Last time on the blog, we covered the definition of rhetorical analysis and walked through the SPACECAT structure you can use to do it. If you haven’t read that post yet, check that out here! This week, we’ll be examining an example of rhetorical analysis.
As we discussed last time, the SPACECAT structure typically used in AP Lang classes can also be of great value in a speaker’s journey. Before you can learn to be an effective speaker, it’s very helpful to watch an expert and see what techniques they put into action! Today, we’ll be applying the SPACECAT structure to a great example speech.
The speech I’ll be showing you today was given by Simon Link, a master public speaker. Before you read my responses below, I encourage you to watch the speech yourself and take notes using the SPACECAT structure. It won’t take too long – the video is about 3 minutes. It’s okay if your answers end up being different from mine – rhetorical analysis is all about your own interpretation.
Link to Simon’s speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh9GbYugA1Y
Hopefully, you’ve taken a minute and practiced your own SPACECAT structure! If you didn’t, please consider doing so – short scribbled bullet points are enough for this activity! And even if you didn’t know what to put for every single category, watching the speech helped get your brain ready.
Now that you’ve finished, you can read through my thoughts on this speech below. Yes, they are long, and it’s totally fine if your notes weren’t this detailed. I’ve included some timestamps below if you are interested in rewatching the parts of the video I reference.
S – SPEAKER
0:24 In the speech, Simon keeps his introduction short and simple: all we have to know is that his name is Simon Link. However, we can learn from the title screen of the video that this speech was given at Amana Academy, a charter school in Alpharetta, Georgia. The description of the video also tells us that Simon is a 3rd grader at Amana Academy. Though Simon’s charming stage presence captures our attention and trust right away, this extra information assures listeners that Simon is an expert in recess and playtime.
P – PURPOSE
0:24 Simon also introduces his purpose in the first 30 seconds of the speech. In his own words, he is “talking about why kids should have an hour-long recess.” What a noble purpose! 😁
A – AUDIENCE
2:57 When Simon gets the whole audience to stand up and start moving, you can get a better view of the audience he is presenting to. It seems like the room is full of adults. Even if we hadn’t been able to see the audience, though, it makes sense that he would have been trying to persuade adults with his message – I don’t think there are too many kids out there who wouldn’t want an hour-long recess!
C – CONTEXT
0:00 When the video first begins, we can see that the speech is being given as part of the TEDxAmanaAcademy event. Though the event was independently organized rather than part of official TED conferences, the description adds a little more background on how Simon ended up standing on this stage. According to the description, “1st-8th grade students [were] challenged this year to redefine the world they live in.” The theme of the event was “Worlds Imagined,” and students were asked to answer a big question: “What do you want the future to look like?”
E – EXIGENCE
0:04 Throughout the speech, Simon talks clearly and confidently about the rising issue of short recesses. But we can see the problem clearly at the beginning of the speech, when he paints a picture of the imaginative world he created during recess, only to have it all taken away from him when his play had to end. Simon saw the issue of short playtime impacting himself and the kids at his school, and he knew he had to make a change.
C – CHOICES
There are many examples of choices Simon made throughout the speech that helped increase listeners’ engagement with the speech.
- 0:04 For starters, dressing in a suit shows his dedication to this topic and adds a professional feel to his speech. Simon’s speech is also structured very intentionally. He started by jumping straight into an engaging hook (or in more formal language, an anecdote), before backing up into a more formal introduction.
- 0:31 Here, you can see Simon asking the audience a rhetorical question: “Did you know that genes change when [kids] get playtime?” The audience isn’t really meant to actually answer the question out loud; instead, it causes them to reflect and react. Then, he follows it up with a shocking statistic.
- 0:43 As mentioned above, research is used to back up each of Simon’s points. We’ll talk more about this in the appeals section below!
- 0:51 When Simon says “loooooong” he isn’t just being funny, though that is part of it! He’s making a point, and his hand gestures and facial expressions both reflect this, too.
- 1:03 Another great example of hand gestures and facial expressions! Pay attention to how Simon smoothly switches hands to move his microphone and hold up a big number 2.
- 2:20 Simon knows how to use his pauses to make a point. But he also chooses to engage the audience in his speech. By asking everybody to stand up and participate in a short activity, he demonstrates the point he is making while also making the experience a little more fun!
- 2:56 Simon is eager to count out loud: “Go! 1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8! 9! 10!” The loud, enthusiastic countdown adds some nice energy to his speech. You can see the audience smiling as they sit down: they’re sold!
A – APPEALS
Two of the biggest appeals Simon used in his speech were appeals to logic (logos) and to credibility (ethos). His use of statistics adds to both of these because he quotes credible studies that were really conducted in the field, while also showing how clear it is that longer recess does have a positive impact on kids’ wellbeing. I went ahead and found some of the studies Simon referenced, as well as some related material, so feel free to take a look if you like!
- The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children
- Rae Pica – The Importance of Movement in Early Childhood Education
- The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Education
T – TONE
Throughout the speech, Simon has an informative yet energetic tone. He isn’t afraid to smile or shout when it helps make his point, but he also knows how to be serious and thoughtful.
As you can see, speeches don’t have to be long or boring in order to teach you how to be a better public speaker. Go look up speeches on topics you’re genuinely interested in, and learn from other kids (and adults!) whenever you can!
