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The Art of
Public Speaking
THIRTEENTH EDITION
Stephen E. Lucas
University of Wisconsin—Madison
with
Paul Stob
Vanderbilt University
THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING, THIRTEENTH EDITION
Published by McGraw-Hill Education, 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121. Copyright ©2020 by Stephen E.
Lucas. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Previous editions © 2015, 2012, 2009,
2007, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1989, 1986, 1983. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written
consent of McGraw-Hill Education, including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or
transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.
Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the
United States.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
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ISBN 978-1-259-92460-6 (bound edition)

MHID 1-259-92460-2 (bound edition)
ISBN 978-1-260-41293-2 (loose-leaf edition)
MHID 1-260-41293-8 (loose-leaf edition)
ISBN 978-1-260-41287-1 (annotated instructor’s edition)
MHID 1-260-41287-3 (annotated instructor’s edition)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Lucas, Stephen, 1946– author. | Stob, Paul, author.
Title: The art of public speaking / Stephen E. Lucas with Paul Stob.
Description: Thirteenth edition. | New York, NY : McGraw-Hill Education, [2019]
Identifiers: LCCN 2018038517| ISBN 9781259924606 (bound edition : alk. paper) |
ISBN 1259924602 (bound edition : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781260412932 (loose-leaf edition) |
ISBN 1260412938 (loose-leaf edition)
Subjects: LCSH: Public speaking.
Classification: LCC PN4129.15 .L83 2019 | DDC 808.5/1—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018038517
The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a website
does not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill Education, and McGraw-Hill Education does
not guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites.
mheducation.com/highered
About the Author
S
tephen E. Lucas is Professor of Communication Arts and
Evjue-Bascom Professor in the Humanities at the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin–Madison. He received his bachelor’s
degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his
master’s and doctorate degrees from Penn State University.
Professor Lucas has been recognized for his work as both a
scholar and a teacher. His first book, Portents of Rebellion: R
hetoric
and Revolution in Philadelphia, 1765–1776, received the Golden
Anniversary Award of the National Communication Association
and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His major articles include
“The Schism in Rhetorical Scholarship,” “The Renaissance of
American Public Address: Text and Context in Rhetorical Criti-
cism,” “The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence,”
and “The Rhetorical Ancestry of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence,” for which he received the Golden A nniversary Monograph
Award of the National Communication Association. His most
recent book is Words of a Century: The Top 100 A merican Speeches,
Courtesy of Stephen Lucas
1900–1999.
Professor Lucas has received a number of teaching awards,
including the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at the University of
Wisconsin and the National Communication Association’s Donald Ecroyd Award
for Outstanding Teaching in Higher Education. He is featured in the Educational
Video Group’s program on the history of American public address, and he
appeared on the History Channel’s documentary on the Declaration of
Independence.
Professor Lucas has directed the introductory public speaking course at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison since 1973. Over the years he has been respon-
sible for numerous teaching innovations and has supervised the training of hun-
dreds of graduate assistants. He has also served as a judge for the major national
English-language public speaking competitions in China, has lectured at numer-
ous Chinese universities, has conducted workshops for C hinese instructors on
teaching public speaking, and has been instrumental in the development of public
speaking as a dedicated course in the English curriculum of Chinese universities.
The Art of Public Speaking has been translated into several languages, including
Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, Romanian, and Japanese.
Stephen Lucas and his wife, Patty, live in Madison, Wisconsin, and have two
sons, Jeff and Ryan. His interests include travel, sports, art, and photography.
iii

Brief Contents
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
1 Speaking in Public 2
2 Ethics and Public Speaking 26
3 Listening 44
4 Giving Your First Speech 60
SPEECH PREPARATION: GETTING STARTED

5 Selecting a Topic and a Purpose 74
6 Analyzing the Audience 94
7 Gathering Materials 114
8 Supporting Your Ideas 134
SPEECH PREPARATION: ORGANIZING AND OUTLINING

9 Organizing the Body of the Speech 158
10 Beginning and Ending the Speech 176
11 Outlining the Speech 196
PRESENTING THE SPEECH

12 Using Language 212
13 Delivery 230
14 Using Visual Aids 250
VARIETIES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

15 Speaking to Inform 268
16 Speaking to Persuade 290
17 Methods of Persuasion 316
18 Speaking on Special Occasions 344
19 Presenting Your Speech Online 356
20 Speaking in Small Groups 372
APPENDIX Speeches for Analysis and Discussion A-1
iv
Contents
A Note from the Author xvi
Highlights of the Thirteenth Edition xvii
McGraw-Hill Connect and Instructor Resources xviii
Acknowledgments xxii
Reviewers, Contributors, and Symposia Participants xxiii
PART ONE SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Chapter 1 Speaking in Public 2

The Power of Public Speaking 4
The Tradition of Public Speaking 5
Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation 6
Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation 8
Developing Confidence: Your Speech Class 8
Nervousness Is Normal 9
Dealing with Nervousness 10
Public Speaking and Critical Thinking 16
The Speech Communication Process 17
Speaker 17
Message 18
Channel 18
Listener 18
Feedback 19
Interference 20
Situation 20
The Speech Communication Process: Example with
Commentary 21
Public Speaking in a Multicultural World 21
Cultural Diversity in the Modern World 21
Cultural Diversity and Public Speaking 22
Avoiding Ethnocentrism 23
Courtesy of Josh Shipp
Chapter 2 Ethics and Public Speaking 26

The Importance of Ethics 28
Guidelines for Ethical Speaking 29
Make Sure Your Goals Are Ethically Sound 29
Be Fully Prepared for Each Speech 30
Be Honest in What You Say 31
v

Avoid Name-Calling and Other Forms of Abusive Language 32
Put Ethical Principles into Practice 33
Plagiarism 34
Global Plagiarism 35
Patchwork Plagiarism 35
Incremental Plagiarism 36
Plagiarism and the Internet 38
Guidelines for Ethical Listening 39
Be Courteous and Attentive 39
Avoid Prejudging the Speaker 40
Maintain the Free and Open Expression of Ideas 40
Chapter 3 Listening 44
Listening Is Important 46
Listening and Critical Thinking 47
Four Causes of Poor Listening 48
Not Concentrating 48
Listening Too Hard 48
Jumping to Conclusions 49
Focusing on Delivery and Personal Appearance 50
How to Become a Better Listener 51
Take Listening Seriously 51
Be an Active Listener 51
Resist Distractions 51
Don’t Be Diverted by Appearance or Delivery 53
Suspend Judgment 54
Focus Your Listening 54
Develop Note-Taking Skills 56
©sturti/Getty Images
Chapter 4 Giving Your First Speech 60

Preparing Your Speech 60
Developing the Speech 60
Organizing the Speech 63
Delivering Your Speech 65
Speaking Extemporaneously 66
Rehearsing the Speech 66
Presenting the Speech 67
Sample Speeches with Commentary 68
vi Contents
PART TWO SPEECH PREPARATION: GETTING STARTED
Chapter 5 Selecting a Topic and a Purpose 74

Choosing a Topic 76
Topics You Know a Lot About 76
Topics You Want to Know More About 77
Brainstorming for Topics 78
Determining the General Purpose 79
Determining the Specific Purpose 80
Tips for Formulating the Specific Purpose Statement 82
Questions to Ask About Your Specific Purpose 84
Phrasing the Central Idea 86
What Is the Central Idea? 86
Guidelines for the Central Idea 88
Chapter 6 Analyzing the Audience 94

Audience-Centeredness 96
Your Classmates as an Audience 96
The Psychology of Audiences 97
Demographic Audience Analysis 98
Age 99
Religion 100
Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Background 100
Gender and Sexual Orientation 101
Group Membership 102
Situational Audience Analysis 102
Size 103
Physical Setting 103
Disposition Toward the Topic 103
Disposition Toward the Speaker 105
Disposition Toward the Occasion 106
Getting Information About the Audience 107
Adapting to the Audience 109
Audience Adaptation Before the Speech 110
Audience Adaptation During the Speech 110
©Handout/Getty Images
Contents vii
Chapter 7 Gathering Materials 114
Using Your Own Knowledge and Experience 114
Doing Library Research 116
Librarians 116
The Catalogue 117
Reference Works 117
Newspaper and Periodical Databases 118
Academic Databases 119
Searching the Internet 120
Search Engines 120
Specialized Research Resources 120
Evaluating Internet Documents 122
Interviewing 125
Before the Interview 125
During the Interview 126
After the Interview 128
Tips for Doing Research 128
Start Early 128
Make a Preliminary Bibliography 128
Take Notes Efficiently 129
Think About Your Materials as You Research 131
Chapter 8 Supporting Your Ideas 134

