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Speech Analysis #1: How to Study and Critique a Speech

The Speech Analysis Series is a series of articles examining different aspects of presentation analysis. You will learn how to study a speech and how to deliver an effective speech evaluation. Later articles will examine Toastmasters evaluation contests and speech evaluation forms and resources.

• How to Study and Critique a Speech
• The Art of Delivering Evaluations
• Modified Sandwich Technique for Evaluations
• Evaluation Forms, Tools, and Resources
• Toastmasters Evaluation Contests

The first in the series, this article outlines questions to ask yourself when assessing a presentation . Ask these questions whether you attend the presentation, or whether you view a video or read the speech text. These questions also apply when you conduct a self evaluation of your own speeches .

The Most Important Thing to Analyze: The Speech Objectives

Knowing the speaker’s objective is critical to analyzing the speech, and should certainly influence how you study it.

• What is the speaker’s goal? Is it to educate , to motivate , to persuade , or to entertain ?
• What is the primary message being delivered?
• Why is this person delivering this speech ? Are they the right person?
• Was the objective achieved ?

The Audience and Context for the Speech

A speaker will need to use different techniques to connect with an audience of 1500 than they would with an audience of 15. Similarly, different techniques will be applied when communicating with teenagers as opposed to communicating with corporate leaders.

• Where and when is the speech being delivered?
• What are the key demographic features of the audience ? Technical? Students? Elderly? Athletes? Business leaders?
• How large is the audience?
• In addition to the live audience, is there an external target audience ? (e.g. on the Internet or mass media)

Speech Content and Structure

The content of the speech should be selected and organized to achieve the primary speech objective. Focus is important — extraneous information can weaken an otherwise effective argument.

Before the Speech

• Were there other speakers before this one ? Were their messages similar, opposed, or unrelated?
• How was the speaker introduced ? Was it appropriate?
• Did the introduction establish why the audience should listen to this speaker with this topic at this time ?
• What body language was demonstrated by the speaker as they approached the speaking area? Body language at this moment will often indicate their level of confidence .

The Speech Opening

Due to the primacy effect , words, body language, and visuals in the speech opening are all critical to speaking success.

• Was a hook used effectively to draw the audience into the speech? Or did the speaker open with a dry “ It’s great to be here today. “
• Did the speech open with a story ? A joke ? A startling statistic ? A controversial statement ? A powerful visual ?
• Did the speech opening clearly establish the intent of the presentation?
• Was the opening memorable ?

The Speech Body

• Was the presentation focused ? i.e. Did all arguments, stories, anecdotes relate back to the primary objective?
• Were examples or statistics provided to support the arguments ?
• Were metaphors and symbolism use to improve understanding?
• Was the speech organized logically ? Was it easy to follow?
• Did the speaker transition smoothly from one part of the presentation to the next?

The Speech Conclusion

Like the opening, the words, body language, and visuals in the speech conclusion are all critical to speaking success. This is due to the recency effect .

• Was the conclusion concise ?
• Was the conclusion memorable ?
• If appropriate, was there a call-to-action ?

Delivery Skills and Techniques

Delivery skills are like a gigantic toolbox — the best speakers know precisely when to use every tool and for what purpose.

Enthusiasm and Connection to the Audience

• Was the speaker enthusiastic ? How can you tell?
• Was there audience interaction ? Was it effective?
• Was the message you – and we-focused , or was it I- and me-focused ?
• Was humor used?
• Was it safe and appropriate given the audience?
• Were appropriate pauses used before and after the punch lines, phrases, or words?
• Was it relevant to the speech ?

Visual Aids

• Were they designed effectively?
• Did they complement speech arguments ?
• Was the use of visual aids timed well with the speaker’s words?
• Did they add energy to the presentation or remove it?
• Were they simple and easy to understand ?
• Were they easy to see ? e.g. large enough
• Would an additional visual aid help to convey the message?

Use of Stage Area

• Did the speaker make appropriate use of the speaking area?

Physical – Gestures and Eye Contact

• Did the speaker’s posture display confidence and poise?
• Were gestures natural, timely, and complementary ?
• Were gestures   easy to see ?
• Does the speaker have any distracting mannerisms ?
• Was eye contact effective in connecting the speaker to the whole audience?

Vocal Variety

• Was the speaker easy to hear ?
• Were loud and soft variations used appropriately?
• Was the speaking pace  varied? Was it slow enough overall to be understandable?
• Were pauses used to aid understanding, heighten excitement, or provide drama?
• Was the language appropriate for the audience?
• Did the speaker articulate clearly?
• Were sentences short and easy to understand?
• Was technical jargon or unnecessarily complex language used?
• What rhetorical devices were used? e.g. repetition, alliteration, the rule of three , etc.

Intangibles

Sometimes, a technically sound speech can still miss the mark. Likewise, technical deficiencies can sometimes be overcome to produce a must-see presentation. The intangibles are impossible to list, but here are a few questions to consider:

• How did the speech make you feel ?
• Were you convinced ?
• Would you want to listen to this speaker again?
• Were there any original ideas or techniques?

Next in the Speech Analysis Series

The next article in this series – The Art of Delivering Evaluations – examines how best to utilize speech evaluation skills as a teaching tool.

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40 comments.

I absolutely loved this article. It gave me a major idea of what to write on my speech critique. Great information, organized, and detailed!

Great post. I have to say, it was when I started to do exactly what you say that my skills took off.

If anyone wants to go farther, just teach a class on public speaking. You do not need a degree to teach continuing ed. It will help you, as some of my students who went on to teach to improve even more. This is because not only are you observing your students for these points. You are actually teaching them how to attain some of these skills.

oh my god….thank you!! i had no idea where to even start my speech analysis!

Excellent article. Will refer members of my club to it.

Dear Eugenia You refer to “members of your club” and I wanted to know an online public speaking club. Does this exist. Regards Berty

Your article is very informative. Hope you post more tips on writing a speech and how to analyse it!! 😎

Thanks for providing this information. I am writing an essay critiquing my own speech in third person. A tough task, but these pointers made it easier. Thank you.

i loved this information very much.now i am preparing for my examination and i think this article will help me to get good mark. thanks

Great summary/overview on basic things to evaluate while listening to a speech. Will be very much helpful when i have to do evaluations for speech class!

Thank you sooooo much for this article!! This is helping me soooo much for my speech analysis!

Thank you so so much! You are awesome and very helpful plus amazing too!

Great job once again! I liked the clarity with which these concepts were explained. Self explanatory and useful for both novice and advanced speakers. Keep it up!

Such a great article, thank you! It truly helped

I have to look at this for a class project and really learned some new tips from this.

This helped immensely; thank you so much!

thank you, you helped me a lot

Best article I found for speech critique and analysis. Definitely a place to come back for speech resource.

Thank you Andrew, great articles and valuable information. I recently joined a Toastmaster’s group and this will really help. Once I figure out how to “tweet” I will be “tweeting” this site to Kwantlen University Students and Alumni.

I absolutely loved this article it gave me a major idea of what to write on my speech critique great information, organized, and detailed!

Fantastic article. For someone that is new to Taostmasters this gives me at least an idea of how I should approach giving an evaluation…frigthening me more than giving a speech!! Thanks!

hi Andrew, this is a great article for someone who is a beginner to evaluate a speech. thanks a lot. -Venkat

very informative article will certainly help me to develop my speech technique.

Thus really helpful…we always read text resurfacely I gained alot from this article. now I know where to start when I want to present information through speech to the public

thank you this helped me vey much.

thanks a lot this just help me with my paper. you explain it better than my teacher

I am a toastmaster who loves to compete. I believe these articles will help me help other to deliver their speeches and both of us can grow.

Hi Andrew Dlugan, i am really happy to come across your site as new trainee in the public speaking and writing profession. i am programmer but i have passion for writing especially poems.Do you have any advice or resources to help me survive in the world of speaking and writing.

Thank You, Best Regards, Lawal Abdulateef Olawle

I came here looking for a speech review but reading this article helped me a lot in my opening speech. I hope many people who are having trouble in analysing there speech they should really open this website. Thank you

This is a helpful source to me. Thanks a lot

Great article. I am preparing to critique a public speaking competition this weekend and I found this article quite helpful Thanks a lot

Hi Andrew, May I use your article in our club newsletter? It is particularly timely as we approach the contest season in Toastmasters. I will source it to your web site and also include a link under the Articles about speaking of our club website.

John Sleigh Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

Amazing breakdown of how to not only analysis a speech but to also push yourself that inch further to get more scope for marks. I really recommend this webpage. Thank you

Thank you for this amazing information, your 6 minutes guide is great and I am learning so much with it.

Really GREAT JOB! thanks so much! Best! Rasha

I really love this and would want more of this

This information was very informative and knowledgeable.Thank you.

Your articles are very thorough. I really enjoyed reading the first one.

Can you give me some examples of relevant puns used in speeches?

One more treasure trove on the internet. Thanks for sharing DLugan.

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How to Study and Critique a Speech -A quick How to for #College Students: https://t.co/z9z7ODho2n by @6minutes — @cdbond Oct 28th, 2015

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7 Blog Links

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How to Write a Critical Analysis of a Speech

How to Set Up a Rhetorical Analysis

Whether you’re a student or a seasoned professional, the ability to critically analyze a speech is an essential skill for speakers. Understanding the components of a speech and what makes those components successful can help you deliver a speech that your audience finds engaging and enlightening.

Understanding the Different Types of Speeches

When critiquing a speech, you first need to understand the objective of the speech. There are three primary types of speeches: to inform, to persuade or to entertain. Informative speeches are typically rooted in facts and statistics or focus on “how-to” topics. For instance, many TED Talks are informative speeches.

Persuasive speeches also use facts and statistics but use that information to convince an audience to change their behavior or take a certain action. Finally, speeches that are meant to entertain are often those delivered at weddings or social gatherings. They’re often funny or self-deprecating and are populated with anecdotes.

Know Your Audience

Another critical aspect of speech analysis is understanding the audience. Is this a formal setting where your audience expects a serious, informative tone? Is the audience a group of people who are impassioned about a particular subject and could be hostile if you’re trying to change their minds? Is your audience an informal gathering of people who expect a light-hearted or amusing delivery?

You wouldn’t have a person with no sense of humor host a convention for comedians. Likewise, you wouldn’t have a comedian lead a convention for physicians who are discussing breakthroughs in cancer research. Knowing your audience can mean the difference between a successful speech and one that fails.

Know What You’re Analyzing

Once you know the objective of the speech, you’ll need to know what to analyze. In "Rhetoric," ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that all great speeches share three pillars of rhetoric: logos, pathos and ethos.

While typically applied to persuasive speeches, these three elements are critical for any speech. Logos is the meaning, the reasoning and the logical evidence the speaker uses. Pathos is the words, phrases and personal stories a speaker uses to elicit emotion, and ethos is the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker. In other words, does the speaker have expertise in this particular subject?

Evaluating a Speech

Critical speech analysis should revolve around the three pillars. As you analyze, you’ll need to determine whether the speech maker is using enough facts and logical evidence to establish credibility.

For instance, if a speaker is delivering information on protecting the environment, is he using credibly sourced facts to support his statements, or is he speaking in generalities? Is he using words, phrases and personal anecdotes that elicit emotion from the audience, or is he using vague words that have no emotional impact?

Finally, through education or background, is the speaker qualified to be speaking on this particular subject? Is she passionate about the subject, or is she coming across as a boring, monotone speaker? Is she using appropriate gestures and body language? Is her voice clear and loud enough to be heard? Finally, is her tone appropriate for the audience?

Use a Speech Analysis Rubric

A rubric can be an effective tool to help you analyze a speech, as it can help you assign a numeric value to each specific component of a speech. If you’re analyzing a speech for a classroom assignment, you’ll likely be given a rubric from which to work. If not, you can easily find one online by searching for “critical speech analysis rubric.”

Many readily available rubrics focus on aspects of Aristotle’s rhetoric by addressing a speech’s structure, format, research, delivery and style and will help you determine whether the speech was appropriate for its particular audience and met its overarching goals.

