Literature Speech Topics

Podiums will allow students a place to set their notes.

Speeches can be assigned to students in literature classes. It is valuable to students to write and present speeches when studying literature to ensure correct understanding of readings. Literature speech topics may or may not be assigned by teachers. It will be the responsibility of the students to choose how to organize and present information in their speech presentations.

Author Identification

Teachers may assign a speech topic on an author the class is reading. To identify an author in a speech, research on all written publications will need to be completed. Authors tend to follow similar writing styles and topics of interest. When presenting a speech to identify an author, speak about personal background information including date of birth and location of residence. These facts may play a role in the type of literature written by the author.

Genre Identification

Speeches can be assigned on genre identification. If a choice of genre is allowed, choose a genre that is interesting and familiar. When a genre is chosen or assigned, research the famous writers of the genre. Find literature samples for the specified genre, and find similarities between writings. Also, genres can change over time, so research of writings over several years will be needed. During a genre speech, address common themes and famous literature.

Poetry Interpretation

Poetry can mean different things to different people who read it. If a speech is assigned and poetry can be a student's choice, read many poems before choosing a topic in order to find a poem that is meaningful to you. If the poem is assigned by the teacher, read the poem many times and write what you believe the author is trying to say. Poetry is interpreted by the reader, and there are no wrong ways to become inspired by the writing.

Novel Summary

Speeches assigned on novels will summarize the main ideas. The idea of this type of speech will be to sell the audience on wanting to read the novel. Be sure not to give too much away to the audience to leave some suspense. Choose literature that will be appealing to the audience. Novel summarizing speeches should include: time setting, location setting, main characters, and problems that arise. When summarizing, be sure not to express opinion, but rather just the facts.

References

• University of Hawaii Maui Community College Speech Department: Selecting Your Speech Topic

Resources

• Brooklyn College: Literary Terms