Introduction Speeches

Some classes will be assigned an “Introduction Speech” for the first speech. This is Faith’s first speech in her Public Speaking course. Her outline follows.

Sample Special Occasion Speech: Introduction Speech

Classroom Delivery of the Speech can be Viewed at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jewazsvCXp8&t=127s

Speech Title: Three Fictional Personas and Me

Name: Faith

Topic: Me

Specific Purpose:  to inform my audience about the three Disney heroines who illustrate my past, present, and my outlook on my future.

Thesis Statement: You can learn more about my past, my present, and my outlook on the future through three Disney heroines.

Regarding the PRCA, please type your answers to the questions below:

• What were your scores?
  • XXXX  Other questions —PRCA/Comments for Lori —– DELETED AS IT WAS PRIVATE….
• Do you think the summary provided accurately matches your level of public speaking confidence? Explain.
  • Yes, my score was identical to my own perception. I have felt confident of public speaking, but, think that there is room to improve.

• What can you learn about yourself (or not) through this survey?
  • I think this shows the level to which I feel comfortable. I want to feel better in Q/A sessions, where I have less control. I think that the survey is a means to help me feel better about knowing that other people also need a sense of control when it comes to giving a speech.
• What are your goals for public speaking that you hope to achieve this semester? List three:
  • I want to increase my exempt style, I tend to memorize.
  • I want to feel confident to move – sometimes I think I am a statue!
  • I would like to have a better sense of breathing, especially in areas where I don’t have control.
• How did you Adapt:
  • I looked back over Chapter 1 of the reading and it explains how we should try to relate to our audience. It said to show how information is important to my peers and to make allusions to culturally shared experiences. By making allusions to how we are similar because all of us have a hero, I hope to draw people in and make them think about their own heroes. Hopefully, this will help them see that others have fictional heroes and that personalities and experiences can cause us to relate to various people.

Special Occasion Speech Outline: Introduction Speech

Introduction

Attention Material:  Criticized for being too doll-like and perfect (show Barbie dolls? Or do power-point?) and for being too mainstream, Disney princesses are both loved and hated by the world. But what they don’t see are the girls’ personalities and experiences that have caused them to become extremely relatable figures.

Gain Goodwill of the Audience: We all have our heroes, the people we look to for leadership and the people we see ourselves in. For you these people may be family members, celebrities, historical figures, or fictional characters.

Credibility Material:  With a love for Disney that stems from not being allowed to watch much Disney when I was extremely young, I have become a huge Disney nerd and often try to use morals and themes from the films to help me live my life.

Thesis & Topic Preview:  We can learn more about my past, present, and my outlook on the future through the stories of three Disney heroines. Megara, from Hercules, reflects my past; Esmeralda, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, shows how my past has affected present; and Wendy Darling, from Peter Pan, has caused me to look at my future in a new light.

Transition: so now that we have a starting point, let us first look to my past.

Body

I.                Main Point #1:  The character of Megara from Hercules reflects my “past.”

A. Painful experiences often build up a tough exterior.

                              i.    In her film, Megara is often bullied by her employer, Hades.

ii.    He uses threats and promises.

B. He tries to make her do whatever he wants her to.

i.    I too have had to deal with bullies.

ii.    (4th grade choir bullies story)

iii.    (7th grade bully story)

C. Because of the pain of being bullied, both Megara and I have tough shells.

i.    These shells have affected our abilities to interact with other.

ii.    This often causes us to seem aloof and distant.

Summary: The shell is not gone and…

Preview: As it affects my present I find myself often relating to yet another Disney girl.

II.                Main Point #2:  The Disney heroine whom I often feel a bond with now in my “present” is Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

A. In her film, Esmeralda is an outcast and despite being a performer could be labeled as shy.

i.    As a gypsy, she is an outside observer.

ii.    This does not stop her from becoming a leader.

B. The shell of my past has caused me to be shy and feel like an outsider.

i.    I often feel like an outcast because of being a homeschooler.

ii.    While it is one of the best experiences of my life, others do not seem to see it the same way.

C. Despite my shell, I have strived to become a leader.

i.    I am a student leader at my church and have gone on several missions trips.

ii.    I also have gotten back into music through leadership during worship and through choir.

iii.    Esmeralda is not only like me but she inspires me to do good and be a better person.

Summary: But that is my present.

Preview: As I look to the future, one last Disney character reflects my life.

III.                Main Point #3: The last Disney girl, Wendy Darling from Peter Pan, represents me is my future.

A. In the beginning of Peter Pan, Wendy is about to grow up and leave the nursery forever.

i.    With a childlike imagination, growing up seemed scarier than a land full of pirates, Indians, and mermaids.

ii.    I too am about to leave the “nursery” as college draws near and I take PSEO.

B. It is scary to find what to do with my life.

     i.    Because of my imagination, I am creative and have looked at degrees in art and museum work.

    ii.    However, I would love to work at Disney and teach others the lessons that I have been taught.

   iii.     Even though Wendy and I will both grow up, we will always be children at heart.

Transition: Through three Disney heroines, you have learned much about me.

Conclusion

Signal an End: Some of my favorite Disney characters are much like me.

Summary: I have shown you how Megara, Esmeralda, and Wendy paint pictures of my past, my present, and my outlook on the future.

Goodwill Audience Tie: Maybe now, you have not only learned much about me through these three ladies, but you have learned how similar people (or characters) can be.

Concluding Clincher: Instead of giving the princesses and other fictional characters hate for being fictional, we should look to their examples and see ourselves in their experiences.