduces a subject. An interesting illustration invariably gains an audience's attention. And a personal anecdote can help establish your credibility. Here is how one speaker opened a speech on the problems associated with diplomatic immunity:
"In 1982, Jane Doe was raped at gunpoint in her apartment. Three weeks after the incident, Ms. Holmes identified her offender as he walked down the street, and she then notified the New York police while her boyfriend subdued the man. After 45 minutes of questioning, Manuel Aryee, the accused assailant, was released a free man."
This story has drama, is relevant, and arouses the indignation of the audience. In short, it is an effective way to open the speech.An inherently poignant illustration was offered by this speaker in the opening of a speech on organ donation:
"On October 28, 2002, doctors told Jamie Fiske's grief stricken parents that their 11 month-old daughter could not survive until Thanksgiving. Jamie's hope lay in finding a suitable human liver donor. Only a liver transplant could save Jamie's life.
Some of you may remember the name, Jamie Fiske. You may even recall the dramatic televised appeal which her father, Charles Fiske, made to the American Academy of Pediatricians that day in October. For me, and I hope for some of you, the real hero of the Jamie Fiske saga was not the famous transplant surgeon but a baby boy named Jess Bellon. Why? Because less than a week after Charles Fiske's plea for an organ donor, Jess Bellon's liver was successfully transplanted to Jamie Fiske."
Here is a final example of an illustration, this one used in an introduction to a
speech on the value of autopsy:
"My middle name should have been Imelda. Mother always gave her children the middle name of a godparent. Instead, I became Mary Beth. I thought of my mother's naming system when my godmother and aunt, Imelda, died last summer, an event the family viewed as a blessing. Imelda had suffered throughout her adult life from insanity. Intensive work with psychiatrists and the latest drugs failed to offer Imelda help. No one in our family really understood her plight-we only knew that she was crazy.
We finally understood Imelda-after her death. Doctors performed an autopsy and found that Imelda had suffered from a rare disease in which her body's muscles grew uncontrollably, cutting off blood circulation to her brain, causing her insanity. We felt guilty about the way we had treated Imelda. We were also relieved to discover that her illness was not hereditary."
This personal Illustration captured the attention of the audience. In addition, the speaker established her own involvement and expertise in the subject.
7. Curiosity
Curiosity. There is an old saying, "Curiosity killed the cat." There's even a reference to being to curious in the Bible. Lot's wife was told not to look back, but she couldn't follow that simple instruction and was turned into a pillar of salt. Perhaps with these examples you might want to think twice about using curiosity as an attention getting device. However, keep in mind what's behind both of these examples: that there is an innate curiosity in all living things. We want to know what's going on, we enjoy figuring things out for ourselves. An attention getter that appeals to most of the audiences curiosity is a good thing.
Take, for example, this informative speech given in a Kansas classroom:
"This crop is the number two cash crop in the state of Kansas. This crop's value per bushel is more than soybean, corn and wheat's values combined. Many have seen this crop as an answer to their problems. This crop has saved many family farms. This crop is also viewed as evil by many others. There are many farmers who would rather burn this crop than see what its evil effects could do to their families. This crop is illegal. Growing this crop can land you in prison. This crop is marijuana."
Notice how each time the speaker refers to "this crop" that you try to figure out what it is in your head. In this instance curiosity is used masterfully to focus the audience's attention to the topic at hand, an informative speech on farmers who've resorted to illegal means to keep their family farms.
8. Guided Imagery
Guided Imagery. Asking an audience to close their eyes and imagine something is used frequently as a way to begin speeches. Just make sure to ask them to open their eyes again. Believe it or not, many speakers forget to do this and the audience is confused after the "guided imagery" has finished and the speaker continues.
In this attention getting device the speaker creates an image that he/she guides the audience members through. It can be used more effectively than visual aids as our imaginations can produce far more vivid images than even most films can be.
One student used a set of cymbals and guided imagery in a great informative speech of "The Big Bang Theory." She opened here speech in the following manner:
"Close your eyes. Come one, everyone close your eyes. Now imagine you are weightless. There is no gravity and you find yourself suddenly out of your chair. Your friends are next to you and they're weightless too. You decide to investigate and push yourself out the school door, you float up past the flag pole, past the trees, you find yourself in the middle of a cloud. You keep moving upward….You find yourself in space, floating towards the stars and all of the sudden a group of asterorids race toward you. You try to avoid them, you weave in and out, they are getting thicker and thicker, one is headed your way (she takes out the cymbals and creates a loud clang, audience members jump out of their seats). That is how some people say the planet Earth was created…"
The speaker craftfully and slowly involved her audience in a topic that some might wave off as boring or murmur, "Oh no…". Instead, as she started her informative speech on what might be chalked off as an boring, topic there were laughs from the audience and adrenaline racing in their veins.
Imagine in just how many situations you can ask your audience to place themselves before speaking. There are many great applications for this type of attention getter.
9. Hypothetical Example
Hypothetical. A hypothetical is a type of anecdote. Usually they are a "composite" sketch of what is known about topics ranging from shark attacks to child abductions, from identity-theft to getting to know people. Much like guided imagery, they ask audience members to imagine some sort of scenario. Unlike guided imagery they do not ask audience members to close their eyes and imagine. Speakers who use a hypothetical may or may not let the audience know that it is an imaginary situation before disclosing it.
One young man described with graphic detail the situation that a childe abuse victim dealt with on a daily basis. The picture that he created was a composite of situations he had researched in a speech on the same subject. His attention getter focused the attention of the issue on their school. He also masterfully used curiosity and questioning to get the audience fully submerged in the topic.
"He shows up to school everyday. He never misses. He's thin, pale and almost invisible to many of us. He doesn't talk much in his classes. I'll bet that many of you even know him. He doesn't appear to take very good care of himself and rarely has his homework done on time. You'll notice him sitting alone at lunch. He always seems angry and doesn't mind telling other kids what he thinks of them. Little do we know, though, that he goes home to uncertainty every night. Once last week his dad, drunk again, got up from the dinner table, threw his plate against the wall and punched him in the face. Last week his father pulled him out of bed and kicked him for15 minutes. How many of you think you know who this kid in our school is? (waits for a response) Well, although he's just a hypothetical example of an abused kid, his story is all too familiar to teachers, counselors and law enforcement. That is, if he's discovered in time."
10. Reference to a Recent News Event
Reference to Recent News Event. If your topic is timely, a reference torecent news event can be a good way to open your speech. An opening taken from a recent news story can take the form of an illustration, a startling statistic, or even a quotation, gaining the additional advantages discussed under each of those methods of introduction. Moreover, referring to a recent event will increase your credibility by showing that you are knowledgeable about current affairs.
"Recent" does not necessarily mean a story that broke just last week or even last month. An occurrence that has taken place within the past year or so can be considered recent. Even a particularly significant event that is slightly older than that, such as the 1989 removal of the Berlin Wall, can quality. Here is how one speaker used an anecdote drawn from a contemporary news story to open a speech
"It was another beautiful day at the amusement park. Warm sunshine, the smell of cotton candy, the kids, and the rides surrounded all those who ventured out for a day of fun. The roller coaster's whooshing 60 mile per hour speed was accompanied by the familiar screams of delight from kids of all ages. Another ride, the Comet, was flying gracefully through the heavens when suddenly a chain broke flinging one of the gondolas 75 feet into the air before it crashed, killing a man and seriously injuring his son. This accident, on May 26 in Pontiac, Illinois, was just one of many in 2004--one that many that could have been avoided."
Another speaker turned to a news story for some startling statistics on kidnapping by parents: I
"The October 23rd, 2005, issue of the New York Times reported some startling facts. It reported the findings of the Gallup Poll Organization that there are about 500,000 incidents each year in which kids are kidnapped from one of their parents by the other parent. That's a half million parental kidnappings per year."
The first speaker delivered his speech in 2004; the second, in 2003. These events were only several months old and therefore fresh in the minds of people who knew them. They also pointed up the fact that the problems discussed in the speeches were current and urgent ones.
11. Reference to Occasion
Reference to Occasion. Instead of referring in your introduction to a historical event, you can refer to the occasion at hand. This way of introducing your talk is especially well suited to occasions that are noteworthy and are the reason you were asked to give your talk. For example, when a neighborhood elementary school celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary, its first principal might open her remarks this way:
"It is a special joy for me to be here this afternoon to help celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Crockett Elementary School. How well I remember the excitement and anticipation of that opening day so many years ago. How well I remember the children who came to school that first day. Some of them are now your parents. It was a good beginning to a successful twenty-five years."
References to the occasion are often used at weddings, birthday parties, dedication ceremonies, and other such events. It is customary to make a personal reference as well, placing oneself in the occasion. The audience at the school probably expected the principal to do just that. The reference to the occasion can also be combined with other methods of introduction, such as an illustration or an opening question.
Attention Getters, Leads or Hooks:
Referring to a Moment in History
12. Reference to an Historical Event
Reference to an Historical Event. What American is not familiar with theopening line of Lincoln's classic Gettysburg Address:
"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal"?
Note that this opening sentence refers to the historical context of the speech. You, too, may find a wav to begin a speech by making a reference to a historical event. Every day is the anniversary of something. Perhaps you could begin a speech by drawing a relationship between a historical event that happened on this day and your speech objective. How do you discover anniversaries of historical events? Three sources should prove useful. First, consult Jane M. Hatch's American Book of Days; this resource lists key events for every day of the year and also provides details of what occurred. Another source, Anniversaries and Holidays, by Ruth w. Gregory, identifies and describes key holidays. Finally, many newspapers have a section that identifies key events that occurred on "this day in history." If, for example, you know you are going to be speaking on April 6, you could consult a copy of a newspaper from April 6 of last year to discover the key commemorative events for that day.
