Repetition In Speech

Repetition Is the Foundation of Any Effective Speech Throughout history, speeches have been known to change many lives both during the speech’s time and in the modern era. At the foundation of any one of these speeches is the literary element known as repetition. Though repetition is known most commonly for its literal meaning of repeating words, this literary device is much more than that. A speaker’s repetition can cause the listeners to react an abundance of ways ranging from cheering for themselves to becoming violent towards others. Each of the following speeches uses repetition in its own way in order to emotionally affect the audience’s mood.
One of the greatest speakers to employ this repetition ideal is Martin Luther King Jr., and …show more content…
Douglas MacArthur’s “Duty, Honor, Country” repeats those very same words beginning in paragraph four and make appearances throughout. Although this repetition begins early, it is more effective than many speeches closing repetition. This is true because the three words “duty, honor, country” are the moral creed by which any and every West Point cadet must follow. Only these cadets are held to the standards of the creed, and only these soldiers know what it means to live by the creed. For someone to speak to the cadets and use the creed is the same as an African American leading a civil rights group. It’s something only cadets truly understand, and when MacArthur chooses to repeat these words it changes the mood of the cadets in that they now feel a connection to MacArthur. They feel that he has been through everything they have, and because of these similarities MacArthur becomes relatable. This new connection not only draws the attention of the cadets, but it also persuades them to listen and absorb what he is saying. Overall, this form of repetition is extremely effective in becoming relatable to the audience as well as becoming a character of …show more content…
When Wiesel made a speech, he spoke of “indifference” (par 5). He mentions this word frequently throughout the speech. He defines the word and then begins to relate the word to how the countries ignored the issues going on under Hitler’s rule. The word is a reality check for Americans about what is really going on in the world and Wiesel calls out the countries and people for not doing anything. He calls indifference a “punishment” because it’s a feeling of being forgotten or ignored. He wants his audience to understand the pain he went through and that everything wasn’t alright where he was. Without this repetition his speech becomes another basic recapitulation of the Holocaust, however Wiesel decided to allow his audience to feel what he felt. While this use of repetition may not be as well known as others, it is certainly