Examples 136
Brief Examples 137
Extended Examples 137
Hypothetical Examples 138
Tips for Using Examples 138
Statistics 141
Understanding Statistics 142
Tips for Using Statistics 145
Testimony 148
Expert Testimony 149
Peer Testimony 149
Quoting Versus Paraphrasing 150
Tips for Using Testimony 150
Citing Sources Orally 153
©Cooper Neill/Getty Images
viii Contents
PART THREE SPEECH PREPARATION: ORGANIZING AND
OUTLINING
Chapter 9 Organizing the Body of the Speech 158

Organization Is Important 158
Main Points 160
Number of Main Points 162
Strategic Order of Main Points 162
Tips for Preparing Main Points 167
Supporting Materials 168
Connectives 170
Transitions 171
Internal Previews 171
Internal Summaries 172
Signposts 172
Chapter 10 Beginning and Ending the Speech 176

The Introduction 178
Get Attention and Interest 178
Reveal the Topic 183
Establish Credibility and Goodwill 184
Preview the Body of the Speech 185
Sample Introduction with Commentary 186
Tips for the Introduction 187
The Conclusion 188
Signal the End of the Speech 188
Reinforce the Central Idea 190
Sample Conclusion with Commentary 193
Tips for the Conclusion 193
Chapter 11 Outlining the Speech 196

The Preparation Outline 196
Guidelines for the Preparation Outline 198
Sample Preparation Outline with Commentary 202
The Speaking Outline 205
Guidelines for the Speaking Outline 206
Sample Speaking Outline with Commentary 208
Contents ix
PART FOUR PRESENTING THE SPEECH
Chapter 12 Using Language 212

Meanings of Words 212
Using Language Accurately 214
Using Language Clearly 216
Use Familiar Words 216
Choose Concrete Words 217
Eliminate Clutter 218
Using Language Vividly 219
Imagery 219
Rhythm 222
Using Language Appropriately 224
Appropriateness to the Occasion 225
Appropriateness to the Audience 225
Appropriateness to the Topic 226
Appropriateness to the Speaker 226
A Note on Inclusive Language 226
Chapter 13 Delivery 230

What Is Good Delivery? 232
Methods of Delivery 232
Reading from a Manuscript 232
Reciting from Memory 233
Speaking Impromptu 233
Speaking Extemporaneously 234
The Speaker’s Voice 235
Volume 235
Pitch 236
Rate 236
Pauses 236
©fstop123/Getty Images
Vocal Variety 237
Pronunciation 237
Articulation 238
Dialect 239
The Speaker’s Body 239
Personal Appearance 240
Movement 240
Gestures 241
Eye Contact 242
Practicing Delivery 242
Answering Audience Questions 244
Preparing for the Question-and-Answer Session 244
Managing the Question-and-Answer Session 245
x Contents
Chapter 14 Using Visual Aids 250
Kinds of Visual Aids 252
Objects and Models 252
Photographs and Drawings 252
Graphs 253
Charts 255
Video 255
The Speaker 256
Presentation Technology 256
Pluses and Minuses of Presentation Technology 257
Planning to Use Presentation Technology 258
Guidelines for Preparing Visual Aids 259
Prepare Visual Aids Well in Advance 259
Keep Visual Aids Simple 259
Make Sure Visual Aids Are Large Enough 259
Use a Limited Amount of Text 259
Use Fonts Effectively 260
Use Color Effectively 260
Use Images Strategically 261
Guidelines for Presenting Visual Aids 262
Display Visual Aids Where Listeners Can See Them 262
Avoid Passing Visual Aids Among the Audience 262
Display Visual Aids Only While Discussing Them 263
Explain Visual Aids Clearly and Concisely 263
Talk to Your Audience, Not to Your Visual Aid 264
Practice with Your Visual Aids 264
Check the Room and Equipment 265
©Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg/Getty Images
PART FIVE VARIETIES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Chapter 15 Speaking to Inform 268

Types of Informative Speeches: Analysis and Organization 270
Speeches About Objects 270
Speeches About Processes 272
Speeches About Events 274
Speeches About Concepts 275
Guidelines for Informative Speaking 277
Don’t Overestimate What the Audience Knows 277
Relate the Subject Directly to the Audience 278
Don’t Be Too Technical 280
Avoid Abstractions 281
Personalize Your Ideas 283
Be Creative 284
Sample Speech with Commentary 285
Contents xi
Chapter 16 Speaking to Persuade 290
The Importance of Persuasion 292
Ethics and Persuasion 292
The Psychology of Persuasion 293
The Challenge of Persuasive Speaking 293
How Listeners Process Persuasive Messages 294
The Target Audience 295
Persuasive Speeches on Questions of Fact 296
What Are Questions of Fact? 296
Analyzing Questions of Fact 297
Organizing Speeches on Questions of Fact 298
Persuasive Speeches on Questions of Value 298
What Are Questions of Value? 298
Analyzing Questions of Value 299
Organizing Speeches on Questions of Value 299
Persuasive Speeches on Questions of Policy 300
What Are Questions of Policy? 300
Types of Speeches on Questions of Policy 301
Analyzing Questions of Policy 302
Organizing Speeches on Questions of Policy 304
©Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images
Chapter 17 Methods of Persuasion 316

Building Credibility 318
Factors of Credibility 318
Types of Credibility 319
Enhancing Your Credibility 320
Using Evidence 322
How Evidence Works: A Case Study 322
Tips for Using Evidence 324
Reasoning 325
Reasoning from Specific Instances 327
Reasoning from Principle 328
Causal Reasoning 328
Analogical Reasoning 329
Fallacies 330
Appealing to Emotions 334
What Are Emotional Appeals? 334
Generating Emotional Appeal 335
Ethics and Emotional Appeal 337
xii Contents
Chapter 18 Speaking on Special Occasions 344
Speeches of Introduction 344
Speeches of Presentation 348
Speeches of Acceptance 349
Commemorative Speeches 350
Chapter 19 P
resenting Your Speech
Online 356
The Special Nature of the Online Environment 358
Kinds of Online Speeches 358
Guidelines for Online Speaking 359
Control the Visual Environment 359
Adapt Your Nonverbal Communication 362
Adjust Your Pacing 362
Don’t Forget Your Audience 363
Practice, Practice, Practice 363
The Technology of Real-Time Online Speeches 366
Choosing the Software 366
Learning the Software 366
Have a Backup Plan 366
©Nick David/Getty Images
Chapter 20 Speaking in Small Groups 372

