Prepare Well

These are guidelines and tips that Mr. Tollefson gave us in Rhetoric class for our final speech. I thought they were some general good advice for doing a speech following the five canons of Rhetoric, and received permission to post it. Here is a cleaned up version (grammar, spelling, formatting), which I hope I have not taken too much liberty in doing. Here also is the cleaned up version in PDF, as well as the original.

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PREPARE WELL

1. Inventio or Make sure you have a clear statement of what you want to say- A blind squirrel can find a nut every once and awhile. You will find that if you can concisely state what you want to say you will be better prepared to get up and speak about it. A thesis statement should cause your hearers to respond in one of two ways- Arouse interest, shock, or anger--- "Oh really?" or invite praise , adulation or a hardy AMEN. Remember your thesis statement should be drawn out of a burning in your heart to say something. It should be so concise that it feels like a smooth polished stone in your sling ready to flatten some ugly giant.

2. Elocutio or Proof- Here is where you win or lose your moment. Don't be boring- please, please, please. Boring is produced by being unorganized and scattered brained. Even if the topic is interesting if you are disorganized it will be boring, or at the least disappointing. You all know how frustrating a cell phone is with poor reception? You don't want your audience to feel like throwing you across the room.
            This is why we use enthymenes and examples, maxims and fables. If used properly they bring clarity--- and clarity is the most important part of persuasion.
            A. Enthymene- How to chose the right enthymene? First reread your thesis statement and be very clear about what you want to say, prove or swindle us into believing. Second, read through Aristotle's list and ask yourself which one would best lead you in the direction of your conclusion. Maybe setting forth the opposite would work? Maybe a key word needs redefining in your audience's little brains? Maybe you need to show what a previous decision has done? You choose, but what my Greek teacher use to say is, "If it sings to you ...use it".
            Thirdly, ask yourself "what type of presentation does my thesis fall under?" Is this going to be a political, forensic or ceremonial speech? If political, I need to think future, if forensic, past, etc. Maybe my enthymene lends itself to one or the other.

            B. An Historical Example- It doesn't matter whether your topic is past present, or future, there is always room for an historical example. Examples paint a picture, which can be good or bad. Don't hurt yourself with your historical example. Many a time an historical example can go both ways. Kind of like an insurance adjuster. You have to do your research here. Think of cause and effect kind of stuff. This happened and the results were this... positive or negative. Please remember to elaborate. Paint the picture, don't leave your audience to guess. Here is where you have a chance to either be very convincing or terribly boring. No wonder most people hate history. Simply put--- it is because no one seems to be able to tell stories anymore. You be different. Practice, imagine, describe, relate, get me into the picture.

            C. A Maxim. This is really important because if your audience is still awake at this point, then this should be your pithy grabber. It should be drawn from your historical example. It will nail it for you if you're good at it. For example... "God commands us to our propensities." That is a pithy grabber that is drawn out of the Ten Commandments. It proves that God knows what our weaknesses are before we do. Here you need to be brief, pointed and to the mark.

            D. A Fable- A fable needs to be short and sweet. But review the eight steps for a fable. Start with an encomium (praise), then a brief paraphrase, then the cause, etc. Don't cut corners here; follow the recipe.

3. Dispositio- or Order- Let me tell you a secret-- if you put this together right you will look like a genius. That is the secret of genius. People who are geniuses are not those who are winging it, but those who did their homework. Start with your enthymene- if you don't your arguments are going to look weak. You are possibly going to sound arrogant and shallow all at the same time. If that happens then just sit down. Give them the substance of your argument in an enthymene form and then prove it with your maxims and fables. I want you to organize an outline of your speech. I want an introduction, body and conclusion. If you don't know where you are going no one is going to follow you.

4. Pronuntiatio or Posture and diction- Good posture shows confidence. It says this person really knows what they are talking about, or at least they are not making me feel icky inside. You see the reason bad posture and nervousness are such killers is that it effects your audience. EVERYTHING EFFECTS YOUR AUDIENCE!!! So, be kind to them by being well dressed for the occasion, by not biting your nails, fidgeting with your hair, looking away, or up or down. But, speak TO THEM. Give it to them instead of making them run after it. Speak up, be clear, stop saying "and um, and um, um ,um, um." We're talking a good delivery here.

5. Memoria, or memory- It really does help to persuade your audience if you have some of it in your head already. Yes, there is room. Put some of it to memory. At least your maxim should be stated from memory. Please don't stumble over the very part that is suppose to be a pithy grabber. You will make it a clunky stabber.

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