How to Say Goodbye

Speeches: How to Say Goodbye

Hemingway once remarked that the hallmark of his life was not all the people that he met but all the people he would never see or talk to again. He phrased it as "the irrefutable truth of every man's life is loss." Certainly, out here on our expensive little island, loss is constant. You will lose classmates, childhood friends, and girlfriends to the mainland. Later, you will lose people more permanently. Sad and regretable, but true.

Assignment: Write a ten to fifteen minute speech to be given at graduation in which you address the idea that you will never see most of these people again. The speech needs to be delivered orally, either on tape, video, or live. The speech needs to function as a speech, not a personal speech. The speech needs to refer to two works of poetry.

Thought		Speaker addresses thesis in a thoughtful. Honest, and interesting way		Speaker addresses thesis in a thoughtful. Honest, but not interesting way		Speaker addresses thesis in a Honest way, but neither interesting nor thoughtful.		Speaker does not address thesis in a thoughtful. Honest, or interesting way
Oral (15)		Speaker is able to hold the audience all the time.		Speaker is able to hold the audience for all but a few minutes		Speaker is able to holdthe audience for half the speech		Speaker is not able to holdthe audience
Specifics (20)		Speech uses many specifics and proper nouns in almost all sentences		Speech uses specifics and has proper nouns in most sentences.		Speech used proper nouns, but is not specific on the future		Speech is very general
Action Verbs (10)		All sentences have action verbs		All but 3 sentences have action verbs		All but 6 sentences have action verbs		More than 6 sentences do not have action verbs
Transitions (10)	All sentences and paragraphs have a transitional element		All but 3 sentences and paragraphs have a transitional element		All but 6 sentences and paragraphs have a transitional element		More then 6 sentences and paragraphs have a transitional element
Structure (10)	The speech is divided into logical paragraphs and unified in a balanced structure		The speech is divided into logical paragraphs, but is not unified		The speech is divided into paragraphs		The paragraphs have little meaning
Thesis(10)	Each sentence focuses on the thesis		All but 3-4 sentences build on the thesis		All but 5-6 sentences build on the thesis		More than 6 sentences focus on thesis
Clarity (10)	Each sentence makes sense		All but 3-4 sentences make sense		All but 5-6 sentences make sense		More than 6 sentences are unclear

Optimals: (other works of lit +5) (Modern media +5) (creative presentation +10)

Requireds:

The speech must be delivered orally.
The speech must be smooth, with hesitations used only for effect. No Ums, etc
The speech must show respect.
The speech must last ten minutes.

Other Ideas

You could write this speech as a eulogy (but not for you)
You could have someone else deliver the speech (same rubric applies)
You could make this into a film.