How to Write an Analysis of a Speech

If you’re working on the critical analysis of a speech for a class assignment, you’ll likely need to complete a written assignment to accompany your assessment. As with any other essay, a written analysis of a speech should include a strong introduction and clear thesis statement, several body paragraphs with topic sentences and strong transitions that clearly support your analysis and an effective conclusion that summarizes your critique.

Be sure that the essay is free of grammar and spelling mistakes and typos. As with any piece of writing, it’s always helpful to have another person review it before you publish it or submit it for a grade.

Related Articles

How to Write a Speech Essay

How to Write About Irony in a Literary Essay

Help to Do a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

How to Write a Speech Proposal

What Are the Causes of Communication Failure?

Speech Vs. Essay

How to Determine the Tone of an Essay

How to Establish Credibility in an Informative Speech

• Brigham Young University: Basic Questions for Rhetorical Analysis

Jennifer Brozak earned her state teaching certificate in Secondary English and Communications from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Pittsburgh. A former high school English teacher, Jennifer enjoys writing articles about parenting and education and has contributed to Reader's Digest, Mamapedia, Shmoop and more.

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SOAPStone Strategy for Written Analysis

The SOAPSTone Strategy for Written Analysis is a simple method of rhetorical criticism designed to help with the process of analyzing texts, writing about written texts, and even planning for the writing of an original text. SOAPSTone is an acronym, standing for Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, and Tone. By utilizing the six parts of the SOAPSTone strategy, you can take nearly any written text (for example, a novel, journal article, speech, creative nonfiction piece, or any other written document) and develop a good sense for what the author was intending to do with the document and how audiences may (or may not) react to the text. See the graphic here, or read the description in larger text below.

Related: See the OPTIC Strategy for Visual Analysis

STEP 1: DETERMINE THE SPEAKER. Identify who is telling the story or giving the information. Is it an omniscient narrator, a character in the story, or the actual author? Why do you think the author chose that person to be the speaker? What details about this person are important to know?

STEP 2: RECOGNIZE THE OCCASION. The occasion refers to the time and place of the story or written document. When and where do the events take place? From what geographical and chronological context is the speaker thinking and acting? How does the time and place affect and inform the text? What details are given about the occasion in the text itself?

STEP 3: DESCRIBE THE AUDIENCE. Consider the primary, secondary, and even tertiary audiences of this text. Who was the text written for? Why was it written for them? What characteristics do you know about the audience and how do you know that the text was written with them in mind?

STEP 4: ESTABLISH THE PURPOSE. Why would the author write this particular text for the audience you noted above? Determine the meaning and message underlying the prose and ask yourself: what value does this give to my audience? What does the author think or hope the audience of the text will think about the text or do as a result of it? How does the author effectively (or ineffectively) make his or her purpose clear and realize the purpose’s goals?

STEP 5: INVESTIGATE THE SUBJECT. Knowing the audience and purpose of the document, in conjunction with the occasion and speaker allows you to better understand the subject or topic of the text. What is the author really getting at? What belies the story or prose, possibly providing a deeper meaning? What does the author reveal (or not reveal) when addressing the subject?

STEP 6: DISSECT THE TONE. Evaluate the word choice, organization, and rhetorical patterns in the prose. How do the textual elements make the audience feel? How does the author feel about the subject? Is the message heavy-handed, or is it subtle? What can you say about the syntactical construction and structure of the text in regards to tone?

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What is the process of speech analysis? Complete Guide!

By Waqas Sharif

Understanding speech analysis can help us learn how we communicate with others. It involves identifying speech patterns, analyzing tone and inflection, and is important in fields like linguistics, psychology, and communications.

Global speech analytics market: Expected to reach $26.88 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 17.6%. (Source: Grand View Research, 2023)

Speech Analytics Market

Global speech analytics market: Expected to reach $26.88 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 17.6%. (Source: Grand View Research, 2023)

In this guide, we will explore the step-by-step process of speech analysis. We’ll cover the tools and techniques used to dissect and understand spoken language. Whether you want to improve your communication skills or learn the science of speech, this guide will give you a comprehensive overview.

Understanding Speech Analysis

Speech analysis involves several steps:

• Transcription : This step involves converting spoken words into written text.
• Linguistic analysis : This focuses on the structure and content of the speech.
• Acoustic analysis : This step looks at the physical properties of speech, such as pitch, tone, and speed.

Different types of speech analysis include:

• Sentiment analysis : Measures emotions conveyed in speech.
• Speaker identification : Identifies the individual speaking.

Sentiment analysis:  AI algorithms can accurately detect emotions and sentiments from spoken language, offering valuable insights into customer and employee feedback. (Source: Nature Machine Intelligence, 2023

Speech analysis has real-world applications in various fields:

• Customer service : Measures customer satisfaction based on phone conversations.
• Law enforcement : Helps identify criminals through voice recognition.
• Healthcare : Assess speech disorders and disabilities.

Customer experience improvement: Analyzing customer calls and feedback helps businesses understand customer needs, improve service quality, and personalize interactions. (Source: CX Today, 2023)

These examples demonstrate the practical relevance and versatility of speech analysis in today’s society.

Steps in Speech Analysis

Listening to the speech.

Active listening is an important skill for improving speech analysis. Fully engaging with the speaker and paying attention to verbal cues helps the listener understand the speech better. Noting the speaker’s tone, pitch, and emphasis provides valuable insights into key themes. Understanding body language , such as gestures and facial expressions, also enhances speech analysis by providing context for the speaker’s words and emotions.

Incorporating all these elements helps a speech analyst develop a comprehensive understanding of the message and its impact on the audience.

Transcribing the Words

Transcribing speech analysis involves turning spoken language into written text. This can be done manually or with speech recognition software. By transcribing, analysts can understand the speech’s content, tone, and language used. It helps identify themes, sentiments , and linguistic patterns.

Transcribing also helps find keywords and phrases for further analysis. Techniques like time-coding and speaker identification are used.

These techniques capture speech essence, making it valuable for professionals, researchers, and organizations.

Breaking Down the Content

When analyzing a speech, it’s important to consider several things:

• Identify key themes,
• Analyze tone and emotion,
• Assess the overall structure and delivery.

By examining these elements, analysts can understand the message and its impact better.

Speech analysis tools can help by providing insights into word frequency, speaker’s pacing, and audience reactions. These tools enable analysts to study various aspects of the speech for a more comprehensive analysis.

For example, a tool might reveal that a theme was only briefly mentioned, highlighting potential discrepancies in communication.

Breaking down a speech for analysis allows for a more thorough understanding of its impact and effectiveness.

Identifying Key Themes

One way to find the main topics in a speech is through thematic analysis or coding. This means systematically recognizing, examining, and reporting patterns within the speech. By sorting the content into specific themes, the speech can be better understood and the main ideas highlighted. For instance, in a speech about climate change, thematic analysis might uncover themes like environmental impacts, policy initiatives, and individual responsibility.

This method helps to organize the key points and concepts in the speech, providing a structure for the analysis. It allows for a deeper look at the content and ensures important themes are not missed.

Analyzing Tone and Emotion

When analyzing the tone of a speech and identifying emotional cues, you can use various techniques to understand the speaker’s intentions and impact.

Pay attention to the speaker’s vocal inflections, pitch, and overall delivery to gain insight into the emotional undertones. Also, analyze the choice of words, language patterns, and non-verbal cues like facial expressions and gestures for further understanding.

Understanding the tone and emotion in a speech can help you grasp the speaker’s message and its impact on the audience. Deciphering emotional cues can lead to a deeper understanding of the speech’s subtext and significantly influence how the message is perceived and interpreted.

Moreover, understanding emotional nuances can also help in evaluating the effectiveness of the speaker’s communication and its resonance with the audience. It can shed light on potential implications and the desired response from the listeners.

Understanding Body Language

Understanding body language is also essential in speech analysis. Body language cues like fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, and closed-off body posture can indicate discomfort or nervousness. By understanding these cues, individuals can contribute to effective communication and relationship building.

For example, maintaining an open body posture and making consistent eye contact can convey confidence and attentiveness in a conversation. It’s also important to consider cultural differences in body language and nonverbal communication in cross-cultural interactions. In some cultures, direct eye contact may be seen as disrespectful, while in others, it’s a sign of honesty and engagement.

Additionally, gestures such as handshakes or bowing can vary significantly across different cultures. Understanding these cultural differences can greatly enhance cross-cultural communication and prevent misunderstandings.

Types of Speech Analysis

Acoustic analysis.

The extraction and analysis of acoustic features in speech can reveal important patterns and relationships. This includes prosody, pronunciation, and acoustic cues for emotions .

By examining aspects like pitch, loudness, rhythm, and pronunciation, researchers and analysts identify specific patterns and relationships within speech. For example, variations in pitch and loudness may indicate different emotional states or attitudes, while rhythm and pronunciation can provide insight into cultural or regional speech patterns.

To analyze these acoustic features effectively, techniques such as spectrogram and waveform analysis, as well as machine learning algorithms, are commonly used. These methods help researchers quantify and measure prosodic and acoustic features, enabling a deeper understanding of the underlying patterns and relationships in speech.

Linguistic Analysis

The way sentences are structured in the transcribed text shapes the meaning and tone of the speech. Complex sentences convey sophistication, while simple language creates a conversational tone. Verb tenses indicate whether events are in the past or present, providing context and clarity.

The vocabulary choice in the text affects the effectiveness of the speech and conveys the intended message. Technical jargon shows expertise but can alienate some audiences. Accessible language ensures a wider understanding but may lack nuance for certain topics.

Coherence and cohesion in the text contribute to the speech’s impact. The logical progression of ideas, smooth transitions, and clear connections enhance persuasiveness. Cohesive devices like pronouns and conjunctions maintain unity and flow.

Content analysis

The speech’s main ideas and arguments can be examined using content analysis. This method involves identifying key themes, claims, and supporting evidence in the speech’s message. Thematic analysis is useful for finding recurring patterns and themes in the speech’s content. Coding these themes and analyzing their prevalence helps understand the speech’s main ideas. It also streamlines sorting and organizing information, making it easier to identify and analyze key claims and evidence.

This method promotes a structured and systematic approach to evaluating the speech’s content and enables a comprehensive analysis of its key themes and arguments.

Pragmatic Analysis

The speaker’s intention in delivering a speech significantly influences both the content and delivery. Their goal may be to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire the audience. This intention shapes the language, tone, and overall message of the speech.

The speaker’s choice of words and the examples they use will vary depending on whether they aim to educate, motivate, or provoke thought. The audience and situational factors also play a crucial role in interpreting the meaning and communicative intent of the speech.

The composition of the audience, including demographics, interests, and prior knowledge, can impact how the message is received and understood.

Situational factors such as the location, timing, and current events can influence the receptiveness and overall impact of the speech. Understanding these contextual elements is essential for a pragmatic analysis to fully grasp the complete meaning and intent behind the speech.

Tools for Speech Analysis

Software programs.

Software programs for speech analysis are used in many different fields including linguistics, psychology, and speech therapy. These programs can do acoustic analysis, phonetic transcription, and prosody analysis. They provide precise measurements and visualizations of speech parameters, making analysis more accurate and efficient than manual techniques. The programs also help process large amounts of speech data much faster, saving time and effort.

They often include algorithms and tools to automate parts of the analysis, further increasing efficiency and reducing errors. In general, using software programs for speech analysis enhances accuracy, speed, and automation, making them important tools for professionals.

Manual Analysis Techniques

Manual speech analysis involves transcribing and coding spoken words. Researchers can use content analysis to identify themes and analyze tone and emotion. It helps classify and categorize the content, making it easier to interpret. This includes identifying the main ideas, arguments, and rhetorical strategies used by the speaker. For instance, researchers may analyze persuasive techniques like ethos, pathos, and logos to understand their impact.

Artificial intelligence (AI):  AI-powered speech analytics tools are improving accuracy, offering real-time insights, and enabling personalization of analysis.  (Source: Forbes, 2023)

Through manual content analysis, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the speech and its effectiveness.

Benefits of Speech Analysis

Improves communication.

