Character, Charisma, and Charm: What Makes an Orator Truly Persuasive?
You desperately want to go to Six Flags with your friends, but your parents say no. Despite all your begging and pleading, nothing seems to convince them. How do you craft the perfect argument to persuade them? Perhaps you have something to learn from Cicero and Socrates, the great ancient Greek masters of rhetoric and oratory. Their lessons continue to ring true to this day. What makes Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream'' speech so great? What made Ronald Reagan so charismatic? How did Barack Obama win the presidency in 2008? In this workshop, you’ll learn from the greatest orators of new and old to reach your potential as the most influential and persuasive speaker you can be. Maybe then you’ll finally convince your parents to let you go on that trip.
- Writing & communication
- Public speaking
Students will craft (2) three-minute speeches to argue for both sides of a contentious real-world issue of their choosing. The instructor believes it is critically important to understand both sides of an issue before making a judgment, so that is what this final exercise aims to do.