[Perry] The Power of a Rousing Speech

Quite a while ago now, we talked a little bit about how much a good threat can add that precious bit of “oomph” that your story might need.

There are a few other solid factors that can provide that same effect. A solid, inspirational speech before a battle is a pretty good one.

Yes, there are many factors that go into it.

The set up to the speech is pretty important. It’s hard to have a rousing speech just before nothing happens and the situation needs to fit the words. I’m sure we can all agree that typically, an upcoming battle against overwhelming odds is the best set up to a big speech.

The music always plays a pretty big part in the emotional impact as well. The soft swell during the light parts of the speech and then rising and crashing over you like a wave when the main character starts shouting about freedom, liberty and honor? Oh that’ll do wonders…

But the speech itself, that’s the meat of it, don’t you think?

I’ve heard speeches in stories that get goosebumps rising all up and down my arms. I’ve heard speeches that send shivers right down my spine and I’ve heard some that really do a lot to get you pumped up, to make you feel that a serious ass-kicking is right around the corner.

They come in all different varieties and flavors too, don’t you fret. I’m sure there’s something for everybody.

How about some William Wallace?

“Fight and you will die. Run and you’ll live…at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives…but they’ll never take OUR FREEDOM!”

Man, you’d have to be heartless not to feel at least a little bit of a rush.

If that’s a little to calm and quiet for you, how about a speech with some balls? 

Leonidas, full of rage at the Persians, pride in his men and more than anything, filled with the surety and conviction that what he and his men are doing is the right and only thing to do:

“A new age has begun. An age of freedom. And all will know that 300 spartans gave their last breath to defend it!”

There are somber ones too. You don’t have to have a hugely muscled man shouting about honor to get your point across. All you need is Russel Crowe and give him that fantastic line about what you do in life echoing in eternity and you can get people to that state of mind you need. You can get people ready and raring to go.

Here’s the funny thing though. You don’t need a good story to make an inspirational speech work. The characters can be pretty flat and the inspirational moment can still work so long as it’s set up the right way.

Hell, you don’t even need to be serious to make inspirational speeches work.

You can find a guy with an overdone accent, give him lines cheesier than a stuffed crust pizza and it’ll still have to power to roil your blood when he tells you that he’s going to go upriver to kick some ass.

A part of me thinks that it might just be the crowd mentality. A part of me thinks that just seeing a big crowd of people cheering at the same thing has the power to reach out and fold you into their ranks, giving you just a bit of a visceral thrill and a desire to see them succeed.

…The other part of me is ready to go and kick some ass >.>

So inspirational speeches…

What’re some of your favorites?

 

Related posts:

[Perry] The Power of a Good Threat
[Perry] Write What You Know
Power