Studying speech patterns and characteristics can improve communication skills. Analyzing pace, tone, and word choice in speech can help identify areas for improvement. This leads to increased confidence and clearer messaging. Speech analysis can also help identify communication barriers like poor pronunciation or speaking too quickly. Addressing these issues helps individuals engage and deliver ideas effectively. Speech analysis is used in education, business, and public speaking.

For instance,educators use it to help students with verbal presentations, while businesses use it to coach employees on communication strategies.

Enhances Public Speaking Skills

Speech analysis is a valuable tool in enhancing public speaking skills as it allows individuals to identify areas for improvement. By recording and analyzing their own speeches, individuals can pinpoint specific areas of weakness, such as vocal tone, pacing, or filler words, and work to improve them.

Additionally, speech analysis can provide insights into nonverbal cues and body language, helping speakers to become more engaging and dynamic. In a real-world application, individuals may use speech analysis to study successful public speakers and identify techniques or strategies to incorporate into their own presentations. Techniques such as practicing in front of a mirror, recording practice sessions for self-evaluation, or seeking feedback from peers or mentors can greatly enhance speech analysis skills and, in turn, improve public speaking abilities.

By regularly practicing speech analysis and actively working to improve specific aspects of their speaking, individuals can become more confident and effective public speakers.

Aids Language Learning

Speech analysis helps language learners improve their pronunciation, intonation, and speaking skills. By recording and analyzing their speech, learners can identify areas for improvement and track their progress. This is especially useful for those without regular access to native speakers. Tools like voice recognition software and audio recording apps offer options for practice and analysis. The benefits include better pronunciation, fluency, and confidence.

Learners also get personalized feedback and recommendations. Incorporating speech analysis can help develop a more authentic accent and greater proficiency in the target language.

Supports Psychological Analysis

Speech analysis is important for understanding the emotions and psychological state of the speaker. Psychologists analyze aspects like tone, pitch, and language patterns to gain insight. Changes in speech can indicate psychological struggles, like depression or anxiety. Tools like voice stress analysis and sentiment analysis software detect emotional cues. This data helps psychologists identify and address clients’ needs for more effective treatment and support.

Market research and sentiment analysis: Analyzing public speeches and social media conversations provides insights into consumer preferences and brand sentiment.  (Source: Nielsen, 2023)

Challenges in Speech Analysis

Accents and dialects.

Accents and dialects can impact speech analysis. They influence pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. This makes it hard to transcribe and interpret speech accurately. Different accents and dialects have unique phonetic features and sound patterns . This makes it challenging for speech analysis.

Words or phrases may be pronounced differently based on regional or cultural differences. Techniques like phonetic transcription, audio spectrograms, and machine learning algorithms can help.

They can accurately analyze speech with various accents and dialects. These techniques can identify and differentiate between unique speech patterns. This allows for more precise and comprehensive speech analysis across different linguistic variations.

Ambiguities in Language

Ambiguities in language can come from different sources. For example, homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings. Idioms and metaphors can also create ambiguity, especially for non-native speakers or people from different cultural backgrounds.

In speech analysis, these ambiguities can lead to misunderstandings. This makes it difficult to accurately understand the speaker’s emotions, intentions, or instructions. For instance, the phrase “it’s raining cats and dogs” doesn’t mean actual animals are falling from the sky. It’s an idiom for heavy rainfall.

The word “bat” could mean a flying mammal or sports equipment. It’s important to understand the intended meaning for effective speech analysis. Addressing and understanding these ambiguities is vital for improving the accuracy and reliability of speech analysis technology.

Technical Limitations of Tools

One technical limitation of speech analysis tools is their inability to capture subtle nuances in speech patterns and tones accurately. This can affect the overall accuracy and effectiveness of speech analysis, as these tools may struggle to differentiate between different emotions, intentions, or language nuances. However according to NIST:

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR):  Accuracy of ASR tools continues to improve, reaching human-like performance in some situations. (Source: NIST Speech Recognition Benchmark, 2023)

Additionally, some tools have limited processing power, which can result in slower analysis and potential errors in transcribing or interpreting speech data.

Advancements in technology, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, have the potential to help overcome these limitations. These developments could lead to more sophisticated tools capable of accurately capturing and analyzing the intricacies of speech, ultimately improving the accuracy and effectiveness of speech analysis in various applications.

Technologies can now reliably identify individual speakers based on their voice characteristics. (Source: IEEE Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing, 2023)

Real-world Applications of Speech Analysis

Law enforcement interrogations.

Law enforcement uses speech analysis techniques like microexpressions, voice stress analysis, and statement analysis. These methods help detect deception and uncover important information during questioning. They also assist officers in assessing a suspect’s credibility and identifying inconsistencies in their story. Ethical considerations must be taken into account when using speech analysis in interrogations.

It’s crucial to ensure the methods used are reliable and scientifically validated, and that the rights of the individuals being questioned are respected.

Additionally, potential bias or misinterpretation of results should be carefully addressed to avoid wrongful accusations or unfair treatment. While speech analysis is a valuable tool, it’s important to approach its use with caution and integrity.

Business Negotiations

Effective communication in business negotiations involves:

• Actively listening.
• Asking open-ended questions.
• Using clear and concise verbal communication.

Understanding body language is important for detecting hidden emotions and intentions, allowing negotiators to adjust their approach.

Common challenges in business negotiations include:

• Cultural differences.
• Language barriers.
• Power imbalances.

These challenges can be overcome through:

• Cultural sensitivity and awareness.
• Language proficiency.
• Using professional interpreters or translators.

Building rapport and trust with the other party can help to mitigate these challenges and create a more collaborative negotiation process.

Therapeutic Sessions

Therapeutic sessions often involve analyzing speech to identify patterns in tone and emotion. Techniques like tone analysis, voice inflection tracking, and emotional content recognition can help therapists understand clients’ emotional states and track mood changes. This analysis is beneficial for identifying stress or anxiety indicators and monitoring progress during therapy. It can also aid in diagnosing mental health conditions and support treatment plans with objective data.

Healthcare applications:  Speech analysis aids in medical diagnosis, patient monitoring, and treatment adherence.  (Source: HIMSS, 2023)

Understanding clients’ nonverbal communication through speech analysis leads to more effective and personalized therapy sessions for therapists and counselors.

How to Improve Speech Analysis Skills

Practice active listening.

To improve speech analysis skills, you can practice active listening. Give the speaker your full attention, maintain eye contact, and avoid distractions. Asking clarifying questions and summarizing key points can help deepen understanding and improve speech analysis.

Studying the speech patterns of influential speakers is also useful. Analyze the delivery, intonation, and body language of successful orators to gain valuable insights into effective communication techniques. Watch TED talks , political speeches, or presentations by renowned leaders to observe their speech patterns.

Active listening is important for speech analysis. It allows you to capture the nuances and intricacies of spoken language, such as tone, pitch, and pace.

By actively engaging with the speaker and paying attention to non-verbal cues, you can gain a thorough understanding of the message being conveyed. This enhances your ability to perform accurate and insightful speech analysis.

Study Speech Patterns of Influential Speakers

Studying the speech patterns of influential speakers can be done through various techniques:

• Transcribing and analyzing their speeches.
• Identifying repetitive sentence structures.
• Observing non-verbal communication cues.

This can provide valuable insights into effective communication strategies, improving public speaking skills, and building confidence when addressing an audience.

Speech analysis helps individuals recognize persuasive language, rhetorical devices, and effective pacing and intonation, allowing them to incorporate these elements into their speaking styles.

By studying the speech patterns of influential speakers, one can gain a deeper understanding of how to engage and captivate an audience, effectively convey ideas, and leave a lasting impression.

This analysis can be particularly beneficial for those in leadership or public-facing roles, as it provides a toolkit for enhancing communication and influence.

Famous Speeches and Their Analysis

I have a dream: speech analysis.

The “I Have a Dream” speech has powerful themes like equality, justice, and freedom. These themes are still important today. Martin Luther King Jr. conveys urgency and importance through his tone and emotion; he passionately delivers his message.

Researchers can analyze rhetoric, repetition, and metaphors to understand the speech’s intent. By dissecting King’s language and delivery, analysts can gain insight into his persuasive techniques and the impact of his words on the audience.

This approach enhances appreciation of the speech’s historical and cultural significance.

George Bush 9/11 Speech Rhetorical Analysis

George Bush used rhetorical devices to convey his message with impact in his 9/11 speech. The tone of the speech is solemn and determined, creating a sense of unity and resolve in the face of tragedy. Bush’s language is direct, empathetic, and inclusive, addressing the audience as “my fellow Americans” and emphasizing collective action and resilience.

The speech connects with the audience by acknowledging the nation’s grief and anger, while also emphasizing the need for strength and perseverance in adversity.

Key takeaways

Speech analysis involves breaking down spoken language into individual components. This helps understand aspects like phonetics, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

The process includes recording, transcribing, and analyzing speech using specialized software and linguistic knowledge. It aims to identify patterns, errors, and speech disorders, and gain insights into language acquisition and communication.

Advanced techniques like acoustic analysis and spectrograms are used to further examine and understand speech sounds.

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Mr. Waqas Sharif is an English Language Teaching (ELT) Professional, Trainer, and Course Instructor at a Public Sector Institute. He has more than ten years of Eng Language Teaching experience at the Graduate and Postgraduate level. His main interest is found in facilitating his students globally He wishes them to develop academic skills like Reading, Writing, and Communication mastery along with Basics of Functional Grammar, English Language, and Linguistics.

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How To Write A Speech Analysis Essay

A speech analysis essay is a type of writing where you analyze a speech and discuss its effectiveness. In order to write a good speech analysis essay, you’ll need to understand the four key elements of a speech: purpose, message, medium, and audience.

Purpose is the reason the speaker is giving the speech. Message is what the speaker wants the audience to remember. Medium is how the speaker delivers the speech. And audience is who the speech is aimed at.

Once you understand these four elements, you can start analyzing the speech. You’ll want to discuss how well the speaker achieved their purpose, how well the message was delivered, and how well the speech resonated with the audience.

Speech analysis essays can be challenging to write, but they’re a great way to learn more about public speaking and the art of persuasion.

Understanding the Purpose of a Speech Analysis Essay

A speech analysis essay is a paper that breaks a speech down into parts and explains how each part functions. It is important to understand the purpose of a speech analysis essay before writing one, as the purpose will dictate the structure and content of the essay.

The main purpose of a speech analysis essay is to help the reader understand the speech better. This can be done by explaining the purpose of each part of the speech and how it contributes to the overall message. Another purpose of a speech analysis essay is to identify the rhetorical devices used by the speaker and explain how they are used to convey the message.

The structure of a speech analysis essay will vary depending on the purpose of the essay. However, most essays will follow a basic structure. The introduction will introduce the speech and provide some context for it. The body of the essay will explain the purpose of each part of the speech and how it contributes to the overall message. The conclusion will summarize the main points of the essay and provide some final thoughts.

The introduction, provided by a “ write my book report ” service, will set the stage by introducing the speech in question and providing essential context for understanding it.

When writing a speech analysis essay, it is important to be aware of the rhetorical devices used by the speaker. Some of the most common rhetorical devices include:

-Anaphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses -Apostrophe: Addressing a person or thing that is not present -Irony: Saying the opposite of what is meant -Metaphor: Comparing two things without using like or as -Simile: Comparing two things using like or as

These devices can be used to convey the speaker’s message in a powerful and memorable way. It is important to understand how these devices are used and what they mean in order to get the most out of a speech analysis essay.

Selecting an Appropriate Speech for Analysis

When writing a speech analysis essay, it is important to select an appropriate speech to analyze. A good speech to analyze is one that is well-organized, well-delivered, and has a clear message.

To begin, read the speech carefully, and make note of the main points the speaker is making. Next, analyze the speech’s structure. How well is the speech organized? Is it easy to follow? Are the main points clearly stated?

Next, analyze the speech’s delivery. How effective is the speaker’s delivery? Does the speaker sound confident and convincing? Are there any noticeable pauses or hesitations?

Finally, analyze the speech’s message. What is the main message the speaker is trying to communicate? Is the message clear and concise? Is it easy to understand?

When writing a speech analysis essay, it is important to be objective and critical. Be sure to present both the positive and negative aspects of the speech.