We are not recommending that you arbitrarily flip through one of these sources to crank up your speech; your reference to a historical event should be linked clearly to your speech purpose. Note how Carl Sandburg began a speech on March 4, 1961, the hundredth anniversary of Lincoln's first inaugural:
"Here one hundred years ago to the day were 10,000 people who hung on the words of the speaker of the day. Beyond this immediate audience were 30 million people in 34 states who wanted to know what he was saying. Over in the countries of Europe were more millions of people wondering whether the American Union of States would hold together or be shattered into fragments."
Attention Getters, Leads or Hooks:
Referring to a Previous Speech
13. Reference to Preceding Speech
Reference to Preceding Speech. Referring to an earlier speech is the sole impromptu method of attention getter. This method occurs most often when your speech is one of several being presented on the same occasion. The occasion might be speaking day in a speech class, a symposium, or a lecture series in which your talk is one of many on the same topic.
You must decide on the spot whether referring to one of these previous speeches will be better than using the introduction you originally prepared. As a rule, you are better off sticking with your planned introduction. Occasionally, however, a reference to a previous speech may work well, either by itself or in combination with the prepared introduction. And sometimes it is a virtual necessity.
Few experiences will make your stomach sink faster than hearing a speaker just ahead of you speak on your topic. Worse still, that speaker may even use some of the same supporting materials you had planned to use. When this situation happens, you are better off to acknowledge the previous speaker's efforts than to "play ostrich".
Another time when it might be wise to refer to a preceding speech occurs when another speaker has spoken on a topic so related to your own that you can draw an analogy. In a sense, your introduction becomes a transition from that earlier speech to yours. Here is an example of an introduction delivered by a student speaker under those circumstances:
"Kate did a fantastic job of telling you about problems with the reauthorization of the Patriot Act. She was 'right on the money' when she told you how our civil liberties are at risk of being lost once and for all. The Patriot Act is just one of the many "wolves in sheep's clothing" that I plan on sharing with you this afternoon. The decay of our civil liberties is easily wrapped up in the American flag. However, that flag is the very reason that we as responsible Americans must put our feet down and say 'enough is enough.'
1. Personal Reference
Personal Reference. A reference to yourself can take several forms. You may express appreciation at having been asked to speak. You may share a personal experience. Or you may reveal your authority on the subject of your speech.
British statesman Winston Churchill, whose mother was American, used this personal statement of appreciation to open his address to the U.S. Congress shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941:
"Members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives of the United States, I feel greatly honored that you should have invited me to enter the United States Senate Chamber and address the representatives of both branches of Congress.
The fact that my American forebears have for so many generations played their part in the life of the United States, and that here I am, an Englishman, welcomed in your midst, makes this experience one of the most moving and thrilling in my life, which is already long and has not been entirely uneventful.
I wish indeed that my mother, whose memory I cherish across the vale of years, could have been here to see. By the way, I cannot help reflecting that if my father had been American and my mother British, instead of the other way around, I might have got here on my own. In that case, this would not have been the first time you would have heard my voice. In that case, I should not have needed any invitation; but, if I had, it is hardly likely that it would have been unanimous. So perhaps things are better as they are."
Reminding his audience of his own American roots helped Churchill to establish a strong common bond on which he drew as he urged the cooperation of Congress in the war effort.
Here is an example of a personal anecdote meant to arouse audience empathy:
"As I was working my way through the public school system, I, like my peers, believed that I was receiving a fine education. I could read and write, and add and subtract-yes, all of the essentials were there. At least that's what I thought. And, then, the boom lowered: 'Attention class-your next assignment is to present an oral report at your paper in front of the class next week.'
My heart stopped. Panic began to rise up inside. Me? In front of thirty other fourth graders giving a speech? For the next five days I lived in dreaded anticipation of the forthcoming event. When the day finally arrived, I stayed home. It seemed at the rime to be the perfect solution to a very scary and very real problem. Up to that rime, I had never been asked to say a word in front of anyone, and, more importantly, had never been taught anything about verbal communication skills."
The third type of personal reference, that which establishes your authority, was illustrated earlier in this chapter by the introduction to the speech on Boy Scouting. In another example, a speaker draws on his military experience to establish his credibility:
"After 20 years in the army during peace and war, and after having made master sergeant twice and been busted back to buck private three rimes, I think I learned something about military discipline. Let me tell you, it's irrational."
Personal references, then, can serve a variety of purposes. But what they do most of all-in all circumstances-is establish a warm bond between you and your audience.
2. Rhetorical Questions, Q&A, Questions
Questions. When raising a question to open a speech, you will generally use a "rhetorical question," the kind you don't expect an answer to. Nevertheless, your listeners will probably try to answer mentally. Questions prompt the audience's thinking process. This speaker opened a speech on geographical illiteracy with a series of question:
"Can you name the states that border the Pacific Ocean? What country lies between Panama and Nicaragua? Can you name the Great Lakes?"
And another speaker opened his speech on teenage suicide with this simple question:
"Have you ever been alone in the dark?"
Using just one or two questions, though, is not enough. It is best to use a series of questions if used by themselves. Questions are commonly combined with another method of introduction. In fact, the last speaker went on to tell a poignant story about a young suicide victim and, after that, to relate some rather startling statistics about the problem. Another speaker opened a speech on the inadequacies of our current driver's license renewal system with three startling brief examples followed by a question:
"In 31 states a blind man can be licensed to drive. In 5 states, just send in your check and they will send back your renewed license, no questions asked.
In 1916 my grandfather got his license for the first time. No exam was required; no exam has been required since. Ever wonder why our highways seem a bit unsafe today?"
Either by themselves or in tandem with another method of introduction, questions can provide effective opening for speeches.
Attention Getters, Leads or Hooks:
Making the Audience Smile, Chuckle, Laugh
3. Humor
Humor, handled well, can be a wonderful attention getter. It can help
relax your audience and win their goodwill for the rest of the speech. The following anecdote, for example, could be used to open a speech on the importance of adequate life insurance:
"If you were to lose your husband," the insurance salesman asked the young wife, "what, would you get?" She thought for a moment, and then ventured: "A parakeet."
Humor need not always be the stuff of Drew Carey's "Whose Line is it Anyways?" routine or a Jim Carey slapstick comedy. It does not even have to be a joke. It may take more subtle forms, such as irony or incredulity. Here is another quietly humorous opening of a speech on deception in education:
"Sassafras Herbert proudly displays her certificate from the American Association of Dietary Consultants. This certificate entitles Herbert to a listing in the Official Directory of Nutrition and Dietary Consultants and special rates on malpractice insurance. She'll probably need those rates. Sassafras Herbert is an ll-year-old poodle."
Humor can be used in many circumstances and for many topics, but certain subjects do not lend themselves to a humorous introduction. It would hardly be appropriate to open a speech on teenage suicide, for example, with a funny story. Nor would it be appropriate to use humor in a talk on certain serious crimes. Used with discretion, however, humor can provide a lively, interesting, and appropriate introduction for many speeches.
4. Quotations/Using Explaining Famous Words on the Topic
Quotation Using an appropriate quotation to introduce a speech is a common practice. Often a past writer or speaker has expressed an opinion on your topic that is more authoritative, comprehensive, or better stated than what you can say. In a speech on the proliferation of "super babies," one speaker turned to Scripture to introduce her speech:
"'Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding, for the wisdom is more profitable than silver, and the gain she brings is better than gold.' This quotation, as taken from the New English Bible, Proverbs, Chapter III, is the cry that was uttered to the children of the earth. Today, the cries are coming. . . from the mouths of parents."
The passage quoted possesses both poetic beauty and scriptural authority, providing an interesting and effective introduction to the speech.
A different kind of quotation, this one from an expert, was chosen by another speaker to introduce a similar topic, the disappearance of childhood in America:
"As a distinctive childhood cultUre wastes away, we watch with fascination and dismay." This insight of Neil Postman, author of Disappearance of Childhood, raised a poignant point. Childhood in America is vanishing."
Because the expert was not widely recognized, the speaker included a brief statement of his qualifications. This authority "said it in a nutshell"--expressed in concise language the central idea of the speech.
It is vital that the speaker tie the quote to the topic if it is not so obvious. I'll never forget the speech where the young man began his speech in the following manner:
"'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, and wealthy and wise.' Those of you with chips in the windshield of your car should get it taken care of immediately."
There are several questions that one should ask this student: (1) Is this the best attention getter for this topic?; (2) What does this quotation have to do with chipped windshields?; (3) Who said this? Speakers must explain the relevance of the quotation with the audience. They must also always tell the audience where the quote originated. If they don't, they are guilty of "academic dishonesty."
After asking these questions, the student came up with the following attention getter:
"'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, and wealthy and wise.' I'll bet Ben Franklin never thought his quote would be used in a speech on car maintenance. When Franklin penned these words, he was really telling us to be more prepared and proactive in our daily lives. He was telling us that by being prepared for the unexpected, we really save ourselves lots of time and money. In 2005, one way to save your money is to make sure that you practice 'preventative maintenance' on your vehicles. Those nasty little chips in your windshield are one example of a small problem that can quickly become a large one if you're not careful."
Although a quote can effectively introduce a speech, do not fall into the lazy habit of turning to a collection of quotations every time you need an introduction. There are so many other interesting, and sometimes better, ways to introduce a speech that quotes should be used only if they are extremely interesting, compelling, or very much to the point.
5. Startling Statistic/Series of Facts
Startling Fact or Statistic. One method of introducing a speech is the use of a series of startling facts or statistics. Startling an audience with the extent of a situation or problem will invariably catch their attention as well as motivate them to listen further to what you have to say. This opening of a speech on teenage pregnancy must have caused the audience to sit up and take notice:
"There's a disease lurking in this country. A disease that quietly strikes one American teenager every 30 seconds--over one million a year. A disease that could be controlled . . . hasn't been; a disease that could be eliminated. . . isn't. It will affect 40 percent of today's 14-year-olds at least once before they reach 20. It's not contagious, not incurable; but once you catch it-you'll suffer from its effects for the rest of your life. What is it? The disease is teenage pregnancy."
