What was the speaker up against? What was the occasion for the speech?

english

Description

Famous Speeches ASSIGNMENT

 

PART I - Selection

Choose a famous speech. The following websites offer suggestions:

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-35-greatest-speeches-in-history/

https://www.history.com/speeches

https://jamesclear.com/great-speeches

 

 

PART II – Understanding your speech

Once you have selected your speech, read it thoroughly for understanding. Consider the following;

Ø  What was the speaker up against?  What was the occasion for the speech?

Ø  What did the author have to keep in mind when composing the text?

Ø  What were his or her goals?

Ø  What was his or her ultimate purpose?

Ø  What was his or her intent?

Ø  Who was the audience?

 

 

PART III – Speech Analysis

Complete the worksheet “Individual Speech Analysis” and submit with your essay.

 

 

PART III - Essay

Naturally, there’s an essay involved!  Students must analyze their chosen speeches as arguments and write an essay about their effectiveness considering the context and audience in which they were delivered.

 

Essays should identify and explain the rhetorical strategies (i.e. logos, ethos, pathos) that the author deliberately chose while crafting the text.  What makes the speech so remarkable?  How did the author's rhetoric evoke a response from the audience?  Why are the words still used today?

 

The thesis must be arguable and may not simply speak to the importance of the speech or the heroic stature of the creator.  Instead, students should carefully consider the author’s deliberate manipulation of language.

 

Option 1: Traditional Essay

Your essay should include a summary of the historical context in which this speech falls.  It’s critical to know about the events that led up to the speech however, it is not necessary to include every detail. In other words, a basic timeline of events leading up to the speech to provide context is important however, students must stay focused on the speech as an argumentative text.

 

 

 

Option 2: Visual Essay

With the use of pictures, students must analyze their chosen speeches and provide analysis regarding their effectiveness considering the context and audience in which they were delivered. Essentially, with the use of images and brief text/caption you will show the historical context of the speech, including a basic timeline of the events leading up to the speech and how it presents as an argumentative text.

 

A visual essay should identify and explain the strategies that the author deliberately chose while crafting the text.  What makes the speech so remarkable?  How did the author's rhetoric evoke a response from the audience?  Why are the words still used today?

 

All elements of a traditional essay are found in the visual essay including; introduction with thesis, body providing explanation of thesis and, conclusion.

 

 

ASSESSMENT

 

Details:

The essay must include multiple (2-3) secondary sources that effectively and actively support the student’s thesis.  All students must have a “Works Cited” page and the speech must appear as an additional source listed on that page.  The student should cite the version of the speech that he or she referred to during his or her research.  

 

Examples of Rhetorical Devices:

Tone, Diction, Figurative Language, Repetition, Hyperbole, Understatement

 

Elements of Argument:

Claims (Evidence), The Appeals (logos, pathos, ethos), Fallacies (i.e. Fake News)

 


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