Analyzing the Rhetorical Strategies Used in the Speech

When writing a speech analysis essay, it is important to first read and understand the speech fully. After that, you can begin to analyze the rhetorical strategies that the speaker used.

In his speech, “The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance,” George W. Bush used a variety of rhetorical strategies to make his point. He began by talking about the importance of freedom, and how the United States is fighting for freedom around the world. He then talked about the terrorist attacks on September 11, and how the United States is fighting a war against terrorism.

Bush then talked about the importance of staying vigilant, and how the United States will never let the terrorists win. He ended his speech by talking about the importance of the American people staying united, and how the United States will overcome this challenge.

Bush’s use of rhetorical strategies was very effective. He spoke about the importance of freedom, and how the United States is fighting for freedom around the world. He also talked about the terrorist attacks on September 11, and how the United States is fighting a war against terrorism.

Developing a Clear and Coherent Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a sentence or two that states the main idea of your essay and helps to keep your argument organized. It is the “road map” of your essay, telling your reader what to expect from your writing.

In order to write a strong thesis statement, you must be able to reflect on your essay topic from multiple perspectives. Ask yourself the following questions:

What am I trying to say about this topic? What are the key points I want to make? What is the main argument I am trying to make?

Once you have answered these questions, you can begin to craft a thesis statement that reflects your main argument. Be sure to stay focused and concise, and make sure your thesis statement is clear and easy to understand.

Here is an example of a thesis statement for a speech analysis essay:

In his speech, “The Power of Words,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. argues that words have the power to change the world.

This thesis statement clearly states the main argument of the essay, and it is easy to understand.

Structuring Your Speech Analysis Essay

When you are given an assignment to write a speech analysis essay, it is important to understand the structure of the essay. This will help you to organize your thoughts and present them in a cohesive manner.

The typical structure of a speech analysis essay is as follows:

1. Introduce the speech you are analyzing.

2. Discuss the main points of the speech.

3. Analyze the speech in terms of its purpose, audience, and delivery.

4. Summarize your thoughts on the speech.

5. Conclude your essay.

Incorporating Evidence and Quotations from the Speech

A good speech analysis essay incorporates evidence and quotations from the speech, illustrating how the speaker has developed their argument. In order to write a strong analysis, it is important to first read and understand the speech completely. After that, you can begin to look for the main points the speaker is making and how they are making them.

When writing your essay, be sure to include the following:

-An introduction that introduces the speech and provides some background information on the speaker -The body of the essay, which should discuss the main points of the speech and how they are developed -A conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and reflects on what the speech means for the audience

Additionally, you may want to use your own words to explain the main points of the speech, rather than simply quoting from the speech itself. This will help to ensure that your essay is clear and easy to read.

When analyzing a speech, it is important to consider the following factors:

-The context in which the speech was given -The audience for whom the speech was intended -The purpose of the speech -The tone of the speech -The main points the speaker is trying to make

By considering these factors, you can get a better understanding of the overall message the speaker is trying to convey.

Riley Wilson is a 31-year-old teacher and blogger who lives in the Midwest. Riley is a self-proclaimed bookworm and lover of all things geeky. He started her teaching career in 2007 and has been blogging since 2009.

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A 9-Step Practical Guide On How To Analyze A Speech – Speech Analysis of I have A Dream Speech as an Example

A speech, as we all know, is a vocal opinion of a speaker’s stand. Speeches are usually used as an effective tool for rallying support, conveying opinion, as well as influencing the thoughts of others (usually the audience) to accept or agree with the thoughts of the Speaker.

However, in most cases, there is usually a need to consider what was not said in a speech, or what the motive of the Speaker was. For this reason, speech analysis comes in handy in order to have a full understanding of a speech.

What is Speech Analysis?

In its simplest form, speech analysis or speech interpretation can be said to be the process of extracting important pieces of information that are contained in a speech. When carrying out speech analysis, there is usually a need to take note of some essential and necessary components of the Speech . These include;

1. Analyzing the purpose or intent of the Speech

For instance, a speech may be written to entertain the audience with some humorous lines, persuade the audience into thinking or agreeing with the opinion of the Speaker, or to inform the audience about something which the Speaker is skilled in.

2. The target audience and how the Speech relates to them

Also of paramount importance during speech analysis is  taking note of who the target audience is, and how the Speech relates to the audience .

For instance, when analyzing a speech that was delivered to support the need for a pay rise in an organization, in that case, it will be expected that the audience listening to such a speech will be members of staff of the organization who are clamoring for a rise in their pay.

3. The effective and validity of the Speech 

Still using the same above example about a speech about a pay rise in an organization, the Speaker may have to include facts such as the agreed terms for a pay rise in the organization. 

The I Have A Dream Speech by Martin Luther King Jr (with Video+Audio+Full Transcript and Historical Context)

What is the First Step in Rhetoric Analysis?

The Structure of a Speech

Introducing a speech with such powerful elements is an excellent way to give the audience reasons why they should listen to the Speaker, instead of starting with a dry  “hello everyone, it’s a great privilege to talk to you today.”

After the introduction comes the body of a speech, which is the part that contains the Speaker’s main points. These points are usually expected to be supported with relevant examples, details, statistics, and facts, which are explained in simply and concisely.

In the body of a speech, the Speaker should make necessary effort to ensure that all the facts and pieces of evidence presented in the Speech aligns with the primary objective of the Speech. As mentioned earlier, these facts and proofs should all be presented in a simple and clear language for the understanding of the audience.

The concluding part of a speech also packs as much power as the other two parts mentioned earlier. 

Also, in the conclusion of a speech, the Speaker should be concise about what he expects from the audience, whether it is for a petition to be signed, requesting their support, for a product to be bought, or for some other specific actions from the audience as contained in the Speech. 

How to Analyze and Interpret a Speech? 9 Key Questions to effective speech Analysis.

However, when analyzing a speech, don’t feel satisfied by merely outline these nine important questions in the Speech and answering them. Instead, there should be a complementary explanation or example of how these nine key questions work using a speech as an example. So, in analyzing a speech, here are the 9 key questions you must give appropriate answers to for effective speech analysis .

1. Who is the Speaker?

In analyzing a speech, you have to consider who is the Speaker, and how does the Speaker’s rank, position, personal views, motives, or experience affect the Speech.

2. Who is/are the Audience?

3. what is the type of speech.

In this regard, the Speech delivered might be one that is intended to inform or educate the audience, entertain, or even persuade the audience to take certain steps of action.

4. What is the Structure of the Speech?

5. what is the purpose of the speech.

Like I mentioned earlier, every Speech is usually aimed at achieving a purpose. For some, the purpose might be to persuade the audience, entertain, or even to open the eyes of the audience about a piece of information they are yet to know.

6. What is the Content/Circumstances of the Speech

In evaluating the content and circumstances of a speech, you consider the events that have created the need for the Speech. In doing this, you may have to pay closer attention to specific elements such as;  

7. What are the Techniques used by the Speaker?

Techniques employed by the Speaker are usually the various modes of persuasion, in which the Speaker adopts. These techniques are also known as rhetorical appeals , and they are ways of persuading the audience to believe the Speaker’s point of view.

8. Is the Intention of the Speech Achieved?

By analyzing a speech to see whether or not it has achieved its purpose, you may have to carry out some evaluations to ascertain if the Speech was successful.

9. What is the overall result of the analysis of the Speech?

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The 4 Methods or Types of Speech Delivery

The 7 basic elements of public speaking.

Remember that time you had to present a topic in front of a crowd? Probably it was a proposal at work or an oral report in grade school. You took the time to prepare and gather materials, after which you climbed the podium and started talking. There are seven basic elements of public speaking that…

An Easy Guide to All 15 Types of Speech

Analyzing the i have a dream speech by martin luther king jr.

In a bid to have a full understanding of how the various questions that should be considered when carrying out speech analysis work, we shall be considering the heroic Speech delivered by a civil rights leader – Martin Luther King Jr, on August 28, 1963, in front of the Lincoln Memorial Mall. 

Before we go straight into the analysis of the “ I Have A Dream ” Speech, let’s take a quick look at the context of the Speech. 

Related Article: The I Have A Dream Speech by Martin Luther King Jr (with Video+Audio+Full Transcript and Historical Context)

Alternatively, you can just watch the 17 minutes full Speech through the link below;

The Speaker, in this case, is Martin Luther King Jr, who is a prominent negro civil rights activist fighting to secure freedom and emancipation for his fellow negroes.

However, it is evident that members of media were present to cover the event, and so it is obvious that the Speech was open to everyone who could have access to a live stream of the Speech

“And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

He started by reminding his fellow negroes about the history of the emancipation proclamation by Abraham Lincoln.

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.”

“But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.”

“And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

From the content of Dr. King’s Speech, it is very obvious that the purpose of the Speech was to persuade the American government in 1963 to sign and enact the civil rights law that will bring absolute freedom and emancipation to the African American amongst them.

“We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquillizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”

“There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote, and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Also worthy of note and analysis is the geographical location where the Speech was delivered and the choice of such location. 

In this case, Martin Luther’s Speech was delivered at the Lincoln National Mall, just in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln. And the choice of this place was to bring to mind the fact that about 100 years ago, Abraham Lincoln, whose statue is right behind the Speaker, signed the Emancipation Proclamation of the negroes in America.

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”

“I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering.”

Dr. King also employed logos to give data and figures that will support his call for the emancipation of the African Americans.

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.”

I also noted the use of irony to express the supposed reasons why the negroes are undergoing injustice and segregation in America.

“But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

Although the Speech wasn’t intended to convince or persuade the audience to accept or agree to the need for the emancipation of the negro, since the majority of the audience who present during the Speech were all civil rights activists protesting for the passage of the civil rights law.

In summary, I think that the “I Have A Dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr was a timely call for the freedom of the negroes in America after the successful completion of 100 years after the emancipation proclamation by Abraham Lincoln.

The choice of the geographical location for the Speech was apt, and it was the perfect place to call to mind the emancipation proclamation for the negroes.

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• How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing.

A literary analysis essay is not a rhetorical analysis , nor is it just a summary of the plot or a book review. Instead, it is a type of argumentative essay where you need to analyze elements such as the language, perspective, and structure of the text, and explain how the author uses literary devices to create effects and convey ideas.

Before beginning a literary analysis essay, it’s essential to carefully read the text and c ome up with a thesis statement to keep your essay focused. As you write, follow the standard structure of an academic essay :

• An introduction that tells the reader what your essay will focus on.
• A main body, divided into paragraphs , that builds an argument using evidence from the text.
• A conclusion that clearly states the main point that you have shown with your analysis.

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Table of contents

Step 1: reading the text and identifying literary devices, step 2: coming up with a thesis, step 3: writing a title and introduction, step 4: writing the body of the essay, step 5: writing a conclusion, other interesting articles.

The first step is to carefully read the text(s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.

Your goal in literary analysis is not simply to explain the events described in the text, but to analyze the writing itself and discuss how the text works on a deeper level. Primarily, you’re looking out for literary devices —textual elements that writers use to convey meaning and create effects. If you’re comparing and contrasting multiple texts, you can also look for connections between different texts.

To get started with your analysis, there are several key areas that you can focus on. As you analyze each aspect of the text, try to think about how they all relate to each other. You can use highlights or notes to keep track of important passages and quotes.

Language choices

Consider what style of language the author uses. Are the sentences short and simple or more complex and poetic?

What word choices stand out as interesting or unusual? Are words used figuratively to mean something other than their literal definition? Figurative language includes things like metaphor (e.g. “her eyes were oceans”) and simile (e.g. “her eyes were like oceans”).

Also keep an eye out for imagery in the text—recurring images that create a certain atmosphere or symbolize something important. Remember that language is used in literary texts to say more than it means on the surface.

Narrative voice

Ask yourself:

• Who is telling the story?
• How are they telling it?

Is it a first-person narrator (“I”) who is personally involved in the story, or a third-person narrator who tells us about the characters from a distance?

Consider the narrator’s perspective . Is the narrator omniscient (where they know everything about all the characters and events), or do they only have partial knowledge? Are they an unreliable narrator who we are not supposed to take at face value? Authors often hint that their narrator might be giving us a distorted or dishonest version of events.