The statistical information on teenage pregnancy is indeed startling. In addition, the speaker employed the technique of suspense, withholding the topic until she had relayed the statistics. Almost in spite of themselves, audience members must have found themselves guessing the cause of such alarming figures. And because they invested mental energy in thinking about the answer, the speaker had their attention. A similar example comes from a speech on the common cold:
"Americans get 500 million per year. This disease makes us lose 32 million days of work and makes us spend 105 million days in bed. We spend over 1 billion dollars in over the-counter drugs to help alleviate its symptoms, which include a sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, high temperature, and headaches. What is it? It is the oldest and most common ailment own to man-the common cold."
Like the methods of organization, the methods of introduction are not mutually exclusive. Very often, two or three are effectively combined in a single introduction. For example, the following speaker combined the methods of illustration and startling statistic for this effective introduction to a speech on geriatric medicine:
"Although my grandfather continued to struggle against dying, he did not go gentle into that good night. He died in an Arkansas hospital of what doctors officially termed as 'old age.'My grandfather was a member of one of the fastest growing groups in America: those over 65. Between the years 1900 and 1980, the number of people over 65 has tripled. By the year 2040, most of us will not be short of companions our age, because by then the elderly population will be at least 45%."
6. Illustration
Illustration. Not surprisingly, since it is the most inherently interesting type of supporting material, an illustration can provide the basis for an effective speech introduction. In fact, if you have an especially compelling anecdote that you had planned to use in the body of the speech, you might do well to use it instead in your introduction. A relevant story often effectively introduces a subject. An interesting illustration invariably gains an audience's attention. And a personal anecdote can help establish your credibility. Here is how one speaker opened a speech on the problems associated with diplomatic immunity:
"In 1982, Jane Doe was raped at gunpoint in her apartment. Three weeks after the incident, Ms. Holmes identified her offender as he walked down the street, and she then notified the New York police while her boyfriend subdued the man. After 45 minutes of questioning, Manuel Aryee, the accused assailant, was released a free man."
This story has drama, is relevant, and arouses the indignation of the audience. In short, it is an effective way to open the speech.An inherently poignant illustration was offered by this speaker in the opening of a speech on organ donation:
"On October 28, 2002, doctors told Jamie Fiske's grief stricken parents that their 11 month-old daughter could not survive until Thanksgiving. Jamie's hope lay in finding a suitable human liver donor. Only a liver transplant could save Jamie's life.
Some of you may remember the name, Jamie Fiske. You may even recall the dramatic televised appeal which her father, Charles Fiske, made to the American Academy of Pediatricians that day in October. For me, and I hope for some of you, the real hero of the Jamie Fiske saga was not the famous transplant surgeon but a baby boy named Jess Bellon. Why? Because less than a week after Charles Fiske's plea for an organ donor, Jess Bellon's liver was successfully transplanted to Jamie Fiske."
Here is a final example of an illustration, this one used in an introduction to a
speech on the value of autopsy:
"My middle name should have been Imelda. Mother always gave her children the middle name of a godparent. Instead, I became Mary Beth. I thought of my mother's naming system when my godmother and aunt, Imelda, died last summer, an event the family viewed as a blessing. Imelda had suffered throughout her adult life from insanity. Intensive work with psychiatrists and the latest drugs failed to offer Imelda help. No one in our family really understood her plight-we only knew that she was crazy.
We finally understood Imelda-after her death. Doctors performed an autopsy and found that Imelda had suffered from a rare disease in which her body's muscles grew uncontrollably, cutting off blood circulation to her brain, causing her insanity. We felt guilty about the way we had treated Imelda. We were also relieved to discover that her illness was not hereditary."
This personal Illustration captured the attention of the audience. In addition, the speaker established her own involvement and expertise in the subject.
7. Curiosity
Curiosity. There is an old saying, "Curiosity killed the cat." There's even a reference to being to curious in the Bible. Lot's wife was told not to look back, but she couldn't follow that simple instruction and was turned into a pillar of salt. Perhaps with these examples you might want to think twice about using curiosity as an attention getting device. However, keep in mind what's behind both of these examples: that there is an innate curiosity in all living things. We want to know what's going on, we enjoy figuring things out for ourselves. An attention getter that appeals to most of the audiences curiosity is a good thing.
Take, for example, this informative speech given in a Kansas classroom:
"This crop is the number two cash crop in the state of Kansas. This crop's value per bushel is more than soybean, corn and wheat's values combined. Many have seen this crop as an answer to their problems. This crop has saved many family farms. This crop is also viewed as evil by many others. There are many farmers who would rather burn this crop than see what its evil effects could do to their families. This crop is illegal. Growing this crop can land you in prison. This crop is marijuana."
Notice how each time the speaker refers to "this crop" that you try to figure out what it is in your head. In this instance curiosity is used masterfully to focus the audience's attention to the topic at hand, an informative speech on farmers who've resorted to illegal means to keep their family farms.
8. Guided Imagery
Guided Imagery. Asking an audience to close their eyes and imagine something is used frequently as a way to begin speeches. Just make sure to ask them to open their eyes again. Believe it or not, many speakers forget to do this and the audience is confused after the "guided imagery" has finished and the speaker continues.
In this attention getting device the speaker creates an image that he/she guides the audience members through. It can be used more effectively than visual aids as our imaginations can produce far more vivid images than even most films can be.
One student used a set of cymbals and guided imagery in a great informative speech of "The Big Bang Theory." She opened here speech in the following manner:
"Close your eyes. Come one, everyone close your eyes. Now imagine you are weightless. There is no gravity and you find yourself suddenly out of your chair. Your friends are next to you and they're weightless too. You decide to investigate and push yourself out the school door, you float up past the flag pole, past the trees, you find yourself in the middle of a cloud. You keep moving upward….You find yourself in space, floating towards the stars and all of the sudden a group of asterorids race toward you. You try to avoid them, you weave in and out, they are getting thicker and thicker, one is headed your way (she takes out the cymbals and creates a loud clang, audience members jump out of their seats). That is how some people say the planet Earth was created…"
The speaker craftfully and slowly involved her audience in a topic that some might wave off as boring or murmur, "Oh no…". Instead, as she started her informative speech on what might be chalked off as an boring, topic there were laughs from the audience and adrenaline racing in their veins.
Imagine in just how many situations you can ask your audience to place themselves before speaking. There are many great applications for this type of attention getter.
9. Hypothetical Example
Hypothetical. A hypothetical is a type of anecdote. Usually they are a "composite" sketch of what is known about topics ranging from shark attacks to child abductions, from identity-theft to getting to know people. Much like guided imagery, they ask audience members to imagine some sort of scenario. Unlike guided imagery they do not ask audience members to close their eyes and imagine. Speakers who use a hypothetical may or may not let the audience know that it is an imaginary situation before disclosing it.
One young man described with graphic detail the situation that a childe abuse victim dealt with on a daily basis. The picture that he created was a composite of situations he had researched in a speech on the same subject. His attention getter focused the attention of the issue on their school. He also masterfully used curiosity and questioning to get the audience fully submerged in the topic.
"He shows up to school everyday. He never misses. He's thin, pale and almost invisible to many of us. He doesn't talk much in his classes. I'll bet that many of you even know him. He doesn't appear to take very good care of himself and rarely has his homework done on time. You'll notice him sitting alone at lunch. He always seems angry and doesn't mind telling other kids what he thinks of them. Little do we know, though, that he goes home to uncertainty every night. Once last week his dad, drunk again, got up from the dinner table, threw his plate against the wall and punched him in the face. Last week his father pulled him out of bed and kicked him for15 minutes. How many of you think you know who this kid in our school is? (waits for a response) Well, although he's just a hypothetical example of an abused kid, his story is all too familiar to teachers, counselors and law enforcement. That is, if he's discovered in time."
10. Reference to a Recent News Event
Reference to Recent News Event. If your topic is timely, a reference torecent news event can be a good way to open your speech. An opening taken from a recent news story can take the form of an illustration, a startling statistic, or even a quotation, gaining the additional advantages discussed under each of those methods of introduction. Moreover, referring to a recent event will increase your credibility by showing that you are knowledgeable about current affairs.
"Recent" does not necessarily mean a story that broke just last week or even last month. An occurrence that has taken place within the past year or so can be considered recent. Even a particularly significant event that is slightly older than that, such as the 1989 removal of the Berlin Wall, can quality. Here is how one speaker used an anecdote drawn from a contemporary news story to open a speech
"It was another beautiful day at the amusement park. Warm sunshine, the smell of cotton candy, the kids, and the rides surrounded all those who ventured out for a day of fun. The roller coaster's whooshing 60 mile per hour speed was accompanied by the familiar screams of delight from kids of all ages. Another ride, the Comet, was flying gracefully through the heavens when suddenly a chain broke flinging one of the gondolas 75 feet into the air before it crashed, killing a man and seriously injuring his son. This accident, on May 26 in Pontiac, Illinois, was just one of many in 2004--one that many that could have been avoided."
Another speaker turned to a news story for some startling statistics on kidnapping by parents: I
"The October 23rd, 2005, issue of the New York Times reported some startling facts. It reported the findings of the Gallup Poll Organization that there are about 500,000 incidents each year in which kids are kidnapped from one of their parents by the other parent. That's a half million parental kidnappings per year."
The first speaker delivered his speech in 2004; the second, in 2003. These events were only several months old and therefore fresh in the minds of people who knew them. They also pointed up the fact that the problems discussed in the speeches were current and urgent ones.