What Is a Small Group? 374
Leadership in Small Groups 374
Kinds of Leadership 374
Functions of Leadership 376
Responsibilities in a Small Group 377
Commit Yourself to the Goals of Your Group 377
Fulfill Individual Assignments 378
Avoid Interpersonal Conflicts 378
Encourage Full Participation 379
Keep the Discussion on Track 380
The Reflective-Thinking Method 380
Define the Problem 380
Analyze the Problem 382
Establish Criteria for Solutions 383
Generate Potential Solutions 384
Select the Best Solution 384
Presenting the Recommendations of the Group 386
Oral Report 386
Symposium 387
Contents xiii
Panel Discussion 387
Appendix Speeches for Analysis and Discussion A-1
Lady Liberty A-2
Using a Tourniquet to Save a Life A-3
The Living-Wage Solution A-5
Phony Pharmaceuticals A-7
Make a Wish A-9
Elie Wiesel A-10
Notes N1
Index I1
SPEECHES
The Courtyard (Sample Speech with Commentary) 69
Fearless (Sample Speech with Commentary) 70
Supervolcanoes: The Sleeping Giants (Sample Speech with Commentary) 285
Getting the Lead Out (Sample Speech with Commentary) 310
Changing Lives Through the Literacy Network (Sample Speech with
Commentary) 338
Presenting the National Teacher of the Year Award Barack Obama 348
Accepting the National Teacher of the Year Award Shanna Peeples 350
Ida B. Wells 353
charity: water (Sample Speech with Commentary) 368
Lady Liberty A-2
Make a Wish A-9
Elie Wiesel A-10
xiv Contents
SPEECHES BY GENRE
INTRODUCTORY SPEECHES
The Courtyard 69
Fearless 70
INFORMATIVE SPEECHES
Space Junk (Sample Introduction with Commentary) 187
Space Junk (Sample Conclusion with Commentary) 193
Beneficial Bacteria (Sample Preparation Outline with Commentary) 203
Beneficial Bacteria (Sample Speaking Outline with Commentary) 208
Supervolcanoes: The Sleeping Giants 285
Lady Liberty A-2
PERSUASIVE SPEECHES
Getting the Lead Out 310
Changing Lives Through the Literacy Network 338
SPEECHES OF PRESENTATION
Presenting the National Teacher of the Year Award Barack Obama 348
SPEECHES OF ACCEPTANCE
Accepting the National Teacher of the Year Award Shanna Peeples 350
COMMEMORATIVE SPEECHES
Ida B. Wells 353
Make a Wish A-9
Elie Wiesel A-10
ONLINE SPEECHES
charity: water 368
Contents xv
A Note from the Author
W
hen I wrote the first edition of The Art of Public Speaking, I could not have
imagined the extraordinary response the book would receive. I am deeply
appreciative of the students and teachers who have made it the leading
work on its subject at colleges and universities across the United States and around
the world.
In preparing this edition, I have retained what readers have identified as the main
strengths of the book. The Art of Public Speaking is informed by classical and
contemporary theories of rhetoric, but it does not present theory for its own sake.
Keeping a steady eye on the practical skills of public speaking, it offers full coverage of
all major aspects of speech preparation and presentation.
It also follows David Hume’s advice that one “who would teach eloquence must do
it chiefly by examples.” Whenever possible, I have tried to show the principles of public
speaking in action in addition to describing them. Thus you will find in the book a large
number of narratives, speech excerpts, and full sample speeches that illustrate the prin-
ciples of effective public speaking.
Because the immediate task facing students is to present speeches in the classroom,
I rely heavily on examples that relate directly to students’ classroom needs and experi-
ences. The speech classroom, however, is a training ground where students develop
skills that will serve them throughout life. Therefore, I also include a large number of
illustrations drawn from the kinds of speaking experiences students will face after they
graduate from college.
Because speeches are performative acts, students need to be able to view speakers
in action as well as to read their words on the printed page. The Art of Public Speaking
has an extensive video program that is available both on DVD and on Connect,
McGraw-Hill’s online learning platform. The video program includes over 40 full stu-
dent speeches, plus more than 60 speech excerpts. Eleven of the full speeches and 18 of
the excerpts are new to this edition.
Connect also provides a wide range of teaching and learning resources in addition
to the speech videos. These resources include SmartBook, hands-on study tools,
critical-thinking exercises, speech-analysis questions, worksheets, assessment forms,
and more. Taken together, The Art of Public Speaking and the digital resources available
on Connect provide a time-tested interactive public speaking program that meets the
needs of students and teachers alike.
The Art of Public Speaking has changed over the years in response to changes in
technology, student demographics, and instructional needs. But it has never lost sight
of the fact that the most important part of speaking is thinking. The ability to think
critically is vital to a world in which personality and image too often substitute for
thought and substance. While helping students become capable, responsible speakers,
The Art of Public Speaking also aims to help them become capable, responsible thinkers
who value the role of civil discourse in a democratic society.
xvi
Highlights of the Thirteenth Edition of The
Art of Public Speaking
Fully updated for the thirteenth edition, the award-winning Art of Public Speaking
offers a time-tested approach that has made it the most widely used college text-
book on its subject in the world. Seamlessly coordinated with Connect, McGraw-
Hill Education’s pathbreaking online program, it supplies a proven set of teaching
and learning tools that is without parallel among public speaking books.
For experienced instructors, The Art of Public Speaking presents a solid, fully
customizable foundation and an abundance of teaching aids from which to
choose, allowing for complete teaching flexibility in the course. For novice
instructors, its wisdom, steady hand, and unmatched ancillary package instill con-
fidence and build success in the classroom from day one.
■■ New chapter on presenting online speeches. This chapter gives students the
guidance they need for effective online speaking. Distinguishing between
recorded and real-time online speeches, it explains the unique features of
each and how students can adapt to those features when preparing, rehears-
ing, and delivering their speeches. Practical guidelines help students control
the visual environment, create a suitable relationship with the online audi-
ence, and use online presentation software skillfully and professionally. A full
sample speech with commentary illustrates the principles of effective online
speaking in action. Video of the speech is available on DVD and Connect, in
both final and needs improvement versions.
■■ New full student speeches. The Art of Public Speaking video program is designed
to bridge the gap between the written page and the spoken word. Toward this
end, the thirteenth edition has 11 new full speeches for analysis and discus-
sion, all of which are available in both print and digital formats. They include
two new speeches of self-introduction, two new informative speeches (includ-
ing a demonstration speech), a new persuasive speech, a new commemorative
speech, and a new online speech—plus four new needs improvement speeches.
■■ Other video resources. The Art of Public Speaking’s video program also includes
more than 60 speech excerpts that are fully integrated into the eBook. Stu-
dents can access these excerpts—along with full speeches—as they read the
book to see the principles of public speaking in action. Whether a full speech
or an excerpt, each video illustrates specific skills and concepts from the text.
■■ Improved coverage of introduction and conclusions. Chapter 10 features new
sample introductions and conclusions with commentary, both of which are
also available on video. The chapter also includes a new section on using
visual aids to gain attention and interest at the start of a speech.
■■ Fresh real-world examples. Every chapter of The Art of Public Speaking opens
with an engaging and relevant example, and dozens of additional examples
appear throughout the chapters, each demonstrating the importance of pub-
lic speaking in school, business, and social settings. As in every edition,
examples have been updated for currency, relevance, and interest.
■■ Improved discussion of audience analysis. Chapter 6, on audience analysis, has
been fine-tuned to take account of changes in audience demographics and
A Note from the Author

xvii
public attitudes. This is most evident in the treatment of gender and sexual
orientation, but there are changes throughout the chapter to keep it up to date.
■■ Updated MLA and APA citation models. Chapter 7, on gathering materials,
presents all-new sample bibliography entries, reflecting the latest MLA and
APA citation formats to help students correctly cite academic, digital, and
other sources. As in each edition, the chapter as a whole has been revised to
reflect technological changes.
■■ Enhanced discussion of presentation technology. Guidance on the use of visual
aids and presentation technology has been updated in accord with current
developments. Best practices are illustrated by abundant examples in the
book and on speech videos.
McGraw-Hill Connect and Instructor

Resources
MCGRAW-HILL CONNECT
McGraw-Hill Connect® is a highly reliable, easy-to-use homework and learning
management solution that utilizes learning science and award-winning adaptive
tools to improve student results.
Connect’s assignments help students contextualize what they’ve learned
through application, so they can better understand the material and think criti-
cally about it.
xviii A Note from the Author

SMARTBOOK WITH LEARNING RESOUCES
SmartBook provides an interactive reading experience that helps students study
more efficiently through adaptive highlighting and review. As a student uses
SmartBook, it creates a personalized learning path that highlights the most
important concepts the student needs to grasp at that moment in time. The learn-
ing path continuously adapts by delivering a variety of dynamic digital learning
resources that are catered to each student’s needs. These resources help students
learn the material, retain more knowledge, and earn better grades.
CONNECT EBOOK
The Connect eBook makes it easy for students to access their study material on
smartphones and tablets. They can study on the go and don’t need Internet access
to use the eBook with full functionality.
INSIGHT ANALYTICS
Connect Insight® provides instructors easy-to-read reports on individual stu-
dents, on the class as a whole, and on specific assignments. The Connect Insight
dashboard delivers data on performance, study behavior, and effort. Instructors
can quickly identify students who are struggling and can help them focus on mate-
rial that they need to master.
A Note from the Author xix