The tone of the text is also worth considering. Is the story intended to be comic, tragic, or something else? Are usually serious topics treated as funny, or vice versa ? Is the story realistic or fantastical (or somewhere in between)?

Consider how the text is structured, and how the structure relates to the story being told.

• Novels are often divided into chapters and parts.
• Poems are divided into lines, stanzas, and sometime cantos.
• Plays are divided into scenes and acts.

Think about why the author chose to divide the different parts of the text in the way they did.

There are also less formal structural elements to take into account. Does the story unfold in chronological order, or does it jump back and forth in time? Does it begin in medias res —in the middle of the action? Does the plot advance towards a clearly defined climax?

With poetry, consider how the rhyme and meter shape your understanding of the text and your impression of the tone. Try reading the poem aloud to get a sense of this.

In a play, you might consider how relationships between characters are built up through different scenes, and how the setting relates to the action. Watch out for  dramatic irony , where the audience knows some detail that the characters don’t, creating a double meaning in their words, thoughts, or actions.

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Your thesis in a literary analysis essay is the point you want to make about the text. It’s the core argument that gives your essay direction and prevents it from just being a collection of random observations about a text.

If you’re given a prompt for your essay, your thesis must answer or relate to the prompt. For example:

Essay question example

Is Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” a religious parable?

Your thesis statement should be an answer to this question—not a simple yes or no, but a statement of why this is or isn’t the case:

Thesis statement example

Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” is not a religious parable, but a story about bureaucratic alienation.

Sometimes you’ll be given freedom to choose your own topic; in this case, you’ll have to come up with an original thesis. Consider what stood out to you in the text; ask yourself questions about the elements that interested you, and consider how you might answer them.

Your thesis should be something arguable—that is, something that you think is true about the text, but which is not a simple matter of fact. It must be complex enough to develop through evidence and arguments across the course of your essay.

Say you’re analyzing the novel Frankenstein . You could start by asking yourself:

Your initial answer might be a surface-level description:

The character Frankenstein is portrayed negatively in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

However, this statement is too simple to be an interesting thesis. After reading the text and analyzing its narrative voice and structure, you can develop the answer into a more nuanced and arguable thesis statement:

Mary Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

Remember that you can revise your thesis statement throughout the writing process , so it doesn’t need to be perfectly formulated at this stage. The aim is to keep you focused as you analyze the text.

Finding textual evidence

To support your thesis statement, your essay will build an argument using textual evidence —specific parts of the text that demonstrate your point. This evidence is quoted and analyzed throughout your essay to explain your argument to the reader.

It can be useful to comb through the text in search of relevant quotations before you start writing. You might not end up using everything you find, and you may have to return to the text for more evidence as you write, but collecting textual evidence from the beginning will help you to structure your arguments and assess whether they’re convincing.

To start your literary analysis paper, you’ll need two things: a good title, and an introduction.

Your title should clearly indicate what your analysis will focus on. It usually contains the name of the author and text(s) you’re analyzing. Keep it as concise and engaging as possible.

A common approach to the title is to use a relevant quote from the text, followed by a colon and then the rest of your title.

If you struggle to come up with a good title at first, don’t worry—this will be easier once you’ve begun writing the essay and have a better sense of your arguments.

“Fearful symmetry” : The violence of creation in William Blake’s “The Tyger”

The introduction

The essay introduction provides a quick overview of where your argument is going. It should include your thesis statement and a summary of the essay’s structure.

A typical structure for an introduction is to begin with a general statement about the text and author, using this to lead into your thesis statement. You might refer to a commonly held idea about the text and show how your thesis will contradict it, or zoom in on a particular device you intend to focus on.

Then you can end with a brief indication of what’s coming up in the main body of the essay. This is called signposting. It will be more elaborate in longer essays, but in a short five-paragraph essay structure, it shouldn’t be more than one sentence.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

Some students prefer to write the introduction later in the process, and it’s not a bad idea. After all, you’ll have a clearer idea of the overall shape of your arguments once you’ve begun writing them!

If you do write the introduction first, you should still return to it later to make sure it lines up with what you ended up writing, and edit as necessary.

The body of your essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. It contains your arguments and the textual evidence that supports them.

Paragraph structure

A typical structure for a high school literary analysis essay consists of five paragraphs : the three paragraphs of the body, plus the introduction and conclusion.

Each paragraph in the main body should focus on one topic. In the five-paragraph model, try to divide your argument into three main areas of analysis, all linked to your thesis. Don’t try to include everything you can think of to say about the text—only analysis that drives your argument.

In longer essays, the same principle applies on a broader scale. For example, you might have two or three sections in your main body, each with multiple paragraphs. Within these sections, you still want to begin new paragraphs at logical moments—a turn in the argument or the introduction of a new idea.

Robert’s first encounter with Gil-Martin suggests something of his sinister power. Robert feels “a sort of invisible power that drew me towards him.” He identifies the moment of their meeting as “the beginning of a series of adventures which has puzzled myself, and will puzzle the world when I am no more in it” (p. 89). Gil-Martin’s “invisible power” seems to be at work even at this distance from the moment described; before continuing the story, Robert feels compelled to anticipate at length what readers will make of his narrative after his approaching death. With this interjection, Hogg emphasizes the fatal influence Gil-Martin exercises from his first appearance.

Topic sentences

To keep your points focused, it’s important to use a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence allows a reader to see at a glance what the paragraph is about. It can introduce a new line of argument and connect or contrast it with the previous paragraph. Transition words like “however” or “moreover” are useful for creating smooth transitions:

… The story’s focus, therefore, is not upon the divine revelation that may be waiting beyond the door, but upon the mundane process of aging undergone by the man as he waits.

Nevertheless, the “radiance” that appears to stream from the door is typically treated as religious symbolism.

This topic sentence signals that the paragraph will address the question of religious symbolism, while the linking word “nevertheless” points out a contrast with the previous paragraph’s conclusion.

Using textual evidence

A key part of literary analysis is backing up your arguments with relevant evidence from the text. This involves introducing quotes from the text and explaining their significance to your point.

It’s important to contextualize quotes and explain why you’re using them; they should be properly introduced and analyzed, not treated as self-explanatory:

It isn’t always necessary to use a quote. Quoting is useful when you’re discussing the author’s language, but sometimes you’ll have to refer to plot points or structural elements that can’t be captured in a short quote.

In these cases, it’s more appropriate to paraphrase or summarize parts of the text—that is, to describe the relevant part in your own words:

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The conclusion of your analysis shouldn’t introduce any new quotations or arguments. Instead, it’s about wrapping up the essay. Here, you summarize your key points and try to emphasize their significance to the reader.

A good way to approach this is to briefly summarize your key arguments, and then stress the conclusion they’ve led you to, highlighting the new perspective your thesis provides on the text as a whole:

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

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My Favorite Speeches for Rhetorical Analysis: 10 Speeches for Middle School ELA and High School English

Teaching rhetorical analysis is one of my absolute favorite units to complete with my students. I love teaching my students about rhetorical strategies and devices, analyzing what makes an effective and persuasive argument, and reading critical speeches with my students. Here is a quick list of some of my favorite speeches for rhetorical analysis.

I absolutely LOVE teaching rhetorical analysis. I think it might be one of my favorite units to teach to my high school students. There are just so many different text options to choose from. Here is a list of some of my favorite speeches to include in my rhetorical analysis teaching unit.

10 Speeches for Teaching Rhetorical Analysis

1. the gettysburg address (abraham lincoln).

Some notable things to mention in this speech include allusion and parallel structure. To make your analysis more meaningful, point out these devices to students and explain how these devices enhance the meaning of the text.

Teaching Resource : The Gettysburg Address Rhetorical Analysis Activity Packet

2. Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech (Lou Gehrig)

This speech is one that many of my athletes love to analyze, and it is an excellent exemplar text to teach pathos. And like The Gettysburg Address, it is short. This is another speech that you can read, analyze, and even write about in one class period.

When I use this speech in my class, I have students look for examples of pathos. Mainly, I have them look at word choice, tone, and mood. How does Lou Gehrig’s choice of words affect his tone and the overall mood of the speech?

3. I Have a Dream (Martin Luther King,  Jr.)

In the classroom, it is important to point out the sermonic feel to the speech and also to have your students look for calls to action and pathos. Have your students look for tone, allusions, and word choice to help them notice these rhetoric expressions throughout it.

Teaching Resource : I Have a Dream Close Read and Rhetorical Analysis

4. Speech at the March on Washington (Josephine Baker)

This is another important speech that held a lot of importance for the changes that needed to be made in America. The speech is a shorter one, so in the classroom, it will not take as long to analyze it, and students can understand the significance of the use of rhetoric in a shorter amount of time than some other speeches.

When teaching this speech, I like to remind my students to search for devices that portray an excellent example of the pathos that is so present in this speech. Some of these devices could be mood, repetition, and diction.

5. Steve Jobs’ Commencement Speech (Steve Jobs)

In class, it is good to have your students annotate and analyze the speech just as they have done for the others. The organization of the speech will help them to notice the similarities and differences between each point Jobs makes.

6. Space Shuttle Challenger (Ronald Reagan)

This speech represents a strong sense of pathos as a movement to help the American people cope with loss after the deaths of the astronauts aboard the Challenger. It is another speech that is not too long, so it should not take a long time to both analyze and annotate the entire speech.

When teaching this speech in class, be sure to mention how pathos is the driving force behind the speech, through the tone and the diction. How does Reagan use emotion to focus on the astronauts as humans, rather than solely focusing on the tragedy?

7. The Perils of Indifference (Elie Wiesel)

This speech is a good one to teach because it both makes students question their own lives, but also how the world works. The speech relies on pathos, and a little ethos too, to get the audience to feel the full effect of the tragedy of the Holocaust and what the speaker went through. It is a long speech so it may take longer for the students to fully grasp all the details that make it such a persuasive speech.

When I teach this speech, I like to have students annotate every place they notice an example of pathos, and then have them explain why in their annotations this makes them feel an emotion. The same with the ethos, and then we can further analyze the rest together.

8. 9/11 Address to the Nation (George W. Bush)

This speech shows another example of the use of pathos in the midst of a tragedy. The President wanted to show the American people how much he was feeling for those lost in the tragedy of 9/11. It is not a long speech, but the amount of emotion within the words is significant for students to notice.

When teaching this speech, it is essential that students look very closely at each part of it, noticing each piece that reveals tone, mood, and other literary devices. How do the different devices add to the pathos of the speech?

FREE TEACHING ACTIVITY : September 11 Address to the Nation Sampler

Teaching Resource : September 11 Address to the Nation Rhetorical Analysis Unit

9. We are Virginia Tech (Nikki Giovanni)

This speech is probably the shortest speech on this list but provides one of the most emotional and pathos-filled rhetoric. This describes another tragedy that is spoken about with pathos to give the audience a safe feeling after such an emotional thing. Students can spend time analyzing the different devices that make the piece so strong in its emotion.

In the classroom, make sure your students make a note of the repetition, and what that does for the speech. Does it make the emotion more impactful? How does it make the audience feel like they are a part of something bigger?

10. Woman’s Right to the Suffrage (Susan B. Anthony)

This is another short speech that holds a lot of power within it. A lot of students will enjoy reading this to see how much the country has changed, and how this speech may have some part in influencing this change. It is a great speech to help teach logos in the classroom, and it will not take a long time to analyze.

Make sure your students notice, and they also understand, the use of allusions within the speech. These allusions help to establish the use of logos, as Anthony wants the use of American historical documents to show how logical her argument is.

Ready-For-You Rhetorical Analysis Teaching Unit

You might also be interested in my blog post about 15 rhetorical analysis questions to ask your students.

Teaching rhetorical analysis and speeches in the classroom is a great way to teach informational text reading standards.

Rhetorical Analysis Teaching Resources:

These resources follow reading standards for informational text and are ideal for secondary ELA teachers.

• Rhetorical Analysis Unit with Sticky Notes
• Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Understanding Rhetorical Appeals\
• Rhetorical Analysis Mini Flip Book

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Home — Essay Types — Speech Analysis Essays

Speech Analysis Essays Examples

Speech analysis essay topics.