11. Reference to Occasion
Reference to Occasion. Instead of referring in your introduction to a historical event, you can refer to the occasion at hand. This way of introducing your talk is especially well suited to occasions that are noteworthy and are the reason you were asked to give your talk. For example, when a neighborhood elementary school celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary, its first principal might open her remarks this way:
"It is a special joy for me to be here this afternoon to help celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Crockett Elementary School. How well I remember the excitement and anticipation of that opening day so many years ago. How well I remember the children who came to school that first day. Some of them are now your parents. It was a good beginning to a successful twenty-five years."
References to the occasion are often used at weddings, birthday parties, dedication ceremonies, and other such events. It is customary to make a personal reference as well, placing oneself in the occasion. The audience at the school probably expected the principal to do just that. The reference to the occasion can also be combined with other methods of introduction, such as an illustration or an opening question.
Attention Getters, Leads or Hooks:
Referring to a Moment in History
12. Reference to an Historical Event
Reference to an Historical Event. What American is not familiar with theopening line of Lincoln's classic Gettysburg Address:
"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal"?
Note that this opening sentence refers to the historical context of the speech. You, too, may find a wav to begin a speech by making a reference to a historical event. Every day is the anniversary of something. Perhaps you could begin a speech by drawing a relationship between a historical event that happened on this day and your speech objective. How do you discover anniversaries of historical events? Three sources should prove useful. First, consult Jane M. Hatch's American Book of Days; this resource lists key events for every day of the year and also provides details of what occurred. Another source, Anniversaries and Holidays, by Ruth w. Gregory, identifies and describes key holidays. Finally, many newspapers have a section that identifies key events that occurred on "this day in history." If, for example, you know you are going to be speaking on April 6, you could consult a copy of a newspaper from April 6 of last year to discover the key commemorative events for that day.
We are not recommending that you arbitrarily flip through one of these sources to crank up your speech; your reference to a historical event should be linked clearly to your speech purpose. Note how Carl Sandburg began a speech on March 4, 1961, the hundredth anniversary of Lincoln's first inaugural:
"Here one hundred years ago to the day were 10,000 people who hung on the words of the speaker of the day. Beyond this immediate audience were 30 million people in 34 states who wanted to know what he was saying. Over in the countries of Europe were more millions of people wondering whether the American Union of States would hold together or be shattered into fragments."
Attention Getters, Leads or Hooks:
Referring to a Previous Speech
13. Reference to Preceding Speech
Reference to Preceding Speech. Referring to an earlier speech is the sole impromptu method of attention getter. This method occurs most often when your speech is one of several being presented on the same occasion. The occasion might be speaking day in a speech class, a symposium, or a lecture series in which your talk is one of many on the same topic.
You must decide on the spot whether referring to one of these previous speeches will be better than using the introduction you originally prepared. As a rule, you are better off sticking with your planned introduction. Occasionally, however, a reference to a previous speech may work well, either by itself or in combination with the prepared introduction. And sometimes it is a virtual necessity.
Few experiences will make your stomach sink faster than hearing a speaker just ahead of you speak on your topic. Worse still, that speaker may even use some of the same supporting materials you had planned to use. When this situation happens, you are better off to acknowledge the previous speaker's efforts than to "play ostrich".
Another time when it might be wise to refer to a preceding speech occurs when another speaker has spoken on a topic so related to your own that you can draw an analogy. In a sense, your introduction becomes a transition from that earlier speech to yours. Here is an example of an introduction delivered by a student speaker under those circumstances:
"Kate did a fantastic job of telling you about problems with the reauthorization of the Patriot Act. She was 'right on the money' when she told you how our civil liberties are at risk of being lost once and for all. The Patriot Act is just one of the many "wolves in sheep's clothing" that I plan on sharing with you this afternoon. The decay of our civil liberties is easily wrapped up in the American flag. However, that flag is the very reason that we as responsible Americans must put our feet down and say 'enough is enough.'
Purposes of the Introduction
Purposes for Good Introductions:Introducing Your Topic/Subject Quickly
1. Introduce/Reveal the Topic of the Speech
Introduce the Subject. Perhaps the most obvious purpose of an introduction is to introduce the subject of a speech. Within a few seconds after you begin your speech, the audience should have a pretty good idea of what your speech topic. Do not get so carried away with jokes or illustrations that you forget this basic purpose. There is not much point in telling a joke or a story and thcn failing I to relate it to your topic. Few things will frustrate your audience more than having to wait through half your speech before figuring out what you are talking about!
The best way to ensure that your introduction does indeed introduce the subject of your speech is to include a statement of your central idea in the introduction. In the introduction to a speech on geriatric medicine, the speaker left little room for doubt about the subject of her speech: After opening the speech with an illustration about her grandfather's poor health care at the hands of a doctor who misdiagnosed the disease, the speaker said that:
"Doctors have simply not been provided with proper medical training in the care of the elderly."
In a speech on the importance of listening, another speaker offered this statement of her central idea near the end of her introduction:
"Listening is the interpretation and evaluation of what we hear. Today I'd like to talk about listening…"
In both cases, the speakers made certain that the subjects of their speeches were announced in the introductions.
In short, don't get so carried away with trying to open with an interesting, creative, empathetic, or funny introduction that you forget the foremost purpose of the introduction: It should introduce the subject of your speech.
2. Gain Favorable Attention
Gain Favorable Attention. You are exposed to countless verbal messages every day, both from the media and from other people. For you to focus on anyone message, something about it has to grab your attention and put you in a receptive mood. So a second purpose of the speech introduction is to gain favorable attention for your speech. This concept is called several different names including attention getter, lead and hook.
Think about how long it takes you to decide whether to watch the channel you're on or to surf further. Think about how long it takes your parents to sort through junk mail. The people who design these mailings spend millions of dollars on "favorability gimmicks" to get their audience to read. Think about how long it takes you to decide if today's class is going to be fun or a bust.
Because listeners form their first impressions of the speech quickly, if the introduction does not capture their attention and cast the speech in a favorable light, the rest of the speech may be wasted on them. The speaker who walks to the podium and drones, "Today I am going to talk to you about. . ." has probably lost most of the audience in those first few boring words. Your peers will be discussing some of the ways to specifically gain favorable attention. Most people can be "hooked" by a good illustration, humor, a startling fact or statistic, or one of the other methods we will discuss. Why do we emphasize favorable attention? For one very good reason. It is possible to grab an audience's attention but in so doing to alienate them or disgust them so that they become irritated instead of interested in what you have to say. For example, a student began an anti abortion speech with a graphic description of the abortion process. She caught her audience's attention but made them so uncomfortable that they could hardly concentrate on the rest of her speech.
Another student gave a speech on the importance of donating blood. Without a word, he began by savagely slashing his wrists in front of his stunned audience. As blood spurted, audience members screamed, and one fainted. It was real blood, but not his. The speaker worked at a blood bank. Using the bank's blood, he placed a device under each arm that allowed him to pump out the blood as if from his wrists. He certainly grabbed his audience's attention! But they never heard his message. The shock and disgust of seeing such a display made that impossible. He did not gain favorable attention.
3. Preview the Body of the Speech
Preview the Body of the Speech. The second purpose of a speech introduction is to preview the main ideas of your speech. As you saw in Chapter 8, the preview statement usually comes near the end of the introduction, often immediately following a statement of the central idea. It outlines for the audience what the main ideas of your speech will be. The preview statement "tells them what you're going to tell them." It allows your listeners to anticipate the main ideas of your speech, which in turn helps ensure that they will remember those ideas after the speech. After opening with an illustration, a speaker talking about political prisoners of conscience offered this preview statement:
"I'll begin with a definition of a prisoner of conscience. I'll present a rough outline as to their numbers and locations. I'll examine some of the reasons for their abuse; and finally, I'll offer some solutions to ease their suffering."
This preview statement makes clear to the audience what the main points of the speech are going to be.
An effective introduction not only introduces the subject of the speech, but it also previews the main ideas that will be presented in the body of the speech.
4. Motivate the Audience to Listen--Relevance
Establish a Motivation or Relevance for Listening. Even after you have captured the attention of your audience, you have to give them some reason to want to listen to the rest of your speech. An unmotivated listener quickly tunes out. You can help establish listening motivation by showing the members of your audience how the topic affects them directly.
Relevance is the concept that listeners will be most attentive to information that affects them directly. Relevance is important in introductions because most people decide very quickly if a presentation applies to them and their lives. "This concerns me" is a powerful reason to listen. Notice how this speaker involves her audience with the problem of toxic silver dental fillings:
"It's estimated that 90% of the American population has silver fillings. That's some 225 million Americans with mercury in their teeth. Because this number is so large and many of us are counted in this number, I'd like to tell you about mercury, the toxic poison, and show you why we must escape its contamination."
Yes, the significance of the statistics is attention-getting, but it also motivates her audience to listen further by pointing out their personal susceptibility to the potential dangers.
After introducing the problem of unfair political asylum, another speaker observed:
At this point, you are probably asking yourself:
"Why should I be concerned about a problem involving only foreigners?" First of all, our government makes the decisions--it represents us. As a nation, we assumed the responsibility of political asylum. Therefore, we must deal with it, however complex. Finally and most importantly, the problem deserves our attention, because the policy serves humanity. We know that it is only right to correct the inconsistencies within the system."
In this passage, the speaker made an impersonal problem-political asylum-morally relevant to her listeners. She motivated her audience by placing on them a burden of personal responsibility; she told them why the problem-should be of interest to them. Demonstrating that your topic is of vital personal concern to your audience is an effective motivator.
5. Establish Credibility
Establish Your Credibility. Credibility is the attitude listeners hold toward a
speaker. A credible speaker is one whom the audience judges to be a believable authority and a competent speaker. A credible speaker is also someone the audience believes in and can trust.
You should be mindful of your listeners' attitude toward you. When thinking of your listeners, ask yourself, "Why should they listen to me? What is my background with respect to the topic? Am I personally committed to the issues about which I am going to speak?" Many people have so much admiration for a political or religious figure, an athlete, or an entertainer that they sacrifice time, energy, and money to be members of an audience to which one of these admired persons is speaking. When Pope John Paul II came to the United States during the summer of 1987, people traveled great distances and stood for hours in intense heat to celebrate Mass with him.
