Special Occasion Speeches

Speeches to toast, roast, and entertain hosts…

Special Occasion Speaking is different from

Informative and Persuasive Speaking  • Epideictic

• Ceremonially

• Privately

• Rally

• Typically uses: stories or anecdotes that are– Inspiring– Healing– Conjoining– Filled with wisdom– Display life lessons– Give hope

• Most of these speeches focus on qualities of a person or event from the past to inspire us in the present.

Example I• Jane Addams, Social Reformer and Activist in late 19th, early

20th c. in Chicago, 1903:           “If we go back to George Washington and ask what he would be

doing were he bearing our burdens now, and facing our problems at this moment, we would, of course, have to study his life bit by bit – his life as a soldier, as a statesman, and as a simple Virginia planter”

           “First, as a soldier. What is it that we admire about the soldier?  It certainly is not that he goes into battle; what we admire about the soldier is that he has the power of losing his own life for the life of a larger cause; that he holds his personal suffering of no account; that he flings down in the gage of battle his all and says, “I will stand or fall with this cause.” That, it seems to me, is the glorious thing we most admire, and if we are going to preserve that same spirit of the soldier, we will have to found a similar spirit in the civil life of the people, the same pride in civil warfare, the spirit of courage, and the spirit of self-surrender which lies back of this.”

Example II• Lincoln: Rabbi Stephen S. Wise

• Offers a Tribute to Lincoln in 1914 (Springfield IL. Lincoln’s Birthday).  Became Founder of World Jewish Congress in 1930s that helped fight against Hitler and Nazism.

•  (Lincoln is Held up as the model for all Americans and Leaders. Let’s especially look at his use of language – rhythm and stylistic devices that makes his speech vivid- repetition and  antithesis)

          “Instead of following Lincoln, we too often strive to make it appear that he is following us.  Instead of emulating him, we too often venture to appropriate him. Instead of sitting at his feet as his disciples, and humbly heeding the echoes of his lips, we attribute to him our own petty slogans.  The truth is that Lincoln belongs to no party today, though in his time he stood well and firmly within party ranks.  His spirit ought today to inform all parties. He was a partisan second, an American first, as he is the first of Americans. Men and measures must not claim him for their own. He remains the standard by which to measure men.”

Special Occasion Speeches: aim to inspire or to entertain.

• BUILD COMMUNITY

• USE IDENTIFICATION

• USE MAGNIFICATION

When we aim to INSPIRE:

• We celebrate what we hold in common in our community.

• We reaffirm the values of the community

• We recommit ourselves to live according to those values

• http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechfieldofdreams.html

When we aim to ENTERTAIN

• We laugh together and so bond our community.

• We can laugh at ourselves.

• We can entertain through observations about human nature.

To Accomplish These Goals We:

• use creative language

• use creative examples

• use mood-creating delivery

• Or perhaps use mood setting visual aids

Your Assignment

• TIME LIMIT:  2-5 Minutes • GENERAL PURPOSE:  To Entertain or To

Inspire • TYPE:  Semi to Fully Memorized• DELIVERY:  Most speeches of this sort are

impromptu; however, for practice we will use, at most, a brief outline.  Aim for a conversational style. REQUIRED, create the “place” before you begin your speech.

• PATTERN OF ORGANIZATION:   Usually topical or chronological patterns.

• WHEN?: We will begin on Friday.

Things to Avoid

• sounding informative, e.g. doing a biography OR

• inappropriate or ineffective humor • reading the speech to the audience • plagiarism (this is original oratory)

What I’m Looking For

• creative use of language • creative ideas • sense of structure • Emotional delivery • connection with/impact on audience • originality of thought and expression

• Each point above is worth 5 points. Your speech will be worth 30 points total.

Notes Courtesy of: Dr. Margaret R. LaWare, Iowa State University