Speech analysis essay topics can cover a wide range of subjects, from historical speeches by influential figures to contemporary speeches delivered by politicians, activists, or public figures. Students may choose to analyze the rhetorical strategies used in a particular speech, the impact of the speaker's delivery on the audience, or the effectiveness of the speech in achieving its intended purpose.

Some potential speech analysis essay topics could include dissecting the persuasive techniques used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s ""I Have a Dream"" speech, examining the use of emotional appeals in a recent TED talk, or evaluating the effectiveness of a political leader's speech in inspiring action or change. By critically analyzing the language, structure, and delivery of a speech, students can gain a deeper understanding of the power of effective communication and its impact on society.

Importance of Writing Speech Analysis Essays

Speech analysis essays are important because they help students develop critical thinking and analytical skills. By dissecting and evaluating speeches, students can gain a deeper understanding of persuasive techniques, rhetorical strategies, and the impact of effective communication. This type of essay also allows students to explore the historical and cultural context in which the speech was delivered, as well as the speaker's intended purpose and audience. Additionally, writing speech analysis essays encourages students to think critically about the power of language and how it can be used to influence and inspire. Overall, this type of essay promotes a deeper understanding of effective communication and its significance in society.

How to Choose a Good Topic for Speech Analysis Essay

When choosing a topic for a speech analysis essay, it is important to consider a few key factors. Firstly, the topic should be of interest to you and relevant to the current social or political climate. This will ensure that you are engaged and motivated to thoroughly analyze the speech. Additionally, consider the speaker and their audience - a speech delivered to a group of scientists will likely differ from one given to a group of high school students. Choose a speech that has had a significant impact or has sparked controversy, as this will provide ample material for analysis and discussion. It is also important to consider the rhetorical strategies used in the speech - a topic that allows for a thorough examination of ethos, pathos, and logos will make for a more comprehensive analysis. Lastly, consider the availability of reliable sources and information related to the speech to support your analysis. By taking these factors into account, you can choose a compelling and thought-provoking topic for your speech analysis essay.

Potential Speech Analysis Essay Topics

Speech analysis essays provide students with the opportunity to critically analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of a speech's rhetorical strategies, delivery, and impact on the audience. Here are some potential speech analysis essay topics to consider:

Historical Speeches

• Analyze the persuasive techniques used in Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
• Examine the use of rhetorical devices in Winston Churchill's ""We Shall Fight on the Beaches"" speech.
• Evaluate the impact of Nelson Mandela's ""I Am Prepared to Die"" speech in inspiring change.

Contemporary Speeches

• Analyze the emotional appeals used in Greta Thunberg's climate change speeches.
• Examine the persuasive techniques used in Barack Obama's ""A More Perfect Union"" speech.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of Malala Yousafzai's speech at the United Nations in promoting education for girls.

Political Speeches

• Analyze the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in a recent State of the Union address.
• Examine the impact of a political leader's speech on public opinion and policy change.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a presidential candidate's campaign speech in inspiring action and support.

Activist Speeches

• Analyze the use of rhetorical devices in Emma Watson's UN speech on gender equality.
• Examine the impact of a speech by a civil rights activist in sparking social change.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a speech by an environmental activist in raising awareness and inspiring action.

Public Figures

• Analyze the persuasive techniques used in a celebrity's speech on a social or political issue.
• Examine the impact of a public figure's speech on public opinion and behavior.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of a public figure's speech in promoting a cause or initiative.

In conclusion, speech analysis essay topics cover a wide range of subjects and provide students with the opportunity to critically analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of rhetorical strategies, delivery, and impact on the audience. Whether examining historical speeches, contemporary speeches, political speeches, activist speeches, or speeches by public figures, students can gain a deeper understanding of persuasive techniques, the power of effective communication, and its significance in society. By choosing a compelling and thought-provoking topic for a speech analysis essay, students can develop critical thinking and analytical skills and gain insights into the historical and cultural context in which the speech was delivered. Overall, speech analysis essays are important for promoting a deeper understanding of effective communication and its impact on society.

A Speech Analysis essay is a type of essay that aims to critically analyze and evaluate a speech given by a public figure, politician, or influential person. This type of essay requires the writer to carefully listen to the speech, take note of the key points, rhetorical devices, and persuasive techniques used by the speaker, and then provide a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of the speech in achieving its intended purpose.

Overall, writing a Speech Analysis essay requires careful attention to detail, critical thinking skills, and the ability to articulate your analysis effectively. By following these writing tips, you can effectively analyze and evaluate a speech in your essay.

How to Write a Speech Analysis Essay

When writing a speech analysis essay, it is important to follow a few key tips to ensure a well-structured and insightful analysis. First, start by carefully listening to the speech multiple times, taking notes on key points, rhetorical devices, and the overall message. This will help you gather the necessary information to form the basis of your analysis.

Next, consider the context of the speech, including the audience, occasion, and purpose. Understanding these factors will provide insight into the speaker’s intent and how the speech is tailored to resonate with the audience. Additionally, analyze the speaker’s delivery, including their tone, gestures, and use of language to convey their message effectively.

📝 Check Out: Induction Essay Examples 📚

In your essay, provide a clear and concise introduction that outlines the speech and its significance. Use specific examples and quotes from the speech to support your analysis, and consider the impact of rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, and logos.

Finally, conclude your essay with a summary of the speech’s effectiveness and its overall impact on the audience. By following these tips, you can craft a compelling speech analysis essay that demonstrates your understanding of the speech and its persuasive elements.

How to Structure Speech Analysis Essay

When writing a speech analysis essay, it is important to carefully structure the essay to effectively convey your analysis of the speech. Here are some key components to consider when structuring your essay:

• Introduction : Begin your essay with an introduction that provides background information about the speech and the speaker. Clearly state the purpose of the speech and the main points that you will be analyzing.
• Analysis of the Introduction: Analyze the opening of the speech, including the speaker’s introduction and any attention-grabbing techniques used to engage the audience.
• Body Paragraphs: Organize your analysis into several body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the speech. These paragraphs should include detailed analysis of the speaker’s use of rhetorical devices, persuasive techniques, and any key themes or messages conveyed in the speech.
• Conclusion : Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your analysis and reiterating the significance of the speech. You may also want to discuss the overall effectiveness of the speech and its impact on the audience.

By carefully structuring your speech analysis essay, you can effectively convey your insights and analysis of the speech to your readers.

Why Use Speech Analysis Essay Examples

Speech analysis essay examples are useful for students and writers to understand the structure and content of a speech analysis. They serve as a guide for individuals who want to learn how to analyze a speech effectively and present their analysis in a well-structured essay format.

What They Are Useful For

Speech analysis essay examples are useful for providing a clear understanding of how to break down a speech into its key components, such as the speaker’s rhetorical strategies, the use of persuasive techniques, and the overall impact of the speech on the audience. By studying examples, individuals can learn how to identify these elements and incorporate them into their own analysis essays.

How to Do It Correctly

To use speech analysis essay examples correctly, individuals should carefully study the structure and content of the example essays. They should pay attention to how the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion are organized, as well as how evidence and examples are used to support the analysis. Additionally, individuals should take note of the language and style used in the examples to understand how to effectively convey their analysis in a clear and concise manner.

Overall, speech analysis essay examples are valuable tools for learning how to analyze and write about speeches effectively. By studying these examples, individuals can improve their analytical skills and learn how to present their insights in a well-organized and compelling essay format.

Speech Analysis Essay Writing Checklist

✔️ Introduction : Does the introduction provide background information on the speech, the speaker, and the context of the speech?

✔️ Thesis Statement : Is the thesis statement clear and specific, outlining the main points of the analysis?

✔️ Structure : Does the essay have a clear and logical structure, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion?

✔️ Evidence : Does the essay provide specific examples and evidence from the speech to support the analysis?

✔️ Analysis : Does the essay analyze the rhetorical strategies, persuasive techniques, and the overall effectiveness of the speech?

✔️ Tone and Language : Is the tone of the essay formal and academic, and is the language clear and concise?

✔️ Conclusion : Does the conclusion summarize the main points of the analysis and provide a final evaluation of the speech?

✔️ Citations : Are all sources and quotes properly cited using the appropriate citation style?

✔️ Transitions : Are there smooth transitions between paragraphs and ideas to ensure cohesiveness and flow?

✔️ Revision : Has the essay been revised and edited for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness?

By following this checklist, students can ensure that their analysis is thorough, well-supported, and effectively communicates their insights.

Conclusion: Speech Analysis Essay Examples

Writing a Speech Analysis essay requires careful consideration of the speech’s rhetorical strategies and persuasive techniques. By following this checklist, students can ensure that their analysis is thorough, well-supported, and effectively communicates their insights. Additionally, using speech analysis essay examples can provide valuable guidance on how to structure and present an analysis effectively.

📖 Read Also: Reflective Essay Examples 🖋️

By studying examples and practicing the key components of a speech analysis essay, students can improve their analytical skills and become more proficient in analyzing and evaluating speeches. Overall, speech analysis essays are a valuable tool for developing critical thinking and writing skills, and can help students gain a deeper understanding of the power of persuasive communication.

The Rhetorical Mastery of Brutus and Antony in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”

Introduction In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar, the characters of Brutus and Antony deliver powerful speeches that have a profound impact on the Roman populace and the unfolding of events. These speeches, delivered in Act 3, Scene 2, serve as pivotal moments that showcase the…

Ronald Reagan’s Evil Empire: Speech Analysis

Introduction On March 8, 1983, President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida, that would come to be known as the “Evil Empire” speech. This pivotal address, characterized by its moralistic rhetoric and staunch condemnation of communism, played…

Rhetorical Mastery: An Analysis of John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

Introduction On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy delivered an inaugural address that has since become one of the most iconic speeches in American history. His oration was not merely a ceremonial formality; it was a poignant call to action, a masterclass in rhetoric, and…

Profundity of Nelson Mandela’s “Glory and Hope” Speech

Introduction Nelson Mandela’s “Glory and Hope” speech, delivered on May 10, 1994, during his presidential inauguration, stands as a seminal moment in the history of South Africa and the global struggle for equality and justice. This speech marked the culmination of decades of resistance against…

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Gordon Gekko’s “Greed is Good” Speech Analysis

Introduction In the annals of cinematic history, few speeches have engendered as much debate and analysis as Gordon Gekko’s “Greed is Good” speech from the 1987 film Wall Street, directed by Oliver Stone. Delivered by Michael Douglas, the speech encapsulates the ethos of 1980s corporate…

Mitch Landrieu Speech Analysis

Mitch Landrieu, the former mayor of New Orleans, delivered a powerful speech on May 19, 2017, regarding the removal of Confederate monuments in the city. His speech, often referred to as the “Address on the Removal of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans,” has been widely…

Brutus and Mark Antony: Speech Analysis

William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar is a timeless and thought-provoking work that continues to resonate with audiences today. One of the most iconic scenes in the play is the funeral orations delivered by Brutus and Mark Antony. Both speeches are pivotal moments in the play,…

Brutus and Antony’s Speech Analysis

Brutus and Antony’s speeches in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar are two of the most famous and widely studied speeches in literature. Both characters deliver their speeches at Caesar’s funeral, and their speeches have a profound impact on the audience and the outcome of the…

Julius Caesar: Funeral Speech Analysis

“Julius Caesar” is a timeless classic that delves into the politics and power struggles of ancient Rome. One of the most iconic scenes in the play is the funeral speech delivered by Mark Antony, which serves as a pivotal moment in the storyline. In this…

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What is a Speech Analysis essay type?

A Speech Analysis essay type is a type of essay that critically examines a speech, evaluating the effectiveness of the speaker's arguments, delivery, and overall impact on the audience.

How to write a Speech Analysis essay?

To write a Speech Analysis essay, start by thoroughly analyzing the speech, identifying key points, and evaluating the speaker's persuasive techniques. Then, organize your analysis into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

How to structure a Speech Analysis essay?

The structure of a Speech Analysis essay typically includes an introduction with background information about the speech, body paragraphs analyzing different aspects of the speech, and a conclusion summarizing the key points of the analysis.