Most people cannot take their own credibility for granted when they speak. If you can establish your credibility early in the speech, it will help motivate your audience to listen. One way to build credibility in the introduction is to be well prepared and to appear confident. Speaking fluently while maintaining eye contact does much to convey a sense of confidence. If you seem to have confidence in yourself, your audience will have confidence in you. A second way to establish credibility is to tell the audience of your personal experience with your topic. If you are an expert on your topic, don't let modesty keep you from letting the audience know. Instead of considering you as boastful, most audience members will listen to you with respect. Notice how the following speaker opened his speech on Boy Scouting:
"I come before you today representing one out of fifteen million people in over 67 countries throughout the world who belong to a very special organization, an organization designed I to help prepare youth for their future life. The organization is Boy Scouting, the world's best known youth movement."
Learning that the speaker was someone who was actively involved in scouting undoubtedly helped motivate the audience to listen to his point of view. Another student opened her speech with this personal illustration:
"Within the last year, two members of my family were diagnosed by their doctors as having skin cancer, caused by the sun. In my mother's case, she had purposefully, although naively subjected herself to the sun, laying out, tanning in tanning salons, etc. In my, grandmother's case, she was diagnosed by her doctor as having skin cancer from her I normal exposure to the sun. This woman had never sought the sun. Both of these cases made me realize that even though I don't subject myself as my mother does; I certainly get more unintentional exposure than my grandmother. So, I came face to face with the fact that I too could contract this disease."
Because she revealed her personal involvement with the topic, the speaker undoubtedly gained authority in the eyes of her audience. Her listeners would probably say to themselves, "She really knows what she's talking about." By enhancing her own credibility, the speaker established a strong motivation for the audience to listen to her.
A speaker should not take for granted some variables in his or her control. One of these considerations is personal appearance. Like it or not, how we dress plays a role in how people listen to us. Take, for example, the student who shows up in tattered jeans and a "holey" t-shirt to talk about a serious social issue. It might be difficult for the most objective listener to fully overlook this type of dress. The person simply hasn't considered how he/she is presenting themself. In like fashion, take the example of the man who shows up in a full suit to apply for a job in dry-wall installation. The foreman interviewing him and the other on-lookers might have quite a chuckle at his expense. Dressing for audience, occasion and purpose are always important considerations if the speaker is to be taken seriously.
The audience's speaking experience begins much sooner than when the first words come from the speaker's mouth. Some speakers underestimate their audience(s). Audiences are very observant and smart. By enlarge, they want speakers to succeed. However, certain behaviors seem to stick with the audience and their perception of the speaker.
Take, for example, the Olympic medal winner who was caught "picking his nose" in front of an auditorium of high school students before he spoke. Weeks after the speech when a teacher made reference to his speech, one of the students chimed in, "you mean the guy who kept picking his nose." Audiences use all sorts of information to judge a speaker. We need to be aware of our behavior and our dress when we are in front of an audience.
Speech introductions, then, should introduce the subject, preview the body of the speech, gain favorable attention for the speech, establish a motivation for listening, and establish your personal credibility. All this-- brevity too-may I seem impossible to achieve. But it isn't!
1. Introduce/Reveal the Topic of the Speech
Introduce the Subject. Perhaps the most obvious purpose of an introduction is to introduce the subject of a speech. Within a few seconds after you begin your speech, the audience should have a pretty good idea of what your speech topic. Do not get so carried away with jokes or illustrations that you forget this basic purpose. There is not much point in telling a joke or a story and thcn failing I to relate it to your topic. Few things will frustrate your audience more than having to wait through half your speech before figuring out what you are talking about!
The best way to ensure that your introduction does indeed introduce the subject of your speech is to include a statement of your central idea in the introduction. In the introduction to a speech on geriatric medicine, the speaker left little room for doubt about the subject of her speech: After opening the speech with an illustration about her grandfather's poor health care at the hands of a doctor who misdiagnosed the disease, the speaker said that:
"Doctors have simply not been provided with proper medical training in the care of the elderly."
In a speech on the importance of listening, another speaker offered this statement of her central idea near the end of her introduction:
"Listening is the interpretation and evaluation of what we hear. Today I'd like to talk about listening…"
In both cases, the speakers made certain that the subjects of their speeches were announced in the introductions.
In short, don't get so carried away with trying to open with an interesting, creative, empathetic, or funny introduction that you forget the foremost purpose of the introduction: It should introduce the subject of your speech.
2. Gain Favorable Attention
Gain Favorable Attention. You are exposed to countless verbal messages every day, both from the media and from other people. For you to focus on anyone message, something about it has to grab your attention and put you in a receptive mood. So a second purpose of the speech introduction is to gain favorable attention for your speech. This concept is called several different names including attention getter, lead and hook.
Think about how long it takes you to decide whether to watch the channel you're on or to surf further. Think about how long it takes your parents to sort through junk mail. The people who design these mailings spend millions of dollars on "favorability gimmicks" to get their audience to read. Think about how long it takes you to decide if today's class is going to be fun or a bust.
Because listeners form their first impressions of the speech quickly, if the introduction does not capture their attention and cast the speech in a favorable light, the rest of the speech may be wasted on them. The speaker who walks to the podium and drones, "Today I am going to talk to you about. . ." has probably lost most of the audience in those first few boring words. Your peers will be discussing some of the ways to specifically gain favorable attention. Most people can be "hooked" by a good illustration, humor, a startling fact or statistic, or one of the other methods we will discuss. Why do we emphasize favorable attention? For one very good reason. It is possible to grab an audience's attention but in so doing to alienate them or disgust them so that they become irritated instead of interested in what you have to say. For example, a student began an anti abortion speech with a graphic description of the abortion process. She caught her audience's attention but made them so uncomfortable that they could hardly concentrate on the rest of her speech.
Another student gave a speech on the importance of donating blood. Without a word, he began by savagely slashing his wrists in front of his stunned audience. As blood spurted, audience members screamed, and one fainted. It was real blood, but not his. The speaker worked at a blood bank. Using the bank's blood, he placed a device under each arm that allowed him to pump out the blood as if from his wrists. He certainly grabbed his audience's attention! But they never heard his message. The shock and disgust of seeing such a display made that impossible. He did not gain favorable attention.
3. Preview the Body of the Speech
Preview the Body of the Speech. The second purpose of a speech introduction is to preview the main ideas of your speech. As you saw in Chapter 8, the preview statement usually comes near the end of the introduction, often immediately following a statement of the central idea. It outlines for the audience what the main ideas of your speech will be. The preview statement "tells them what you're going to tell them." It allows your listeners to anticipate the main ideas of your speech, which in turn helps ensure that they will remember those ideas after the speech. After opening with an illustration, a speaker talking about political prisoners of conscience offered this preview statement:
"I'll begin with a definition of a prisoner of conscience. I'll present a rough outline as to their numbers and locations. I'll examine some of the reasons for their abuse; and finally, I'll offer some solutions to ease their suffering."
This preview statement makes clear to the audience what the main points of the speech are going to be.
An effective introduction not only introduces the subject of the speech, but it also previews the main ideas that will be presented in the body of the speech.
4. Motivate the Audience to Listen--Relevance
Establish a Motivation or Relevance for Listening. Even after you have captured the attention of your audience, you have to give them some reason to want to listen to the rest of your speech. An unmotivated listener quickly tunes out. You can help establish listening motivation by showing the members of your audience how the topic affects them directly.
Relevance is the concept that listeners will be most attentive to information that affects them directly. Relevance is important in introductions because most people decide very quickly if a presentation applies to them and their lives. "This concerns me" is a powerful reason to listen. Notice how this speaker involves her audience with the problem of toxic silver dental fillings:
"It's estimated that 90% of the American population has silver fillings. That's some 225 million Americans with mercury in their teeth. Because this number is so large and many of us are counted in this number, I'd like to tell you about mercury, the toxic poison, and show you why we must escape its contamination."
Yes, the significance of the statistics is attention-getting, but it also motivates her audience to listen further by pointing out their personal susceptibility to the potential dangers.
After introducing the problem of unfair political asylum, another speaker observed:
At this point, you are probably asking yourself:
"Why should I be concerned about a problem involving only foreigners?" First of all, our government makes the decisions--it represents us. As a nation, we assumed the responsibility of political asylum. Therefore, we must deal with it, however complex. Finally and most importantly, the problem deserves our attention, because the policy serves humanity. We know that it is only right to correct the inconsistencies within the system."
In this passage, the speaker made an impersonal problem-political asylum-morally relevant to her listeners. She motivated her audience by placing on them a burden of personal responsibility; she told them why the problem-should be of interest to them. Demonstrating that your topic is of vital personal concern to your audience is an effective motivator.
5. Establish Credibility
Establish Your Credibility. Credibility is the attitude listeners hold toward a
speaker. A credible speaker is one whom the audience judges to be a believable authority and a competent speaker. A credible speaker is also someone the audience believes in and can trust.
You should be mindful of your listeners' attitude toward you. When thinking of your listeners, ask yourself, "Why should they listen to me? What is my background with respect to the topic? Am I personally committed to the issues about which I am going to speak?" Many people have so much admiration for a political or religious figure, an athlete, or an entertainer that they sacrifice time, energy, and money to be members of an audience to which one of these admired persons is speaking. When Pope John Paul II came to the United States during the summer of 1987, people traveled great distances and stood for hours in intense heat to celebrate Mass with him.
