Choose a political speech to analyze. This can be an inaugural speech, keynote speech (RNC or DNC convention, for example), policy speech (JFK's Ich bin ein Berliner speech, for example) or memorial speech (Reagan's Challenger disaster speech, for example). More detail instruction below:

Speech reviews

research and critique three speeches of your choosing and will make an analysis of the speeches (two pagees per speech). Many recent speeches (last 40 years or so) are available on YouTube.

American Rhetoric: link: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html has a list of the top 100 speeches (mostly American speeches) with links to MP3 or text for many of them.

Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_speeches has a longer list, but no links to the speeches listed (you can use this list as a starting point, but would have to do the research to find the text or video of the speech).

The written analysis should include:

setting/purpose of speech discussion of the speech's strengths and weaknesses rhetorical/stylistic devices audience adaptation analysis of 2 direct quotes

Senator Elizabeth Warren Commencement Speech Setting/Purpose The commencement speech that I chose was delivered by US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) at Suffolk University in 2016. It appeared to be a sunny day and Senator Warren wore a bright red gown that contrasted against the blue stage backdrop in a positive manner. The overall message of the speech was trifold: our greatest successes cannot be fathomed at the time of college graduation, knowing who you are is imperative to your growth, and our successes are grounded in and made greater by our experiences and our drive. I say experiences and not mistakes because some barriers occur through no fault of the individual. For instance, at the time when Senator Warren graduated law school nine months pregnant no law firms would hire her, at that time female attorneys were not prevalent and pregnant female attorneys were even less prevalent. However, she was afforded a different opportunity to do something that she loved teach. As such, Senator Warren spent 30 years teaching at various institutions. Strengths and Weaknesses wwwwww Senator Warren began the speech strong by reiterating to the graduates and guest that Suffolk University was founded on the belief that higher education should be available to all not just the wealthy. This was a strength because she immediately engaged the audience; one individual on stage was even clapping over their head. Senator Warren also used humor to keep the audience's attention; she perfectly balanced lighthearted teases that made the audience chuckle with some heavy punchlines that made the audience erupt in laughter and applause. For instance she made a joke stating, "You can now proudly take a zillion selfies wearing a cardboard hat. Stylin." Conversely, later in her speech she asked the President of Suffolk