LEARNSMART REPORTS
LearnSmart Instructor Reports make it easy to pinpoint the help individual stu-
dents need to improve their performance. Reports also identify concepts and
learning objectives that may be unclear to the class as a whole. With this informa-
tion, instructors can target areas for discussion and review.
Some key LearnSmart reports include:
Progress Overview report—View student progress for all LearnSmart modules,
including how long students have spent working in each module and which mod-
ules they have used outside of those that were assigned.
Missed Questions report—Identify specific LearnSmart probes, organized by
chapter, that are problematic for students.
Most Challenging Learning Objectives report—Learn which topics are most chal-
lenging for your students. Reports are organized by chapter and include specific
page references. Use this information to tailor your lecture time and assignments
to cover areas that require additional attention and practice.
Metacognitive Skills report—View statistics showing how knowledgeable your
students are about their own comprehension and learning.
SPEECH CAPTURE
Designed for use in face-to-face, real-time classrooms, as well as online courses,
Speech Capture allows instructors to evaluate their students’ speeches using fully
customizable rubrics. Instructors can also create and manage peer review assign-
ments and upload videos on behalf of students for optimal flexibility.
Students can access rubrics and leave comments when preparing self-reviews
and peer reviews. They can easily upload a video of their speech from their hard drive
or use Connect’s built-in video recorder. Students can even attach and upload addi-
tional files or documents, such as a works-cited page or a PowerPoint presentation.
Peer Review—Peer review assignments are easier than ever. Create and manage
peer review assignments and customize privacy settings.
Speech Assessment—Speech Capture lets instructors customize assignments,
including self-reviews and peer reviews. Connect saves frequently used comments
so instructors can apply them in multiple reviews.
SUPPORT TO ENSURE SUCCESS

www.mheducation.com/connect
■■ Connect integrates with your LMS to provide single sign-on and automatic
syncing of grades. Integration with Blackboard®, D2L®, and Canvas also pro-
vides automatic syncing of the course calendar and assignment-level linking.
■■ Connect offers comprehensive service, support, and training throughout
every phase of implementation.
■■ For guidance on how to use Connect, or to learn tips and tricks from other
users, instructors have access to tutorials as they work. Our Digital Faculty
Consultants and Student Ambassadors offer insight into how to achieve the
results instructors want with Connect.
xx A Note from the Author

RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTORS
■■ Annotated Instructor’s Edition. The Annotated Instructor’s Edition provides a
wealth of teaching aids for each chapter in the book. It is also cross-referenced
with Connect, the Instructor’s Manual, the Instructor’s Resource CD-ROM, and
other supplements that accompany The Art of Public Speaking.
■■ Instructor’s Manual. This comprehensive guide to teaching from The Art of
Public Speaking contains suggested course outlines and speaking assign-
ments; chapter outlines; supplementary exercises and classroom activities;
and teaching tips for all exercises and activities.
■■ Test Bank. The Test Bank furnishes close to 3,000 exam questions based on
The Art of Public Speaking.
■■ PowerPoint Slides with Video Clips. The PowerPoint presentations for The Art
of Public Speaking provide chapter highlights that help instructors create
focused, individualized lesson plans utilizing high-quality slides developed
specifically for the thirteenth edition.
■■ Teaching Public Speaking Online. Revised for the thirteenth edition, the
Teaching Public Speaking Online manual includes new and revised chapter
exercises and discusses performance analytics and approaches to blended
and online classrooms.
■■ Instructor’s Resource CD-ROM. Provides convenient digital access to the
Instructor’s Manual, Test Bank, PowerPoint Slides, Teaching Public Speaking
Online, S elections from the Communication Teacher, and the Handbook for
Teachers of Non-Native Speakers of English.
■■ Speeches for Analysis and Discussion. This DVD contains 45 full-length student
speeches, 11 of which are new to this edition. Included are nine sets of paired
needs improvement and final version presentations. In each set, the needs
improvement version illustrates a work-in-progress that can be compared with
the final version to help students understand the differences between an ordi-
nary speech and a superior one.
A Note from the Author xxi

Acknowledgments
“’Tis the good reader,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, “that makes the good book.” I have been
fortunate to have very good readers indeed, and I would like to thank the reviewers and
other contributors for their expertise and recommendations.
In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to the students at the University of
Wisconsin whose speeches provided the material for many of the examples in the book. I
am grateful as well to the teaching staff of Communication Arts 100 and especially to Sarah
Jedd, assistant course director, for her splendid work in that capacity and for her unerring
insights about the book and its pedagogy.
Thanks go to Ann Weaver for her work on the Instructor’s Manual and the Test Bank; to
Jennifer Cochrane for her generous advice about the online speaking chapter, as well as for
her supplement on using The Art of Public Speaking in an online course; and to Michael
Trevis for his help with the figures in Chapter 19. Kim Berry, Sue Zaeske, KC Councilor,
Tim Pierce, Diane Reid, Margaret Procario, and Joan Cartwright offered valuable counsel.
I am appreciative to Shanna Peeples for permission to print her speech accepting the
National Teacher of the Year Award, which appears in Chapter 18. Josh Shipp, whose
inspiring story opens Chapter 1, granted permission to use the photograph of him that
appears there; Megan Bate, of Brilliant Partners, facilitated the approval process. Karyn
Morrison helped track down textual sources. Jen Richards did a superb job of photo
research.
Above all, I am indebted to Paul Stob, who has worked with me in various capacities on
four editions of the book and has become indispensable to its success. Over time, he has
become more and more a collaborator, as opposed to a contributor, and with this edition his
name is, fittingly, on the title page.
I have been fortunate to work with many talented and dedicated people at McGraw-
Hill. Sarah Remington joined the book in this edition and provided astute editorial direc-
tion. Betty Chen skillfully juggled a mass of details and kept the entire project on track.
Marianne Musni expertly managed the production process. Esther Go, Briana Porco,
Danielle Clement, Tim Coté, Carrie Burger, Egzon Shaqiri, and Jamie LaFerrara all made
valuable contributions. Laura Young has been indefatigable as the book’s marketing man-
ager. I would be remiss if I did not also thank Mike Ryan, David Patterson, and Mary Ellen
Curley for their executive support and direction.
As always, my biggest debt is to my wife, Patty, whose love and support have sustained
me through the years. There might be an Art of Public Speaking without her, but there would
be no one with whom to share it.
Stephen E. Lucas
Madison, Wisconsin
xxii
Reviewers, Contributors,
and Symposia Participants
Darlene Earley Andrews, Southern Union State Community College
Valerie Balkun, Johnson & Wales University
Ray Bell, Calhoun Community College
Shannon Bowden, Mississippi Valley State University
Lynn Bower, Ohio University
Kathleen E. Bruce, San Joaquin Delta College
Paula Casey, Colorado Mesa University
Nancy Fisher, Ohio State University
Jennifer Foster, University of Central Oklahoma
Jeffrey Fox, Northern Kentucky University
Lakesha Jefferson, South Suburban College
Keri Keckley, Crowder College
Samuel Lawrence, University of Central Oklahoma
Charity Lyon, Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Libby McGlone, Columbus State Community College
Shellie Michael, Volunteer State Community College
Hanna Newman, Minnesota State University
Kimberly OmniEssence, Milwaukee Area Technical College
Maggie Price, Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Susan Rabideau, University of Wisconsin
Nancy Riecken, Ivy Tech Community College
Haydee Serna-Masters, Grand Canyon University
Christine Shaw, Ohio University
Toni Shields, Ivy Tech Community College
Theresa White, Coastal Alabama Community College
Cheryl Wilson, Harrisburg Area Community College
Roberta Zetocha, Southeast Community College
Acknowledgments xxiii
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The Art of
Public Speaking
1 Speaking in Public
The Power of Public Speaking
The Tradition of Public Speaking
Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation
Developing Confidence: Your Speech Class
Public Speaking and Critical Thinking
The Speech Communication Process
Public Speaking in a Multicultural World
G
rowing up in Oklahoma, Josh Shipp had no intention of becoming a
public speaker. Abandoned by his birth mother, Shipp bounced
around the foster care system for most of his childhood. Neglected
and abused, he became addicted to drugs, tried to take his own life, and
ended up in jail. Then, at age 17, at his lowest point, his foster parent told him:
“We don’t see you as a problem, we see you as an opportunity.”
It dawned upon Josh that his life mattered. He realized that “one caring
adult” was all it took to change someone’s life. Since that time, he has devoted
himself to helping the hopeless. He became an advocate for children in foster
care and began working with at-risk teenagers. Today he is a nationally recog-
nized teen expert who has been praised for his ability to help kids and parents
alike work through tough situations.
How has Josh achieved all this? Partly through his determination, partly
through his dedication to helping others, and partly through his passion for life.
But also essential is his ability to communicate with people through public
speaking.
In a TEDx Talk that has been viewed online more than 4 million times, Josh
shared his story of growing up in the foster care system and of realizing that
his life had meaning. But he also challenged his audience by telling them, “The
difference between a statistic and a success story is you.” With this line, Josh
turned his personal experience into a call for others to help improve the world.
2
Courtesy of Josh Shipp
If you had asked Josh early in his life, “Do you see yourself as an important
public speaker?” he would have laughed at the idea. Yet today he has spoken
in person to an estimated 2 million people. He has lectured at Harvard, MIT,
Stanford, and UCLA. He has appeared on such media outlets as CNN, MTV,
Lifetime, and Oprah. His message of help and hope has touched people
across the country. In the words of one listener, “If his story doesn’t change the
way you look at life, I don’t know what will.”
The Power of Public Speaking