Most people cannot take their own credibility for granted when they speak. If you can establish your credibility early in the speech, it will help motivate your audience to listen. One way to build credibility in the introduction is to be well prepared and to appear confident. Speaking fluently while maintaining eye contact does much to convey a sense of confidence. If you seem to have confidence in yourself, your audience will have confidence in you. A second way to establish credibility is to tell the audience of your personal experience with your topic. If you are an expert on your topic, don't let modesty keep you from letting the audience know. Instead of considering you as boastful, most audience members will listen to you with respect. Notice how the following speaker opened his speech on Boy Scouting:
"I come before you today representing one out of fifteen million people in over 67 countries throughout the world who belong to a very special organization, an organization designed I to help prepare youth for their future life. The organization is Boy Scouting, the world's best known youth movement."
Learning that the speaker was someone who was actively involved in scouting undoubtedly helped motivate the audience to listen to his point of view. Another student opened her speech with this personal illustration:
"Within the last year, two members of my family were diagnosed by their doctors as having skin cancer, caused by the sun. In my mother's case, she had purposefully, although naively subjected herself to the sun, laying out, tanning in tanning salons, etc. In my, grandmother's case, she was diagnosed by her doctor as having skin cancer from her I normal exposure to the sun. This woman had never sought the sun. Both of these cases made me realize that even though I don't subject myself as my mother does; I certainly get more unintentional exposure than my grandmother. So, I came face to face with the fact that I too could contract this disease."
Because she revealed her personal involvement with the topic, the speaker undoubtedly gained authority in the eyes of her audience. Her listeners would probably say to themselves, "She really knows what she's talking about." By enhancing her own credibility, the speaker established a strong motivation for the audience to listen to her.
A speaker should not take for granted some variables in his or her control. One of these considerations is personal appearance. Like it or not, how we dress plays a role in how people listen to us. Take, for example, the student who shows up in tattered jeans and a "holey" t-shirt to talk about a serious social issue. It might be difficult for the most objective listener to fully overlook this type of dress. The person simply hasn't considered how he/she is presenting themself. In like fashion, take the example of the man who shows up in a full suit to apply for a job in dry-wall installation. The foreman interviewing him and the other on-lookers might have quite a chuckle at his expense. Dressing for audience, occasion and purpose are always important considerations if the speaker is to be taken seriously.
The audience's speaking experience begins much sooner than when the first words come from the speaker's mouth. Some speakers underestimate their audience(s). Audiences are very observant and smart. By enlarge, they want speakers to succeed. However, certain behaviors seem to stick with the audience and their perception of the speaker.
Take, for example, the Olympic medal winner who was caught "picking his nose" in front of an auditorium of high school students before he spoke. Weeks after the speech when a teacher made reference to his speech, one of the students chimed in, "you mean the guy who kept picking his nose." Audiences use all sorts of information to judge a speaker. We need to be aware of our behavior and our dress when we are in front of an audience.
Speech introductions, then, should introduce the subject, preview the body of the speech, gain favorable attention for the speech, establish a motivation for listening, and establish your personal credibility. All this-- brevity too-may I seem impossible to achieve. But it isn't!
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Teaching the First Pre-Speaking & Pre-Writing Block
Pre-Speaking or Pre-Writing Block
TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTING YOUR MESSAGE/SPEECH OR WRITING YOUR RESEARCH PAPER.
Whenever we communicate—whether it be through speaking or writing--we do so in real time for a real purpose and for a real audience. Prior to this communication, we need to consider our purpose and that audience. This pre-speaking/prewriting block is intended to assist us in developing and constructing a strong message.
TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTING YOUR MESSAGE/SPEECH OR WRITING YOUR RESEARCH PAPER.
Whenever we communicate—whether it be through speaking or writing--we do so in real time for a real purpose and for a real audience. Prior to this communication, we need to consider our purpose and that audience. This pre-speaking/prewriting block is intended to assist us in developing and constructing a strong message.
- GENERAL PURPOSE (GP): to+_________________
(one verb)
(possible examples: to inform, to persuade, to convince, to teach, to introduce, to demonstrate, to motivate, to inspire) - SPECIFIC PURPOSE (SP): I will _______________THE AUDIENCE THAT/TO
(GP Verb)
_________________________________________________ SO THAT THE
(subject and opinion of subject=thesis base)
AUDIENCE WILL______________________________________________.
(short explanation of the audience action or
thought that you desire=actuation)
Examples of this in speeches might look like any of the following:
I will convince (GP verb) the audience that year round school is a bad idea (thesis base) so that the audience will attend the next school board meeting and help me oppose the idea and sign my petition against it (actuation).
I will motivate (GP verb) the audience to purchase the amazing and inexpensive new Zingmaster 3000 (thesis base) so that the audience will buy one or consider buying one (actuation).
I will inform (GP verb) the audience that school pride at Lewis Central needs to be improved (thesis base) so that the audience will show more school spirit at all school events (actuation).
I will inspire (GP verb) the audience to spend their extra time in the worthwhile activity of volunteerism (thesis base) so that the audience will look for a worthwhile charitable organization to donate his/her time (acutation). - AUDIENCE ANALYSIS STATEMENT: Several (at least three) sentences that analyze your audience and predict your success or failure in accomplishing your goal. Predict what the audience thinks of the subject and how they will react to the speech and/or your opinion of the speech. In the advanced stages of AAS you will need to consider the “simulated audience” that you are assigned to speak. This may include clients in a Sales Speech or a community forum including parents, students, teachers, administrators and school board members in the Opinion Speech. Different audiences require us to construct our messages differently. Consider these questions. You don’t have to answer all of them but should consider these questions, people’s “filters of perception” when analyzing your audience.
What does this audience think of this topic;
How will the audience react to the information in my speech;
How is it that I will accomplish my GP & my SP
What might get in the way of me accomplishing my goals;
What prejudices, biases, filters or previous experiences might get in the way of the audience agreeing with me.
Examples of this might look like the following:
I believe that this audience believes that school spirit is pretty good at Lewis Central High School. However, when I share examples with them that demonstrate the behaviors of students at LC during concerts, plays and some athletic events that they will understand that they should support the students who try to represent our school with pride. Some students who show great school spirit can find some value in this speech by having an influence on their friends. Students who are unattached to our school in terms of competitions, performances and pep rallies need to understand that these activities are a positive reflection on all of us. Hopefully, after hearing about the time and commitment that their fellow students demonstrate in these activities they will be inspired to demonstrate more school spirit.
I believe that this audience believes that year-round school is a bad idea because they really don't understand the idea. By informing students that year round school actually has as many days off as our current calendar, students might reconsider their opinion. I also think that the research that I share with them will prove to them that year-round school will improve their learning, their skills and make them more competitivie for scholarships, boost their ACT scores and improve retention The major prejudice that students have with this topic is that they enjoy the long break at summer. However, several breaks during the school year will be really appealing to some of them. Getting them to reconsider their opinion on this topic is really what I'm out to achieve.
© Thomas V. McLaughlin Jr., 2006--for permission to use this document for purposes other than classes taken with Mr. McLaughlin, please contact Mr. McLaughlin at tvmclaughlin@cox.net or mclaughlt@lewiscentral.k12.ia.us
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Satire uses of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc, Satires are literary compositions, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD College/ACT/SAT Vocabulary
Chapters 1-2
1. apothecary—one who prepares and sells medicines
2. assuaged—made less severe or burdensome
3. indigenous—occurring or living naturally in an area
4. malevolent—having or exhibiting hatred
5. mortification—a feeling of shame or humiliation
6. piety—religious devotion and reverence to God
7. sojourn—a brief, temporary stay
8. unsullied—spotlessly clean and fresh
9. vexations—irritations or annoyances
10. wallowing—heavily indulging in; rolling in
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Independent Novel Menu 1: Novel Specific Vocabulary
Choose ONE of the following assignments. Include a title and any necessary headings.
Independent Novel Menu 2: Vocabulary, Literary Terms
Independent Novel Menu 3: The Journal Entries
Your task is to complete 10 JOURNAL RESPONSES (single-spaced, half-page, minimum in 12 point font and full-page maximum)to what you are reading. Divide your novel roughly into 10-14 sections (you have two full weeks and two weekends to complete the novel). For each entry include the date and the pages read.
To receive an "A" on this section of the menu, the student must complete 10 journal entries at an "A" level To receive a "B" the student must complete "8" journals at a "B" level. To receive a "C" the student must complete a minimum of "6" journal entries at a "C" level.
Independent Novel Menu 4: The Project
After you have finished your novel choose one project to complete. This project is a chance to challenge your creative side and show what you learned, enjoyed, or pondered on as you were reading. Each student must also complete a writing assignment based on the novel. A grade specific set of criteria can be seen following the list of projects.
Independent Novel Menu 5: Writing the Literary Analysis
Your final review must be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font. Your margins must be 1” maximum and the review/theme analysis must be double-spaced. You need to have an MLA heading on the paper. In the opening paragraph, you must include the title and the author of the novel.
Independent Novel Sample Paper
Be aware, that this typed paper needs to be in Times New Roman 12 pt. font, should be double-spaced, should have an MLA heading and the pages should have a 1" margin.
Hit the "READ MORE" link for some other helpful hints, directions and models. One doesn't need to read all of the links. Please browse them and find one that best fits your style.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Montgomery Bus Boycott
"My feets is weary, but my soul is rested."