What is the purpose of Speech Analysis essay?

The purpose of a Speech Analysis essay is to critically analyze a speech, examining the speaker's persuasive techniques, argumentation, and the impact on the audience, and to provide insight into the effectiveness of the speech.

How to choose topic for Speech Analysis essay?

When choosing a topic for a Speech Analysis essay, consider selecting a speech that is relevant and impactful, and that has a clear message and persuasive elements that can be thoroughly analyzed and evaluated.

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How to Analyse your Audience for a Speech

March 2, 2021 - Sophie Thompson

This article will teach you how to perform audience analysis for your speech or presentation and the different types of audience you might encounter. The type of audience affects the choice of language, humour, opening sentences, length and many more.

Here is a great overview from the  University of Pittsburgh :

Audience analysis involves identifying the audience and adapting a speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, and beliefs. Taking an audience-cantered approach is important because a speaker’s effectiveness will be improved if the presentation is created and delivered in an appropriate manner. Identifying the audience through extensive research is often difficult, so audience adaptation often relies on the healthy use of imagination.

Four types of audience

This audience does not want to be listening to you. This could be for many reasons, from not liking the organisation you are representing, to wanting to get home and watch their favourite TV show.

They can be openly hostile and disagree with you. If audience analysis shows that you’ll be faced with this audience (e.g. you have the last slot of a busy day of presentation), consider the following:

• Work hard on  developing trust  and interest
• Construct your presentation from an area of agreement or point of disagreement
• Use plenty of references and data to back up your points
• Challenge them, ask questions during your speech and engage them

Speaking to a hostile audience? Make sure you understand the type of audience you will be up against and build you speech accordingly.

2. Critical

Often at technical conferences, you get critical people who believe they are extremely intelligent and relish the thought of proving part of your presentation incorrect. Use the following techniques:

• Use lots of evidence with strong references
• Argue both sides of the case, clearly stating pros and cons of each
• Try not to exaggerate, keep to the facts

3. Uninformed

This is the most common type of audience you will encounter. They might know a little about your presentation topic but certainly not in great detail.

• Open up with questions so you can understand the level of knowledge on your topic
• Spend a few slides going over the basics of your topic
• Use  simple language  and avoid acronyms
• Give basic facts and try to relate information to something people understand (e.g. if talking about space and using huge numbers, relate them to things people can comprehend)

4. Sympathetic

This audience is willing to listen and wants to be there. They can be interested in your topic, excited to see you talk (you might be a well-known figure in your speaking field), have an emotional attachment – these people are the easiest to persuade.

• Use the state of this audience to ask for help / funding etc.
• Trigger emotions which powerful stories

People checking their watches? Make sure you understand the situation your audience is in. If your presentation is the last of the day, you’ll most likely have a hostile audience. Take this into account and structure your speech accordingly.

Different personalities in a meeting

The following section discusses the four types of  audience personalities  and an audience analysis on them.

• Scrupulous about preparation before and after meetings
• Arrives on time, keeps to time and prevents drift
• Takes very detailed minutes and listens intently
• Reflects on discussion, makes considered contributions
• Drives decision making and ensures time is not wasted
• Cuts across distractions and leads meetings well
• Manages difficult people assertively
• Ensures the action plan is implemented
• Builds rapport easily and connects people together
• Remembers coffee, cake and connects people together
• Averts conflict, when it threatens
• Supports the team and leader fully
• Entertains, engages when in the limelight
• Challenges old way of thinking
• Generates creative ideas and opens new possibilities
• Tells the truth, brings on debate, breaks through niceties

Features of each personality:

Analytical  – 100% accurate, chronology, don’t rush, focus on facts, internally focussed, distant from others, systematic, critical

Driver  – 100% task, headlines, don’t waste time, focus on action, future focused, leading others, quick to decide, impatient

Amiable  – 100% social, relationships, don’t intimidate, focus on feelings, present focused, asks questions, dislike conflict, support, kind

Expressive  – 100% impulsive, vision & ideas, don’t limit, focus on themes, externally focused, makes statements, competitive & chaotic, unpredictable, energetic

How to gauge the audiences interest

Greet people before your speech.

This is a great way to perform early audience analysis. If possible, stand near the entrance and  greet people  as they come in. Ask them questions to gauge their level of knowledge and expectations. Example questions can be “what industry are working in?” and “how long they have been working at…”

Call and Response Technique

Ask carefully  prepared questions  at the beginning of you speech to understand the mood and experience of the audience. You could ask “Raise your hand if you have used a virtual reality headset before” for example.

Research the Event

Read up about the conference you are attending. Find out what the other presentations are about and how they might relate to your speech to give you a head start on audience analysis. This gives you an idea of how technical and prepared your audience might be.

For additional information on understanding your audience and audience analysis, read:

• Know your Audience: What it Takes to Persuade, Inspire and Motivate them
• Public Speaking: Know Your Audience

Key audience analysis factors

Audience expectations.

Different audiences can have completely  different expectations  about the topics and speaker. Ignoring these differences can have a negative effect on your speech. Imagine that you’re asked to speak at the memorial service for a close friend.

The audience will expect your speech to praise the life of the deceased. If you start talking about the flaws of the person, the audience is likely to react badly to it.

Knowledge of topic

You need to find out how much your audience already knows about your topic as an audiences knowledge can vary widely. Two ways to achieve this could be:

• Research who else is speaking at the event and the topics they are presenting (if it’s been made public)
• Gauge the type of people who will attend using the event website or social media profiles

Never overestimate the audience’s knowledge of a topic. If you start speaking about complex algorithms for robotics, but the listeners are not familiar with basic genetics, they’ll quickly lose interest and find something to distract themselves with.

On the other hand, drastically underestimating the audience’s knowledge may result in a speech that sounds condescending.

Presentation setting, such as what time you are presenting and style of the conference room, will influence audience’s ability and desire to listen.

Finding out ahead of time the different environment and situational factors. This will give you plenty of time to prepare for an audience of 1000 when you were expecting 50. You want to understand whether there will be a stage, where your slides will be shown, what technology is available to you, who is presenting before you and other factors.

Take into account the way that the setting will affect audience attention and participation. If you’re scheduled to speak at the end of the day, you’ll have to make the speech more entertaining and appear more enthusiasm to keep their attention.

Read more about how to  speak to an unruly crowd  if you’re stuck with an end of day presentation slot.

Audience size

Your speech will change depending on the size of the audience. In general, the larger the audience the more formal the presentation should be. Using everyday language when speaking to a group of 5 people is often appropriate.

However, you’ll need a well throughout structure and  literary techniques  when talking to 500 people. Large audiences often require that you use a microphone and speak from an elevated platform.

Attitude toward topic

Being able to understand the audiences attitudes about a topic will help you connect with them. Imagine you’re trying to convince people at a town hall to build a new college. You’ll be inclined to spend the majority of the speech giving reasons why a college would benefit the town.

If you find that the major worry was how much this would cost students, you can talk more about funding available to the students. The  persuasive power  of the speech is therefore directed at the most important obstacle to the building the college.

Demographics

The demographic factors of an audience include:

• Ethnic background
• Job or Career

These categories often underpin the individuals experiences and beliefs, so you should tailor your speech accordingly. Presenting at a conference in London will be a very different experience to presenting in Shanghai. The structure of your speech and words you use will probably be very different.

Using demographic factors to guide speech-making does not mean changing the goal of the speech for every different audience; rather, consider what pieces of information will be most important for members of different demographic groups.

Voluntariness

Audiences are either hostile, critical, uninformed or sympathetic. Knowing the difference will assist in establishing the content of your speech. It’s very hard to generate and maintain interest with a hostile audience. You’ll definitely want to know if you’re up against this so you can plan ahead for it.

Egocentrism

Most audience members are interested in things that directly affect them or their company. An effective speaker must be able to show their audience why the topic they are speaking on should be important to them.

What this handout is about

This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.

What’s different about a speech?

Writing for public speaking isn’t so different from other types of writing. You want to engage your audience’s attention, convey your ideas in a logical manner and use reliable evidence to support your point. But the conditions for public speaking favor some writing qualities over others. When you write a speech, your audience is made up of listeners. They have only one chance to comprehend the information as you read it, so your speech must be well-organized and easily understood. In addition, the content of the speech and your delivery must fit the audience.

What’s your purpose?

People have gathered to hear you speak on a specific issue, and they expect to get something out of it immediately. And you, the speaker, hope to have an immediate effect on your audience. The purpose of your speech is to get the response you want. Most speeches invite audiences to react in one of three ways: feeling, thinking, or acting. For example, eulogies encourage emotional response from the audience; college lectures stimulate listeners to think about a topic from a different perspective; protest speeches in the Pit recommend actions the audience can take.

As you establish your purpose, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want the audience to learn or do?
• If you are making an argument, why do you want them to agree with you?
• If they already agree with you, why are you giving the speech?
• How can your audience benefit from what you have to say?

Audience analysis

If your purpose is to get a certain response from your audience, you must consider who they are (or who you’re pretending they are). If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.

As you think of ways to appeal to your audience, ask yourself:

• What do they have in common? Age? Interests? Ethnicity? Gender?
• Do they know as much about your topic as you, or will you be introducing them to new ideas?
• Why are these people listening to you? What are they looking for?
• What level of detail will be effective for them?
• What tone will be most effective in conveying your message?
• What might offend or alienate them?

For more help, see our handout on audience .

Creating an effective introduction

Get their attention, otherwise known as “the hook”.

Think about how you can relate to these listeners and get them to relate to you or your topic. Appealing to your audience on a personal level captures their attention and concern, increasing the chances of a successful speech. Speakers often begin with anecdotes to hook their audience’s attention. Other methods include presenting shocking statistics, asking direct questions of the audience, or enlisting audience participation.

Establish context and/or motive

Explain why your topic is important. Consider your purpose and how you came to speak to this audience. You may also want to connect the material to related or larger issues as well, especially those that may be important to your audience.

Get to the point

Tell your listeners your thesis right away and explain how you will support it. Don’t spend as much time developing your introductory paragraph and leading up to the thesis statement as you would in a research paper for a course. Moving from the intro into the body of the speech quickly will help keep your audience interested. You may be tempted to create suspense by keeping the audience guessing about your thesis until the end, then springing the implications of your discussion on them. But if you do so, they will most likely become bored or confused.

For more help, see our handout on introductions .

Making your speech easy to understand

Repeat crucial points and buzzwords.

Especially in longer speeches, it’s a good idea to keep reminding your audience of the main points you’ve made. For example, you could link an earlier main point or key term as you transition into or wrap up a new point. You could also address the relationship between earlier points and new points through discussion within a body paragraph. Using buzzwords or key terms throughout your paper is also a good idea. If your thesis says you’re going to expose unethical behavior of medical insurance companies, make sure the use of “ethics” recurs instead of switching to “immoral” or simply “wrong.” Repetition of key terms makes it easier for your audience to take in and connect information.

Incorporate previews and summaries into the speech

For example:

“I’m here today to talk to you about three issues that threaten our educational system: First, … Second, … Third,”

“I’ve talked to you today about such and such.”

These kinds of verbal cues permit the people in the audience to put together the pieces of your speech without thinking too hard, so they can spend more time paying attention to its content.

Use especially strong transitions

This will help your listeners see how new information relates to what they’ve heard so far. If you set up a counterargument in one paragraph so you can demolish it in the next, begin the demolition by saying something like,

“But this argument makes no sense when you consider that . . . .”

If you’re providing additional information to support your main point, you could say,

“Another fact that supports my main point is . . . .”

Helping your audience listen

Rely on shorter, simpler sentence structures.

Don’t get too complicated when you’re asking an audience to remember everything you say. Avoid using too many subordinate clauses, and place subjects and verbs close together.

Too complicated:

The product, which was invented in 1908 by Orville Z. McGillicuddy in Des Moines, Iowa, and which was on store shelves approximately one year later, still sells well.

Easier to understand:

Orville Z. McGillicuddy invented the product in 1908 and introduced it into stores shortly afterward. Almost a century later, the product still sells well.

Limit pronoun use

Listeners may have a hard time remembering or figuring out what “it,” “they,” or “this” refers to. Be specific by using a key noun instead of unclear pronouns.