Throughout history people have used public speaking as a vital means of communi-
cation. What the Greek leader Pericles said more than 2,500 years ago is still true
today: “One who forms a judgment on any point but cannot explain” it clearly “might
as well never have thought at all on the subject.”1 Public speaking, as its name
implies, is a way of making your ideas public—of sharing them with other people and
of influencing other people.
During modern times, many women and men around the globe have spread
their ideas and influence through public speaking. In the United States, the list
includes Franklin Roosevelt, Billy Graham, Cesar Chavez, Barbara Jordan, Martin
Luther King, Ronald Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. In other coun-
tries, we have seen the power of public speaking employed by people such as Marga-
ret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai.
As you read these names, you may think to yourself, “That’s fine. Good for
them. But what does that have to do with me? I don’t plan to be a president or a
preacher or a crusader for any cause.” Nevertheless, the need for public speaking will
almost certainly touch you sometime in your life—maybe tomorrow, maybe not for
five years. Can you imagine yourself in any of these situations?
You are one of seven management trainees in a large corporation. One

of you will get the lower-management job that has just opened. At a large
staff meeting you and the other trainees will each discuss the project he or
she has been developing. One by one your colleagues make their presen-
tations. They have no experience in public speaking and are intimidated
by the higher ranking managers present. Their speeches are stumbling
and awkward. You, however, call upon all the skills you learned in your
public speaking course. You deliver an informative talk that is clear, well
reasoned, and articulate. You get the job.
One of your children has a learning disability. You hear that your local
school board has decided, for budget reasons, to eliminate the special
teacher who has been helping your child. At an open meeting of the
school board, you stand up and deliver a thoughtful, compelling speech
on the necessity for keeping the special teacher. The school board
changes its mind.
You are the assistant manager in a branch office of a national company.
Your immediate superior, the branch manager, is about to retire and there
will be a retirement dinner. All the executives from the home office will
attend. As his close working associate, you are asked to give a farewell
toast at the party. You prepare and deliver a speech that is both witty and
touching—a perfect tribute to your boss. After the speech, everyone
4 CHAPTER 1 Speaking in Public

applauds enthusiastically, and a few people have tears in their eyes. The
following week you are named branch manager.
Fantasies? Not really. Any of these situations could occur. In a recent survey of
more than 200 employers, respondents stated that the most important skill they
want from job applicants is the “ability to verbally communicate with persons inside
and outside the organization.” In another survey, 1,200 job recruiters reported that
one skill was more important and harder to find than any other. That skill? Effective
communication.2
The importance of such skills is true across the board—for accountants and
architects, teachers and technicians, scientists and stockbrokers. Even in highly spe-
cialized fields such as civil and mechanical engineering, employers consistently rank
the ability to communicate above technical knowledge when deciding whom to hire
and whom to promote.
Businesses are also asking people to give more speeches in the early stages of
their careers, and many young professionals are using public speaking as a way to
stand out in today’s highly competitive job market.3 In fact, the ability to speak effec-
tively is so prized that college graduates are increasingly being asked to give a presen-
tation as part of their job interview.
Nor has the growth of the Internet and other new technologies reduced the need
for public speaking. In this age of Instagram and Twitter, businesses are concerned
that college graduates are losing the ability to talk in a professional way. As career
expert Lindsey Pollak states, “It’s so rare to find somebody who has that combina-
tion of really good technical skills and really good verbal communication skills. You
will be head and shoulders above your colleagues if you can combine those two.”4
The same is true in community life. Public speaking is a vital means of civic
engagement. It is a way to express your ideas and to have an impact on issues that
matter in society. As a form of empowerment, it can—and often does—make a differ-
ence in things people care about very much. The key phrase here is “make a differ-
ence.” This is what most of us want to do in life—to make a difference, to change the
world in some small way. Public speaking offers you an opportunity to make a differ-
ence in something you care about very much.
The Tradition of Public Speaking

Given the importance of public speaking, it’s not surprising that it has been taught
and studied around the globe for thousands of years. Almost all cultures have an
equivalent of the English word “orator” to designate someone with special skills in
public speaking. The oldest known handbook on effective speech was written on
papyrus in Egypt some 4,500 years ago. Eloquence was highly prized in ancient
India, Africa, and China, as well as among the Aztecs and other pre-European
cultures of North and South America.5
In classical Greece and Rome, public speaking played a central role in education
and civic life. It was also studied extensively. Aristotle’s Rhetoric, composed during
the third century b.c., is still considered the most important work on its subject, and
many of its principles are followed by speakers (and writers) today. The great Roman
leader Cicero used his speeches to defend liberty and wrote several works about
oratory in general.
Over the centuries, many other notable thinkers have dealt with issues of
rhetoric, speech, and language—including the Roman educator Quintilian, the
The Tradition of Public Speaking 5
Christian preacher St. Augustine, the medieval writer Christine de Pizan, the British
philosopher Francis Bacon, and the American critic Kenneth Burke. In recent years,
communication researchers have provided an increasingly scientific basis for
understanding the methods and strategies of effective speech.
Your immediate objective is to apply those methods and strategies in your
classroom speeches. What you learn, however, will be applicable long after you leave
college. The principles of public speaking are derived from a long tradition and have
been confirmed by a substantial body of research. The more you know about those
principles, the more effective you will be in your own speeches—and the more effec-
tive you will be in listening to the speeches of other people.
Similarities Between Public Speaking

and Conversation
How much time do you spend each day talking to other people? The average adult
spends about 30 percent of her or his waking hours in conversation. By the time you
read this book, you will have spent much of your life perfecting the art of conversa-
tion. You may not realize it, but you already employ a wide range of skills when
talking to people. These skills include the following:
1. Organizing your thoughts logically. Suppose you were giving someone direc-
tions to get to your house. You wouldn’t do it this way:
When you turn off the highway, you’ll see a big diner on the left. But before
that, stay on the highway to Exit 67. Usually a couple of the neighbors’
dogs are in the street, so go slow after you turn at the blinking light. Com-
ing from your house you get on the highway through Maple Street. If you
pass the taco stand, you’ve gone too far. The house is blue.
Instead, you would take your listener systematically, step by step, from his or her
house to your house. You would organize your message.
2. Tailoring your message to your audience. You are a geology major. Two people
ask you how pearls are formed. One is your roommate; the other is your nine-year-old
niece. You answer as follows:
To your roommate: “When any irritant, say a grain of sand, gets inside the
oyster’s shell, the oyster automatically secretes a substance called nacre,
which is principally calcium carbonate and is the same material that lines
the oyster’s shell. The nacre accumulates in layers around the irritant core
to form the pearl.”
To your niece: “Imagine you’re an oyster on the ocean floor. A grain of
sand gets inside your shell and makes you uncomfortable. So you decide
to cover it up. You cover it with a material called mother-of-pearl. The cov-
ering builds up around the grain of sand to make a pearl.”
3. Telling a story for maximum impact. Suppose you are telling a friend about a
funny incident at last week’s football game. You don’t begin with the punch line
(“Keisha fell out of the stands right onto the field. Here’s how it started. . . .”).
Instead, you carefully build up your story, adjusting your words and tone of voice to
get the best effect.
Many skills used in conversation
also apply in public speaking. As
you learn to speak more
effectively, you may also learn
to communicate more
effectively in other situations.
©Ariel Skelley/Getty Images
4. Adapting to listener feedback. Whenever you talk with someone, you are aware
of that person’s verbal, facial, and physical reactions. For example:
You are explaining an interesting point that came up in biology class. Your
listener begins to look confused, puts up a hand as though to stop you,
and says “Huh?” You go back and explain more clearly.
A friend has asked you to listen while she practices a speech. At the end
you tell her, “There’s just one part I really don’t like—that quotation from
the attorney general.” Your friend looks very hurt and says, “That was my
favorite part!” So you say, “But if you just worked the quotation in a little
differently, it would be wonderful.”
Each day, in casual conversation, you do all these things many times without
thinking about them. You already possess these communication skills. And these are
among the most important skills you will need for public speaking.
To illustrate, let’s return briefly to one of the hypothetical situations at the begin-
ning of this chapter. When addressing the school board about the need for a special
teacher:
■■ You organize your ideas to present them in the most persuasive manner. You
steadily build up a compelling case about how the teacher benefits the school.
■■ You tailor your message to your audience. This is no time to launch an impassioned
defense of special education in the United States. You must show how the issue is
important to the people in that very room—to their children and to the school.
■■ You tell your story for maximum impact. Perhaps you relate an anecdote to
demonstrate how much your child has improved. You also have statistics to
show how many other children have been helped.
■■ You adapt to listener feedback. When you mention the cost of the special teacher,
you notice sour looks on the faces of the school board members. So you patiently
explain how small that cost is in relation to the overall school budget.
Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation 7
In many ways, then, public speaking requires the same skills used in ordinary
conversation. Most people who communicate well in daily talk can learn to commu-
nicate just as well in public speaking. By the same token, training in public speaking
can make you a more adept communicator in a variety of situations, such as conver-
sations, classroom discussions, business meetings, and interviews.
Differences Between Public Speaking