The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially started on December 1, 1955. That was the day when the blacks of Montgomery, Alabama, decided that they would boycott the city buses until they could sit anywhere they wanted, instead of being relegated to the back when a white boarded. It was not, however, the day that the movement to desegregate the buses started. Perhaps the movement started on the day in 1943 when a black seamstress named Rosa Parks paid her bus fare and then watched the bus drive off as she tried to re-enter through the rear door, as the driver had told her to do. Perhaps the movement started on the day in 1949 when a black professor Jo Ann Robinson absentmindedly sat at the front of a nearly empty bus, then ran off in tears when the bus driver screamed at her for doing so. Perhaps the movement started on the day in the early 1950s when a black pastor named Vernon Johns tried to get other blacks to leave a bus in protest after he was forced to give up his seat to a white man, only to have them tell him, "You ought to knowed better." [2] The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is often told as a simple, happy tale of the "little people" triumphing over the seemingly insurmountable forces of evil. The truth is a little less romantic and a little more complex.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially started on December 1, 1955. That was the day when the blacks of Montgomery, Alabama, decided that they would boycott the city buses until they could sit anywhere they wanted, instead of being relegated to the back when a white boarded. It was not, however, the day that the movement to desegregate the buses started. Perhaps the movement started on the day in 1943 when a black seamstress named Rosa Parks paid her bus fare and then watched the bus drive off as she tried to re-enter through the rear door, as the driver had told her to do. Perhaps the movement started on the day in 1949 when a black professor Jo Ann Robinson absentmindedly sat at the front of a nearly empty bus, then ran off in tears when the bus driver screamed at her for doing so. Perhaps the movement started on the day in the early 1950s when a black pastor named Vernon Johns tried to get other blacks to leave a bus in protest after he was forced to give up his seat to a white man, only to have them tell him, "You ought to knowed better." [2] The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is often told as a simple, happy tale of the "little people" triumphing over the seemingly insurmountable forces of evil. The truth is a little less romantic and a little more complex.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
SWEET POTATO PIE by Eugenia Collier
BEFORE READING
Background
When the Civil War ended, many owners of large Southern plantation split their land up into small plots and set up sharecropping arrangements with former slaves and poor whites. The sharecroppers farmed the land, turning over a share of the crop to the landowners. In return, the landowners gave them seed, tools, and a place to live. Most sharecroppers worked very hard but lived in great poverty, subject to the whim of landowners, weather, and insect blights.
In this selection, Eugenia Collier gives readers a glimpse of what life was like for a family of sharecroppers.
Sweet Potato Pie Resources
Harlem: A History in Pictures
To the narrator, visiting the Harlem area of New York City is like returning "to some mythic ancestral home." This Web site provides a glimpse into the history and importance of Harlem. After reading the information, record in the Web Links Activity Log some of the reasons why Harlem is considered by many to be the cultural and political center of the African American world.
Cooking African American Style
African American food, especially sweet potato pie, plays a central role in Eugenia Collier's story. Visit this site to learn more about the origins of African American cooking. Be sure to click on the Desserts link at the bottom of the page and try out the recipe for sweet potato pie.
To the narrator, visiting the Harlem area of New York City is like returning "to some mythic ancestral home." This Web site provides a glimpse into the history and importance of Harlem. After reading the information, record in the Web Links Activity Log some of the reasons why Harlem is considered by many to be the cultural and political center of the African American world.
Cooking African American Style
African American food, especially sweet potato pie, plays a central role in Eugenia Collier's story. Visit this site to learn more about the origins of African American cooking. Be sure to click on the Desserts link at the bottom of the page and try out the recipe for sweet potato pie.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
English 10B ACT/SAT Vocabulary Preparation: Unit One
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008 Period 4,THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008 Period 1
1.1 ALOOF (uh LOOF) distant, reserved in manner, uninvolved.Memory Link: ROOF--the aloof cat on the roof
Most everyone though Theodore ALOOF when actually he was only very shy.
Nothing ruins a fine dinner at a good restaurant like an ALOOF waiter who makes the entire experience uncomfortable.
At the wedding reception, the bride's relatives were very ALOOF, hardly speaking to the groom's guests and family.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008 Period 4,
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008 Period 11.2 AUSTERE (aw STEER) stern, as in manner; without excess, unadorned, severely simple and plain.
Memory Link: STEER--a plainly dressed steer at a fancy party
Jill's father was AUSTERE, rarely smiled and was always stern with her about having dates with boys that he didn't know.
The AUSTERITY of life in the village was understandable. Many were jobless and evidence of poverty was everywhere.
Her home was AUSTERELY decorated, very plain furniture without frills and only items that were necessary.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.3 BULWARK (BULL wurk) a defensive wall; something literal or figurative serving as a principal defense.
Memory Link: BULL WORK--bulls working to build a wall
Quebec City is the only city in North America with a BULWARK built entirely around it.
The budget for national defense is an economic burden for all taxpayers, but we must never forget our armed services are the BULWARK of defense for the nation.
Our mother was a BULWARK against bad times; no matter how bad things became, she always wore a smile and had a cheerful word.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.4 CACOPHONY (kuh KAFH uh nee) harsh sounds.
Memory Link: COUGH--a bunch of smokers hacking and coughing in a smoking lounge
A CACOPHONY isn't noise alone, it is disturbing noise such as when people shout all at once.
Gene thinks all rock music is a CACOPHONY to be avoided whenever possible.
An unpleasant CACOPHONY of sound was produced when the orchestra tuned their instruments. But once they began to play together the sounds became euphonious.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.5 CEREBRAL (suh REE brul) of or relating to the brain; an intellectual person
Memory Link: CEREAL--a skinny little boy eating his Cheerios to be a smart guy like his dad
CEREBRAL for a football player, the wily Kansas quaterback rarely called a play that wasn't well planned and thought out.
Dr. Clark was too CEREBRAL to be a boy scout leader. Instead of saying "pitch your tents overy by the cliff," he would confuse everyone with his big words and say, "construct the canvas shelters in the proxity of the promonotory."
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2008
1.6 CONNOISSEUR (kahn uh SUR) an expert, particularly in matters of art and taste
Memory Link: KING OF THE SEWER--the rat, king of the sewer, examining all the great garbage to eat
My uncle is a CONNOISSEUR of fine wines.
Art dealer, Jorge Guizar, is a CONNOISSEUR of Mexican art of the 19th century.
When it came to coins, Jerry proclaimed he was a CONNOISSEUR, because he had collected them all his life.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
1.7 FORBEAR (for BAYR) to refrain from; to abstain; to be patient or tolerant
Memory Link: FOUR BEARS--forbear from feeding the four begging bears at Jellystone Park
To FORBEAR your opinion on any controversial matter until you have first heard all of the facts is generally the wisest course of action.
Jonathan said his motto was to never FORBEAR a good party for another time when you can have one today.
Henry FORBORE his decision to close the store, deciding to wait until after the Christmas season.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
1.8 INCONGRUOUS (in KAHN grew us) not appropriate, unsuited to the surroundings; not fitting in
Memory Link: IN CONGRESS--the Alaskan senator wearing a fur cap, a jacket with fringe, knee high boots and a a bowie knife around his well dressed colleagues
Ed appeared INCONGRUOUS wearing his tuxedo to on an old-fashioned hayride.
The INCONGRUITY with Joseph's chosen career was that he had a Ph.D in chemistry, but preferred to work as a mullet fisherman.
INCONGRUOUSLY, Dianne speant several days a week at the library, even though she professed that she didn't like to read.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
1.9 LAMENT (la MINT) to express sorrow or regret; to mourn
Memory Link: CEMENT--mobsters mourning the burying of a friend in cement shoes
The song, "Cowboy's LAMENT," is a ballad about the lonely life of those who drive cattle for a living.
The nation LAMENTS the passing of the President while at the same time celebrating his achievements while in office.
It is LAMENTABLE that Roscoe quit college in his sophomore year; his professors considered hime the brightest engineering student in his class.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008
1.10 LANGUISH (lang GWISH) to become weak or feeble: sag with loss of strength.
Memory Link: LAND FISH--a fish walking in the desert
An outdoorsman all his life, Mr. Franklin quickly LANGUISHED in his job as a night watchman.
It was so hot in the theatre, Charolotte soon began to LANGUISH.
(To LANGUISH is to be LANGUID) The fish in the aquarium hardly stirred, moving LANGUIDLY when they moved at all.
YOUR DICTIONARY WORD OF THE UNITMONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008
1.11 ORATOR:
Memory Link:
Please write three sentences using the following derivatives of the words: ORATE, ORATION, ORATOR
Idea & Content Writing Excercise
Special thanks to http://www.writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts/ for this material.
Rewrite a nursery rhyme (Three Blind Mice, Jack and Jill, etc.) from a character's point of view.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
If you could take a trip anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Write a 26-line poem using all the letters of the alphabet, where the first line starts with the letter "A," the second "B," the third "C," etc., culminating with the final line starting with "Z."
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You bump into an ex-lover on Valentine's Day—the one whom you often call "The One That Got Away." What happens?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
What was the first CD (or record or cassette) you ever purchased? Write about the way that particular album made you feel then. Write about how it makes you feel now.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You were recently laid off. Instead of moping around, you've viewed it as a chance to start fresh. Pick a new career and write about your first day on the job.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
What's your number one pet peeve? Develop a punishment for anyone caught in the act.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Take a character from one of your stories and examine his or her ipod playlist. What 10 songs best describe the character?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're at a U2 concert when you receive a text from a friend that says, "You'll never believe what just happened to me!" In the form of a text chat, find out what happened to your friend.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
What's the worst present you've ever received? How did you react and what, ultimately, did you do with the gift?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
A man buys a parrot, and is horrified when he discovers the only thing it can say is, “If you ever tell anyone what you saw, I’ll kill you.” (submitted by Khara House)
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You've been hired by a bumper sticker manufacturer to come up with ideas. Write a clever or witty phrase you'd love to see on a bumper sticker. (If you want, write several.)
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You head to the mall for some holiday shopping and, just as you're about to park, someone steals your parking spot. Do you do something for revenge or do you stay in the holiday spirit and not let it bother you—and let karma do the dirty work?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
If you had to choose between yesterday and tomorrow, which would you pick and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're cleaning out your garage and, hidden away in a back corner, you find an old shoebox. The box is heavier than it should be. When you open it up, you find cash—$40,000, to be exact. Where did the cash come from, who hid it there and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're walking through a cemetery and you pass the grave of a World War II veteran. Write a scene from his life story.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're taking a business trip and, as luck would have it, you're upgraded to first class—something you've never done before. As you sit down in your new, more comfortable chair, you notice that the person sitting next to you is a famous musician. Write this scene.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Thinking back to your childhood and the many Halloween costumes you wore, which costume was your favorite and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Rewrite a nursery rhyme (Three Blind Mice, Jack and Jill, etc.) from a character's point of view.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
If you could take a trip anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Write a 26-line poem using all the letters of the alphabet, where the first line starts with the letter "A," the second "B," the third "C," etc., culminating with the final line starting with "Z."
