Monday, September 22, 2014

Formal Analysis of Effective Mormon Speaking

In preparation for discussing Mormon Oratory, I want my students (who are Latter-day Saints) to reflect on the Mormon speaking that they have experienced -- as speakers and as listeners -- in various LDS settings, and to consider instances in which the form or literary quality of a talk or sermon was memorably effective.

I want them to recall an instance or two in which they remember the form of the speaking being part of the success of that speaking. For example, they may consider the use of storytelling as part of a talk, or the effective use of a metaphor, or other aspects of form such as an effective topical structure or arrangement, or effective word choice, pacing, or delivery.

In a brief blog post of about 300 words, they are to set up the context and briefly explain the setting and speaker, then describe the effective use of form or literary qualities they observed.

Due Tuesday, September 23, 10:00pm (for posts).

Some parameters and cautions:

  • Discuss local speaking, rather than speaking in General Conferences of the church
  • The speech analyzed need not be a sacrament meeting talk.
  • Students can speak of their own experience as speakers
  • Students should use special care not to comment solely upon the spiritual or emotional qualities of a speech, though such outcomes can be part of the effects. The focus should be on form.

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