and Conversation
Despite their similarities, public speaking and everyday conversation are not identi-
cal. Imagine that you are telling a story to a friend. Then imagine yourself telling the
story to a group of seven or eight friends. Now imagine telling the same story to 20
or 30 people. As the size of your audience grows, you will find yourself adapting to
three major differences between conversation and public speaking:
1. Public speaking is more highly structured. It usually imposes strict time limita-
tions on the speaker. In most cases, the situation does not allow listeners to interrupt
with questions or commentary. The speaker must accomplish her or his purpose in
the speech itself. Consequently, public speaking demands much more detailed plan-
ning and preparation than ordinary conversation. When preparing his TEDx Talk on
making a difference in the life of a child, Josh Shipp spent almost a full year writing,
revising, and rehearsing. That’s detailed planning!
2. Public speaking requires more formal language. Slang, jargon, and bad grammar
have little place in public speeches. Whether one is delivering a classroom speech, a
TED Talk, a business presentation, or a famous work such as “I Have a Dream,” the
language should rise to the level of the occasion. Listeners usually react negatively to
speakers who do not elevate and polish their language when addressing an audience.
A speech should be “special.”
3. Public speaking requires a different method of delivery. When conversing infor-
mally, most people talk quietly, interject stock phrases such as “like” and “you know,”
adopt a casual posture, and use what are called vocalized pauses (“uh,” “er,” “um”).
Effective public speakers, however, adjust their voices to be heard clearly throughout
the audience. They assume a more erect posture. They avoid distracting mannerisms
and verbal habits.
With study and practice, you will master these differences and expand your con-
versational skills into speechmaking. Your speech class will provide the opportunity
for this study and practice.
Developing Confidence: Your Speech Class

stage fright One of the major concerns of students in any speech class is stage fright. We may as
Anxiety over the prospect of well face the issue squarely. Many people who converse easily in all kinds of everyday
giving a speech in front of an situations become frightened at the idea of standing up before a group to make a
audience. speech.
If you are worried about stage fright, you may feel better knowing that you are
not alone. A 2014 survey by researchers at Chapman University asked 1,500
participants from across the country to name their greatest fear. Public speaking
topped the list. A 2012 study produced similar results, with 62 percent of respon-
dents being terrified by the prospect of speaking in public. In comparison, only
43 percent said they were afraid of dying.6
In a different study, researchers concentrated on social situations and, again,
asked their subjects to list their greatest fears. More than 9,000 people were inter-
viewed. Here is the ranking of their answers:7
Greatest Fear
Public speaking
Speaking up in a meeting or class
Meeting new people
Talking to people in authority
Important examination or interview
Going to parties
Talking with strangers
Again, speechmaking is at the top in provoking anxiety.
NERVOUSNESS IS NORMAL
If you feel nervous about giving a speech, you are in very good company. Some of
the greatest public speakers in history have suffered from stage fright, including
Abraham Lincoln, Margaret Sanger, and Winston Churchill. The famous Roman
orator Cicero said, “I turn pale at the outset of a speech and quake in every limb and
in my soul.”8
Jennifer Lawrence, Conan O’Brien, and Oprah Winfrey all report being anxious
about speaking in public. Early in his career, Leonardo DiCaprio was so nervous
about giving an acceptance speech that he hoped he would not win the Academy
Award for which he had been nominated. Eighty-one percent of business executives
say public speaking is the most nerve-wracking experience they face.9 What come-
dian Jerry Seinfeld said in jest sometimes seems literally true: “Given a choice, at a
funeral most of us would rather be the one in the coffin than the one giving the
eulogy.”
Actually, most people tend to be anxious before doing something important in
public. Actors are nervous before a play, politicians are nervous before a campaign
speech, athletes are nervous before a big game. The ones who succeed have learned
to use their nervousness to their advantage. Listen to legendary tennis player Roger
Federer, speaking after his 2017 Wimbledon title match. No matter how much you
practice, he said, you have to be able to perform “when the pressure comes of
matches, the nerves, the stomach, when you’re not free and you’re tense.” Putting his
butterflies to good use, Federer beat Marin Cilic in straight sets to win his eighth
Wimbledon crown and his nineteenth Grand Slam championship.
Much the same thing happens in speechmaking. Most experienced speakers
have stage fright before taking the floor, but their nervousness is a healthy sign that
they are getting “psyched up” for a good effort. Novelist and lecturer I. A. R. Wylie
once said: “I rarely rise to my feet without a throat constricted with terror and a
furiously thumping heart. When, for some reason, I am cool and self-assured, the
speech is always a failure.”
In other words, it is perfectly normal—even desirable—to be nervous at the start
of a speech. Your body is responding as it would to any stressful situation—by pro-
adrenaline ducing extra adrenaline.
A hormone released into the This sudden shot of adrenaline is what makes your heart race, your hands shake,
bloodstream in response to your knees knock, and your skin perspire. Every public speaker experiences all these
physical or mental stress. reactions to some extent. The question is: How can you control your nervousness
and make it work for you rather than against you?
DEALING WITH NERVOUSNESS

Rather than trying to eliminate every trace of stage fright, you should aim at trans-
positive nervousness forming it from a negative force into what one expert calls positive nervousness—“a
Controlled nervousness that zesty, enthusiastic, lively feeling with a slight edge to it. . . . It’s still nervousness, but
helps energize a speaker for it feels different. You’re no longer victimized by it; instead, you’re vitalized by it.
her or his presentation. You’re in control of it.”10
Don’t think of yourself as having stage fright. Instead, think of it as “stage excite-
ment” or “stage enthusiasm.”11 It can help you get focused and energized in the same
way as it helps athletes, musicians, and others get primed for a game or a concert.
Jane Lynch, talking about her gig hosting Saturday Night Live, said that she got
through it with “that perfect cocktail of nervousness and excitement.” Think of that
cocktail as a normal part of giving a successful speech.
Here are six time-tested ways you can turn your nervousness from a negative
force into a positive one.
Acquire Speaking Experience