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You bump into an ex-lover on Valentine's Day—the one whom you often call "The One That Got Away." What happens?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
What was the first CD (or record or cassette) you ever purchased? Write about the way that particular album made you feel then. Write about how it makes you feel now.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You were recently laid off. Instead of moping around, you've viewed it as a chance to start fresh. Pick a new career and write about your first day on the job.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
What's your number one pet peeve? Develop a punishment for anyone caught in the act.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Take a character from one of your stories and examine his or her ipod playlist. What 10 songs best describe the character?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're at a U2 concert when you receive a text from a friend that says, "You'll never believe what just happened to me!" In the form of a text chat, find out what happened to your friend.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
What's the worst present you've ever received? How did you react and what, ultimately, did you do with the gift?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
A man buys a parrot, and is horrified when he discovers the only thing it can say is, “If you ever tell anyone what you saw, I’ll kill you.” (submitted by Khara House)
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You've been hired by a bumper sticker manufacturer to come up with ideas. Write a clever or witty phrase you'd love to see on a bumper sticker. (If you want, write several.)
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You head to the mall for some holiday shopping and, just as you're about to park, someone steals your parking spot. Do you do something for revenge or do you stay in the holiday spirit and not let it bother you—and let karma do the dirty work?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
If you had to choose between yesterday and tomorrow, which would you pick and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're cleaning out your garage and, hidden away in a back corner, you find an old shoebox. The box is heavier than it should be. When you open it up, you find cash—$40,000, to be exact. Where did the cash come from, who hid it there and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're walking through a cemetery and you pass the grave of a World War II veteran. Write a scene from his life story.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
You're taking a business trip and, as luck would have it, you're upgraded to first class—something you've never done before. As you sit down in your new, more comfortable chair, you notice that the person sitting next to you is a famous musician. Write this scene.
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Thinking back to your childhood and the many Halloween costumes you wore, which costume was your favorite and why?
You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Guided Practice: Supporting a Literary Analysis Theme in HARRISON BERGERON
The following are acceptable themes that Vonnegut pursues in his short story, HARRISON BERGERON. Do your best to find FIVE explainers, pieces of dialogue, literature to support this as a valid LITERARY ANALYSIS.
Freedom
As a theme, freedom remains in the background of the story, emerging when Harrison escapes from jail. In the story's futuristic society, freedom is no longer a bedrock American value; enforcing the law that makes those who are "above normal'' equal to those who are "normal" has become the major social value. Forced equality by handicapping the above-normal individuals evolved as a response to the demonized concept of competition (which existed in ‘‘the dark ages’’) in all its possible forms. Vonnegut suggests that freedom can be taken away relatively easily, especially since the forced equality in the story has been authorized by Amendments to the Constitution.
Civil Rights
Civil rights have become extinct in "Harrison Bergeron.’’ The culture values mediocrity to the point that the people accept oppressive measures in the name of equality. Ironically, no one really benefits from these misguided attempts to enforce equality, except perhaps the incompetent, such as the television announcer who, "like all announcers, had a serious speech impediment.’’ In Hazel's words, the announcer's incompetence should be forgiven because his attempt is "the big thing. He tried to do the best he could with what God gave him. He should get a nice raise for trying so hard.’’ Should anyone in that society dare to become above average, he or she is immediately punished, as is Harrison, who is executed for shunning mediocrity and attempting to excel. By creating a society where the goal of equality has resulted in a grotesque caricature of humanity, Vonnegut implies that individual civil rights should never be sacrificed, not even for the alleged common good.
Knowledge and Ignorance
Everyone above average in any way has been forced by the government to bear a physical handicap that makes him or her "normal." People who are more intelligent or knowledgeable than the average person have had their knowledge subverted by such devices as the mental handicap ear radio. This device emits various noises every twenty seconds or so to prevent people from taking "unfair advantage of their brains." "Normal" in the story can best be described as subnormal, incompetent, and ignorant. Hazel is a case in point; as a normal person, she wears no handicaps, and she has a good heart, yet she knows very little about anything and cannot remember what she just saw or heard a moment ago. At the end of the story, she takes literally George's intensifying statement, ‘‘You can say that again,’’ by repeating what she just said. Vonnegut suggests that an authoritarian government thrives on the ignorance of the people and on the suppression of intelligence and knowledge.
Law and Order
In addition to the critique of authoritarian government in the form of the Handicapper General agents (H-G men), Vonnegut discusses the ways in which the Handicapper General uses the fear of competition to make obeying the laws an ethical decision. Hazel feels sorry for George, who has to wear forty-seven pounds of birdshot around his neck, so she invites him to lighten his load. He rejects the idea of cheating (breaking the law) with a recital of the punishment: "two years in prison and two thousand dollars for every [lead birdshot] ball'' taken out. He continues by describing the bandwagon effect: other people would try to break the law if George could do so. He asserts that backsliding would result in a return ‘‘to the dark ages, with everybody competing against everybody else.’’ Cheating on laws, George claims (or is about to claim when a siren blast through his mental handicap radio shatters his concentration), would reduce society to chaos. Here, Vonnegut satirizes the fear of change and of uncertainty: victims of the oppressive law want to enforce it rather than take their chances without it.
Strength and Weakness
One of the implied reasons Harrison may want to overthrow the government has to do with strength and weakness. He recognizes the inequality of forcing strong people (those mentally, intellectually, and physically strong) to give up their strength for an orderly society of equal, law-abiding citizens. Of course, the enforcers of the law do not have to submit to forced equality themselves; they have no handicaps, which could signify their inherent mediocrity, as does the implied physical resemblance of Hazel to Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General herself. Vonnegut shows what extraordinary strength can do: defy the laws of gravity and motion. But Vonnegut also shows that strength can be used to oppress the weak, even in the name of protecting the weak against the excesses of the strong.
Ubermensch (‘‘Superman’’)
The idea of the superhuman materializes in the character of Harrison. Though only fourteen-years-old, at seven feet tall with a high intellect, he exceeds the physical and intellectual abilities of anyone else in the story. Likewise, his physical appearance, judged by the kinds of handicaps he must wear, suggests an Adonis-like figure. His handicaps include thick, wavy-lens spectacles; a red rubber clown nose; and snaggle-tooth black caps for his teeth. His natural abilities do not make him immortal, however; like other human beings, he can die from an antiquated weapon like the ten-gauge double-barreled shotgun of Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison's attempt to assert his authority neither lasts long nor has any real effect on anyone. Truly befitting the superman concept, he declares himself emperor, "a greater ruler than any man who ever lived’’ (even with his handicaps). He does not recognize, however, his human flaw: replacing one authoritarian government with another. Like so many other revolutions, Harrison's short-lived attempt to overthrow the ruthless totalitarianism that has become the American government becomes totalitarian itself. Vonnegut suggests that power, whether invested in the government or in the individual figure, corrupts.
American Dream
The American Dream, best described as upward social and economic class mobility through hard work and education has become an American Nightmare in "Harrison Bergeron.'' No one, except the Handicapper General agents, can achieve upward mobility, either because they bear artificial handicaps or because they are naturally mediocre. In a scheme that brings anyone who is above normal in any aspect down to the level of a person who is normal in all aspects, no one can dream about moving upward.
Media Influence
Vonnegut suggests the powerful influence of broadcast media in the story. Radio is the medium of the mental handicap noises used to prevent anyone with the ability to think from doing so. But television accomplishes the same thing for normal people like Hazel, who ‘‘had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn't think about anything except in short bursts.’’ This lack of concentration has come to be known as short attention span, or attention deficit disorder. Many critics credit television for the decreasing attention span of the population. They also suggest television programming desensitizes people to real life, in part because it requires nothing of the viewer. Significantly, approximately five months before publication of the story in 1961, Newton Minow, new chair of the Federal Communications Commission (a government agency that regulates broadcast media), called television a "vast wasteland'' of mediocrity in programming. Vonnegut suggests the importance of television as a means of controlling information by having Harrison Bergeron take over the television studio and proclaim himself emperor. Vonnegut also shows the numbing influence of television by having Hazel forget what she has seen—her son's killing—even though she reacts by recognizing that something sad has happened.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Sample Literary Analyis for Independent Novel
Alyssa Ensminger
Mr. McLaughlin
Literary Analysis
11 September 1998
William Butler Yeats wrote two poems which are together known as the Byzantium series. The first is "Sailing to Byzantium," and its sequel is simply named "Byzantium." The former is considered the easier of the two to understand. It contains multiple meanings and emotions, and the poet uses various literary devices to communicate them. Two of the most dominant themes of this poem are the desire for escape from the hardships of this world and the quest for immortality. These are circumstances of the poet's life that influenced the composition of the poem. Those personal experiences and Yeats's skillful use of words come together to emphasize the need, or at least desire, that many people have for escape and immortality.
Mr. McLaughlin
Literary Analysis
11 September 1998
Deep Desires that Transcend Time
William Butler Yeats wrote two poems which are together known as the Byzantium series. The first is "Sailing to Byzantium," and its sequel is simply named "Byzantium." The former is considered the easier of the two to understand. It contains multiple meanings and emotions, and the poet uses various literary devices to communicate them. Two of the most dominant themes of this poem are the desire for escape from the hardships of this world and the quest for immortality. These are circumstances of the poet's life that influenced the composition of the poem. Those personal experiences and Yeats's skillful use of words come together to emphasize the need, or at least desire, that many people have for escape and immortality.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
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