Pronoun problem:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This cannot continue.

Why the last sentence is unclear: “This” what? The government’s failure? Reality TV? Human nature?

More specific:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This failure cannot continue.

Keeping audience interest

Incorporate the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When arguing a point, using ethos, pathos, and logos can help convince your audience to believe you and make your argument stronger. Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.

Use statistics and quotations sparingly

Include only the most striking factual material to support your perspective, things that would likely stick in the listeners’ minds long after you’ve finished speaking. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

Watch your tone

Be careful not to talk over the heads of your audience. On the other hand, don’t be condescending either. And as for grabbing their attention, yelling, cursing, using inappropriate humor, or brandishing a potentially offensive prop (say, autopsy photos) will only make the audience tune you out.

Creating an effective conclusion

Restate your main points, but don’t repeat them.

“I asked earlier why we should care about the rain forest. Now I hope it’s clear that . . .” “Remember how Mrs. Smith couldn’t afford her prescriptions? Under our plan, . . .”

Call to action

Speeches often close with an appeal to the audience to take action based on their new knowledge or understanding. If you do this, be sure the action you recommend is specific and realistic. For example, although your audience may not be able to affect foreign policy directly, they can vote or work for candidates whose foreign policy views they support. Relating the purpose of your speech to their lives not only creates a connection with your audience, but also reiterates the importance of your topic to them in particular or “the bigger picture.”

Practicing for effective presentation

Once you’ve completed a draft, read your speech to a friend or in front of a mirror. When you’ve finished reading, ask the following questions:

• Which pieces of information are clearest?
• Where did I connect with the audience?
• Where might listeners lose the thread of my argument or description?
• Where might listeners become bored?
• Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
• Did I stay within my time limit?

Other resources

• Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group that provides communication and leadership training.
• Allyn & Bacon Publishing’s Essence of Public Speaking Series is an extensive treatment of speech writing and delivery, including books on using humor, motivating your audience, word choice and presentation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Boone, Louis E., David L. Kurtz, and Judy R. Block. 1997. Contemporary Business Communication . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ehrlich, Henry. 1994. Writing Effective Speeches . New York: Marlowe.

Lamb, Sandra E. 1998. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write . Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write an Analysis Essay With AI

Writing an analysis essay calls for objective thinking. The first rule is to understand that this kind of essay, although expository, is not an opinion piece.

Fredrick Eghosa

Aug 16, 2024

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

How to write an analysis essay, what is an analytical essay, key features of an analytical essay, objective analysis, analytical essays are thesis-driven, what is a thesis, every analytical essay follows a specific structure, example introduction for an analytical essay on hamlet, let’s break down this introduction:, the body of the analytical essay, how to write the body of an analytical essay, how to conduct thorough research for an analytical essay, common mistakes to avoid when writing an analytical essay, pdf examples of analysis essays across various fields of study, conclusion: reinforcing the analysis.

• An analytical essay requires an objective examination of a subject rather than personal opinions.
• The essay revolves around a clear and concise thesis statement that presents the main argument or point of analysis. Every part of the essay should support this thesis.
• Like other essays, an analytical essay follows a standard structure—introduction, body, and conclusion—each serving to prove and elaborate on the thesis.
• Support your analysis with evidence drawn from the subject matter, ensuring that every point made directly ties back to the thesis.
• Maintain a neutral and objective tone, avoiding personal judgments or subjective phrases. Use phrases like "The evidence suggests" or "The text demonstrates."
• The introduction should provide context, introduce the main characters or themes, and present the thesis. It sets the stage for the analysis to follow.
• Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the analysis, offering evidence and connecting it back to the thesis. The essay should explore different angles of the subject, such as contrasting characters or themes.
• The conclusion should tie together the analysis and reinforce how the evidence supports the thesis, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the topic.
• Engages the Reader
• Establishes Relevance
• Clear Direction

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Silent Speech in Phaswane Mpe’s HIV/AIDS Writing

• ORIGINAL PAPER
• Published: 31 August 2024

Cite this article

• Sheila Giffen 1  

South African writer Phaswane Mpe (1970—2004) is often canonized and memorialized as a brave truth-teller who broke the silence on HIV/AIDS in the context of government silence and denial. And yet Mpe’s writings—including poetry, short stories, a novel, and scholarly criticism—contemplate illness as a problem for truth and representation in works that linger in silence and ambiguity. This article analyses the tension between silence and speech in Mpe’s creative writing in response to HIV/AIDS. Using Mpe’s works as an illustrative example, I trouble the desire to read illness narratives as forms of truth-telling and silence-breaking. The desire for the transparency of speech in a global archive of illness narratives also informs a colonial politics of representation that instrumentalizes literature as ethnographic evidence. Mpe’s writing on HIV/AIDS refuses a demand for authenticity by holding the embodied experience of disease at a slight remove from the reader in order to register the forms of spiritual and epistemological crisis that epidemic and social loss produce. My contention is that the political stakes of this writing lie not in Mpe’s ability to render a public health crisis with verisimilitude, but in the capacity for writing to provide solace and sublimity faced with death. Through an analysis of Mpe’s fiction and poetry, this article proposes a methodology for reading the politics of illness narratives across globalized space which attends to the world-building potential of creative expression as a radical practice that resists incorporative models of aesthetic intelligibility.

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Acknowledgements

Thank you to the editors of the special issue, Marta Puxan Oliva and Jorge Locane, for the opportunity to develop this work. Thanks also to Geraldine Frieslaar and Nonhlanhla Mgedesi at the South Africa History Archive and Lynne Grant at the Amazwi South African Museum of Literature for allowing me to consult archival materials that informed this research. And finally, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Jeff Noh, Carmen Mathes, Steven Maye, Maddie Reddon and Judith Scholes for their feedback on this essay.

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1 Michael Green reads Mpe’s fiction alongside work by K. Sello Duiker and Zakes Mda and suggests these writers form “the kernel of a new canon for the new nation” ( 2008 , 334). Jane Poyner similarly groups Mpe within an emergent “post-apartheid canon” ( 2008 , 106) of novelists and writers who “turn their gaze inwards to the private sphere, to reflection and self-questioning” ( 2008 , 103) in contrast to the overtly political writings of the apartheid era.

2 As Mandisa Mbali summarizes, “Early into Mbeki’s presidency, in 2000, it became obvious that he and some key ministers had adopted denialist views that were referred to in the media as ‘dissident/unorthodox’ views on AIDS” ( 2004 , 105).

3 In his discussion of the controversies surrounding Mbeki’s AIDS policies, Neville Hoad points out that “In 2002, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang refused to disburse 72 million dollars for antiretrovirals to KwaZulu/Natal province from the Global Fund” ( 2007 , 91).

4 As Kylie Thomas observes “The policies of the apartheid state have significantly affected the course and magnitude of the epidemic in South Africa, and their effects have not been undone in the post-apartheid present. The epidemic in South Africa and even in southern Africa more broadly can be linked to what might be termed ‘apartheid fallout’ and in some instances forms of deprivation and oppression experienced under apartheid have been compounded in the wake of the implementation of neoliberal policies after 1994” ( 2014 , 152).

5 In an interview with Siphiwo Mahala, Mpe describes where he grew up and how this setting inspired the fictionalized village in the novel: “I stay in a chieftaincy called Ga-Molepo. I’m in one of many villages, it’s actually a huge chieftaincy. Probably one of the biggest in Limpopo and the village I come from is called Ga-Mogano. And Tiragalong of my novel is an imagined village which I based partly in this place and partly in another village [where I lived] with my aunt” (Mzamane 2005 , 47).

6 The term “rainbow nation” was first coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and then adopted by President Nelson Mandela to describe a spirit of multicultural peace and unity in the newly democratic nation-state. In his inaugural speech as President on 10 May 1994, Mandela asserted: “We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity—a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world” (Mandela 1994 ).

7 The constraints against the diseased woman writing in Sepedi extend from a legacy of apartheid-era education and publishing. As Phaswane Mpe and Monica Seeber argue, the Bantu Education Act (enacted in 1953) “created a space for the proliferation of African language publishing while simultaneously drastically reducing the scope of its themes and messages” ( 2000 , 19). The apartheid government supported African language publication for education purposes only and reinforced Afrikaner Christian moralism.

8 The epigraph to Welcome to Our Hillbrow cites W.E.B. DuBois saying, “Reader be assured this narrative is no fiction”. This quotation is best known for being the opening line of Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861). Jacobs’ preface begins: “Reader, be assured this narrative is no fiction. I am aware that some of my adventures may seem incredible; but they are, nevertheless, strictly true. I have not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by Slavery; on the contrary, my descriptions fall far short of the facts.” Jacobs’ opening address to the reader anticipates being met with disbelief and a sentiment that what she’s written could not possibly be true. What horrors are beyond our capacity to imagine or narrate? How do the legacies of racial capital, colonialism, and enslavement pose a challenge to the bounds of representation? By citing African American writers who theorize racial abjection and the violence of white supremacy, Mpe evokes a diasporic imaginary linking histories of racial violence across continents.

9 In his essay “Fighting the Victim Label,” AIDS activist Max Navarre describes the abhorrent representation of people with AIDS in mainstream American press: “In the media, everyone’s a victim: of fire, of cancer, of mugging, of rape, of AIDS. In the world of reportage, no one is doing well. Victims sell newspapers. Does anyone consider the impact of this cult of the victim? Does anyone realize the power of the message ‘You are helpless, there is no hope for you’? As a person with AIDS, I can attest to the sense of diminishment at seeing and hearing myself constantly referred to as an AIDS victim, an AIDS sufferer, an AIDS case—as anything but what I am, a person with AIDS. I am a person with a condition. I am not that condition” ( 1988 , 143).

10 For a discussion of how the “Castro Hlongwane” document circulated within the ANC and informed AIDS denialist policies, see Posel ( 2005 ) and Mbali ( 2004 ).

11  In the remarks Thabo Mbeki made at the International AIDS Conference in Durban in July 2000, he emphasized the role that poverty plays in the spread of AIDS but did not specifically renounce AIDS dissident positions as many activists and public health workers hoped he would. Edwin Cameron notes that the “president left immediately after his [own] speech” and therefore “did not hear Nkosi’s brave and moving plea for humane and inclusive action to deal with the epidemic and to mitigate its effects on those with HIV and AIDS” ( 2005 , 108). A few months later at an address at the University of Fort Hare, Mbeki appeared to take aim more directly at the protestors who were campaigning for access to life-saving ARVs by saying: “And thus does it happen that others who consider themselves to be our leaders take to the streets carrying their placards, to demand that because we are germ carriers, and human beings of a lower order that cannot subject its passions to reason, we must perforce adopt strange opinions, to save a depraved and diseased people from perishing from self-inflicted disease” (Mbeki 2001 ).

12 Analyzing AIDS discourse in South Africa, Mandisa Mbali points out that “government AIDS denialism is a response to a history of racist understandings of African sexuality as inherently pathological in AIDS science” ( 2004 , 104). In his reading of race, medicine, and the colonial archive in Mbeki’s speeches, Neville Hoad observes that criticisms of Mbeki’s remarks seldom take into account the long history of colonial exploitation he engages: “The politics of cultural representation are equally problematic in a neoliberal world where imperial legacies are very much alive and the accusations of murderous incompetence leveled at the first democratically elected government of South Africa may bear the taint of colonial racism, as the A.N.C. government has been quick to point out” ( 2007 , 92). For Didier Fassin, the public discourse surrounding AIDS denial can lead to reductive binaries between rational science and irrational denial: “the intellectual landscape of the AIDS epidemic has been reduced to simple terms: on one side, medicine and science, people of goodwill and good sense, efficacy and truth; on the other, a president and a few dissidents, corrupt politicians and quack scientists, incompetence and error” ( 2007 , 76).

13 Written in March 2003, the short story was originally published in New Africa Books’ Urban ’03: Collected New African Short Stories, edited by Dave Chislett. The story was later posthumously published in the collection Brooding Clouds (2008).

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Giffen, S. Silent Speech in Phaswane Mpe’s HIV/AIDS Writing. J Med Humanit (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10912-024-09871-z

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