You have already taken the first step. You are enrolled in a public speaking course,
where you will learn about speechmaking and gain speaking experience. Think back
to your first day in kindergarten, your first date, your first day at a new job. You were
probably nervous in each situation because you were facing something new and
unknown. Once you became accustomed to the situation, it was no longer
threatening. So it is with public speaking. For most students, the biggest part of stage
fright is fear of the unknown. The more you learn about public speaking and the
more speeches you give, the less threatening speechmaking will become.
Of course, the road to confidence will sometimes be bumpy. Learning to give a
speech is not much different from learning any other skill—it proceeds by trial and
error. The purpose of your speech class is to shorten the process, to minimize the
errors, to give you a nonthreatening arena—a sort of laboratory—in which to under-
take the “trial.”
Your instructor recognizes that you are a novice and is trained to give the kind
of guidance you need to get started. In your fellow students you have a highly sympa-
thetic audience who will provide valuable feedback to help you improve your speak-
ing skills. As the class goes on, your fears about public speaking will gradually recede
until they are replaced by only a healthy nervousness before you rise to speak.12
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Another key to gaining confidence is to pick speech topics you truly care about—and
then to prepare your speeches so thoroughly that you cannot help but be successful.
Here’s how one student combined enthusiasm for his topic with thorough prepara-
tion to score a triumph in speech class:
The need for public speaking
arises in many situations. Here
U.S Army General John
Nicholson speaks during a press
conference at NATO head-
quarters in Brussels.
©Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency/
Getty Images
Jesse Young was concerned about taking a speech class. Not having
any experience as a public speaker, he got butterflies in his stomach just
thinking about talking in front of an audience. But when the time came for
Jesse’s first speech, he was determined to make it a success.
Jesse chose Habitat for Humanity as the topic for his speech. He had
been a volunteer for three years, and he believed deeply in the organiza-
tion and its mission. The purpose of his speech was to explain the origins,
philosophy, and activities of Habitat for Humanity.
As Jesse spoke, it became clear that he was enthusiastic about his sub-
ject and genuinely wanted his classmates to share his enthusiasm.
Because he was intent on communicating with his audience, he forgot to
be nervous. He spoke clearly, fluently, and dynamically. Soon the entire
class was engrossed in his speech.
Afterward, Jesse admitted that he had surprised even himself. “It was
amazing,” he said. “Once I passed the first minute or so, all I thought about
were those people out there listening. I could tell that I was really getting
through to them.”
How much time should you devote to preparing your speeches? A standard rule
of thumb is that each minute of speaking time requires one to two hours of prepara-
tion time—perhaps more, depending on the amount of research needed for the
speech. This may seem like a lot of time, but the rewards are well worth it. One pro-
fessional speech consultant estimates that proper preparation can reduce stage fright
by up to 75 percent.13
If you follow the techniques suggested by your instructor and in the rest of this
book, you will stand up for every speech fully prepared. Imagine that the day for
your first speech has arrived. You have studied your audience and selected a topic
you know will interest them. You have researched the topic thoroughly and prac-
ticed the speech several times until it feels absolutely comfortable. You have even
tried it out before two or three trusted friends. How can you help but be confident of
success?
Think Positively
Confidence is mostly the well-known power of positive thinking. If you think you can
do it, you usually can. On the other hand, if you predict disaster and doom, that is
almost always what you will get. This is especially true when it comes to public
speaking. Speakers who think negatively about themselves and the speech experience
are much more likely to be overcome by stage fright than are speakers who think
positively. Here are some ways you can transform negative thoughts into positive
ones as you work on your speeches:
Negative Thought Positive Thought

I wish I didn’t have to give This speech is a chance for me to share
this speech. my ideas and gain experience as a
speaker.
I’m not a great public speaker. No one’s perfect, but I’m getting better
with each speech I give.
I’m always nervous when I give Everyone’s nervous. If other
a speech. people can handle it, I can, too.
No one will be interested in I have a good topic and I’m fully
what I have to say. prepared. Of course they’ll be
interested.
Many psychologists believe that the ratio of positive to negative thoughts in

regard to stressful activities such as speechmaking should be at least five to one.
That is, for each negative thought, you should counter with a minimum of five posi-
tive ones. Doing so will not make your nerves go away completely, but it will help
keep them under control so you can concentrate on communicating your ideas
rather than on brooding about your fears and anxieties.
Use the Power of Visualization

Visualization is closely related to positive thinking. It is used by athletes, musicians,
actors, speakers, and others to enhance their performance in stressful situations.
How does it work? Listen to Jamie Anderson, who, during the 2014 Winter Olym-
pics, won the first-ever gold medal in the women’s slopestyle event. Afterward, she
talked about how she used visualization to settle her nerves before the winning ride:
visualization There was so much anticipation leading up to this event, I just had to
Mental imaging in which calm my mind and have the trust and faith that I was capable of doing what
speakers vividly picture I really wanted to do. At the top of the course, I took a moment, took a
themselves giving a successful deep breath, and saw everything I wanted to see happen. . . . I was visual-
presentation. izing it, seeing it to the end, and knowing that I was going to land every-
thing perfectly with as much style as possible.
Of course, visualization doesn’t mean that Anderson wins every competition she
enters. But research has shown that the kind of mental imaging she describes can
significantly increase athletic performance.14 It has also shown that visualization can
help speakers control their stage fright.15
The key to visualization is creating a vivid mental blueprint in which you see
yourself succeeding in your speech. Picture yourself in your classroom rising to
speak. See yourself at the lectern, poised and self-assured, making eye contact with
your audience and delivering your introduction in a firm, clear voice. Feel your con-
fidence growing as your listeners get more and more caught up in what you are say-
ing. Imagine your sense of achievement as you conclude the speech knowing you
have done your very best.
As you create these images in your mind’s eye, be realistic but stay focused on
the positive aspects of your speech. Don’t allow negative images to eclipse the posi-
tive ones. Acknowledge your nervousness, but picture yourself overcoming it to give
a vibrant, articulate presentation. If one part of the speech always seems to give you
trouble, visualize yourself getting through it without any hitches. And be specific.
The more lucid your mental pictures, the more successful you are likely to be.
As with your physical rehearsal of the speech, this kind of mental rehearsal
should be repeated several times in the days before you speak. It doesn’t guarantee
that every speech will turn out exactly the way you envision it—and it certainly is no
substitute for thorough preparation. But used in conjunction with the other methods
of combating stage fright, it is a proven way to help control your nerves and to craft
a successful presentation.
Know That Most Nervousness Isn’t Visible

Many novice speakers are worried about appearing nervous to the audience. It’s hard
to speak with poise and assurance if you think you look tense and insecure. One of
the most valuable lessons you will learn as your speech class proceeds is that only a
fraction of the turmoil you feel inside is visible on the outside. “Your nervous system
may be giving you a thousand shocks,” says one experienced speaker, “but the viewer
can see only a few of them.”16
Even though your palms are sweating and your heart is pounding, your listeners
probably won’t realize how tense you are—especially if you do your best to act cool
and confident on the outside. Most of the time when students confess after a speech,
“I was so nervous I thought I was going to die,” their classmates are surprised. To
them the speaker looked calm and assured.
Knowing this should make it easier for you to face your listeners with confidence.
As one student stated after watching a videotape of her first classroom speech, “I was
amazed at how calm I looked. I assumed everyone would be able to see how scared I
was, but now that I know they can’t, I won’t be nearly so nervous in the future. It
really helps to know that you look in control even though you may not feel that way.”
Don’t Expect Perfection

It may also help to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech. At some
point in every presentation, every speaker says or does something that does not come
across exactly as planned. Fortunately, such moments are usually not evident to the
audience. Why? Because the audience doesn’t know what the speaker plans to say. It
hears only what the speaker does say. If you momentarily lose your place, reverse the
order of a couple of statements, or forget to pause at a certain spot, no one need be
the wiser. When such moments occur, just proceed as if nothing happened.
Even if you do make an obvious mistake during a speech, that is no catastrophe.
If you have ever listened to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream,” you may recall
that he stumbles twice during the speech. Most likely, however, you don’t remember.
Why? Because you were focusing on King’s message rather than on the fine points of
his delivery.
One of the biggest reasons people are concerned about making a mistake in a
speech is that they view speechmaking as a performance rather than an act of com-
munication. They feel the audience is judging them against a scale of absolute perfec-
tion in which every misstated word or awkward gesture will count against them. But
speech audiences are not like judges in a violin recital or an ice-skating contest. They
are not looking for a virtuoso performance, but for a well-thought-out address that
communicates the speaker’s ideas clearly and directly. Sometimes an error or two
can actually enhance a speaker’s appeal by making her or him seem more human.
As you work on your speeches, make sure you prepare thoroughly and do all you
can to get your message across to your listeners. But don’t panic about being perfect
or about what will happen if you make a mistake. Once you free your mind of these
burdens, you will find it much easier to approach your speeches with confidence and
even with enthusiasm.17
Besides stressing the six points just discussed, your instructor will probably give you
several tips for dealing with nervousness in your first speeches. They may include:
■■ Be at your best physically and mentally. It’s not a good idea to stay up until 3:00
a.m. partying with friends or cramming for an exam the night before your
speech. A good night’s sleep will serve you better.
■■ As you are waiting to speak, quietly tighten and relax your leg muscles, or
squeeze your hands together and then release them. Such actions help reduce
tension by providing an outlet for your extra adrenaline.
checklist
Speaking with Confidence
YES NO
1. Am I enthusiastic about my speech topic?

2. Have I thoroughly developed the content of my speech?
3. Have I worked on the introduction so my speech will get off to a good start?
4. Have I worked on the conclusion so my speech will end on a strong note?
5. Have I rehearsed my speech orally until I am confident about its delivery?
6. Have I worked on turning negative thoughts about my speech into positive ones?
7. Do I realize that nervousness is normal, even among experienced speakers?
8. Do I understand that most nervousness is not visible to the audience?
9. Am I focused on communicating with my audience, rather than on worrying about
my nerves?
10. H
ave I visualized myself speaking confidently and getting a positive response from the
audience?

Like many well-known public
figures, Adele often experiences
stage fright before taking the
stage. Here she accepts the
2017 Grammy Award for Record
of the Year.
©Christopher Polk/Getty Images
■■ Take a couple of slow, deep breaths before you start to speak. When they
are tense, most people take short, shallow breaths, which only reinforces
their anxiety. Deep breathing breaks this cycle of tension and helps calm your
nerves.
■■ Work especially hard on your introduction. Research has shown that a speaker’s
anxiety level begins to drop significantly after the first 30 to 60 seconds of a
presentation.18 Once you get through the introduction, you should find smoother
sailing the rest of the way.
■■ Make eye contact with members of your audience. Remember that they are indi-
vidual people, not a blur of faces. And they are your friends.
■■ Concentrate on communicating with your audience rather than on worrying
about your stage fright. If you get caught up in your speech, your audience will,
too.
■■ Use visual aids. They create interest, draw attention away from you, and make
you feel less self-conscious.
If you are like most students, you will find your speech class to be a very positive
experience. As one student wrote on her course evaluation at the end of the class:
I was really dreading this class. The idea of giving all those speeches
scared me half to death. But I’m glad now that I stuck with it. It’s a small
class, and I got to know a lot of the students. Besides, this is one class in
which I got to express my ideas, instead of spending the whole time listen-
ing to the teacher talk. I even came to enjoy giving the speeches. I could
tell at times that the audience was really with me, and that’s a great feeling.
Over the years, thousands of students have developed confidence in their

speechmaking abilities. As your confidence grows, you will be better able to
stand before other people and tell them what you think and feel and know—and

to make them think and feel and know those same things. The best part about confi-
dence is that it nurtures itself. After you score your first triumph, you will be that
much more confident the next time. And as you become a more confident public
speaker, you will likely become more confident in other areas of your life as well.
Public Speaking and Critical Thinking

That guy at the party last night really owned me when we were talking
about the economy. I know my information is right, and I’m sure his argu-
ment didn’t make sense, but I can’t put my finger on the problem.
critical thinking I worked really hard on my term paper, but it’s just not right. It doesn’t seem
Focused, organized thinking to hang together, and I can’t figure out what’s wrong.
about such things as the logical
Political speeches are so one-sided. The candidates sound good, but they
relationships among ideas, the
all talk in slogans and generalities. It’s really hard to decide who has the
soundness of evidence, and
best stands on the issues.
the differences between fact
and opinion.
Have you ever found yourself in similar situations? If so, you may find help in your
speech class. Besides building confidence, a course in public speaking can develop
your skills as a critical thinker. Those skills can make the difference between the
articulate debater and the pushover, the A student and the C student, the thoughtful
voter and the coin tosser.
What is critical thinking? To some extent, it’s a matter of logic—of being able to
spot weaknesses in other people’s arguments and to avoid them in your own. It also
involves related skills such as distinguishing fact from opinion, judging the credibility
of statements, and assessing the soundness of evidence. In the broadest sense, criti-
cal thinking is focused, organized thinking—the ability to see clearly the relationships
among ideas.19
If you are wondering what this has to do with your public speaking class, the
answer is, quite a lot. As the class proceeds, you will probably spend a good deal of
time organizing your speeches. While this may seem like a purely mechanical exer-
cise, it is closely interwoven with critical thinking. If the structure of your speech is
disjointed and confused, odds are that your thinking is also disjointed and confused.
If, on the other hand, the structure is clear and cohesive, there is a good chance your
thinking is, too. Organizing a speech is not just a matter of arranging the ideas you
already have. Rather, it is an important part of shaping the ideas themselves.
What is true of organization is true of many aspects of public speaking. The skills
you learn in your speech class can help you become a more effective thinker in a num-
ber of ways. As you work on expressing your ideas in clear, accurate language, you will
enhance your ability to think clearly and accurately. As you study the role of evidence
and reasoning in speechmaking, you will see how they can be used in other forms of
communication as well. As you learn to listen critically to speeches in class, you will
be better able to assess the ideas of speakers (and writers) in a variety of situations.
To return to the examples at the beginning of this section:
The guy at the party last night—would well-honed critical thinking skills
help you find the holes in his argument?
The term paper—would better organization and a clear outline help pull it
together?

Using public speaking
in your CAREER
It’s been three years since you graduated The closer you get to the day of the speech, the
from college, and one year since you and harder it is to control the butterflies in your stomach.
your friends launched a mobile app There will be approximately 200 people in your
development company. The app, a audience, including potential investors, rival
note-taking and collaboration tool for development companies, and members of the
college students, has taken a while press. All eyes will be on you. It’s important that you
to create, but now you’re ready to come across as confident and well informed, but
unveil it at a regional technology you’re afraid your stage fright will send
conference. Although you have the opposite message. What
given a few brief talks since your strategies will you use to control
speech class in college, the con- your nerves and make them work
ference will be your first major for you?
presentation to a large audience.
©Nick David/Getty Images
Political speeches—once you get past the slogans, are the candidates
drawing valid conclusions from sound evidence?
If you take full advantage of your speech class, you will be able to enhance
your skills as a critical thinker in many circumstances. This is one reason public speak-
ing has been regarded as a vital part of education since the days of ancient Greece.20
The Speech Communication Process

As you begin your first speeches, you may find it helpful to understand what goes on
when one person talks to another. Regardless of the kind of speech communication
involved, there are seven elements—speaker, message, channel, listener, feedback,
interference, and situation. Here we focus on how these elements interact when a
public speaker addresses an audience.
SPEAKER
Speech communication begins with a speaker. If you pick up the telephone and call speaker
a friend, you are acting as a speaker. (Of course, you will also act as a listener when The person who is presenting
your friend is talking.) In public speaking, you will usually present your entire speech an oral message to a listener.
without interruption.
Your success as a speaker depends on you—on your personal credibility, your
knowledge of the subject, your preparation of the speech, your manner of speaking,
your sensitivity to the audience and the occasion. But successful speaking also
requires enthusiasm.
You can’t expect people to be interested in what you say unless you are inter-
ested yourself. If you are truly excited about your subject, your audience is almost
sure to get excited along with you. You can learn all the techniques of effective
speechmaking, but before they can be of much use, you must first have something to
say—something that sparks your own enthusiasm.
MESSAGE
message The message is whatever a speaker communicates to someone else. If you are calling
Whatever a speaker a friend, you might say, “I’ll be a little late picking you up tonight.” That is the mes-
communicates to someone sage. But it may not be the only message. Perhaps there is a certain tone in your
else. voice that suggests reluctance, hesitation. The underlying message might be “I really
don’t want to go to that party. You talked me into it, but I’m going to put it off as
long as I can.”
Your goal in public speaking is to have your intended message be the message
that is actually communicated. Achieving this depends both on what you say (the
verbal message) and on how you say it (the nonverbal message).
Getting the verbal message just right requires work. You must narrow your topic
down to something you can discuss adequately in the time allowed for the speech.
You must do research and choose supporting details to make your ideas clear and
convincing. You must organize your ideas so listeners can follow them without get-
ting lost. And you must express your message in words that are accurate, clear, vivid,
and appropriate.
Besides the message you send with words, you send a message with your tone of
voice, appearance, gestures, facial expression, and eye contact. Imagine that one of
your classmates gets up to speak about student loans. Throughout her speech she
slumps behind the lectern, takes long pauses to remember what she wants to say,
stares at the ceiling, and fumbles with her visual aids.
Her intended message is “We must make more money available for student
loans.” But the message she actually communicates is “I haven’t prepared very well
for this speech.” One of your jobs as a speaker is to make sure your nonverbal mes-
sage does not distract from your verbal message.
CHANNEL
channel The channel is the means by which a message is communicated. When you pick up
The means by which a message the phone to call a friend, the telephone is the channel. Public speakers may use one
is communicated. or more of several channels, each of which will affect the message received by the
audience.
Consider a speech to Congress by the President of the United States. The speech
is carried to the nation by the channels of radio and television. For the radio audi-
ence the message is conveyed entirely by the President’s voice. For the television
audience the message is conveyed by both the President’s voice and the televised
image. The people in Congress have a more direct channel. They not only hear the
President’s voice as amplified through a microphone, but they also see him and the
setting firsthand.
In a public speaking class, your channel is the most direct of all. Your classmates
will see you and hear you without any electronic intervention.
LISTENER
listener The listener is the person who receives the communicated message. Without a lis-
The person who receives the tener, there is no communication. When you talk to a friend on the phone, you have
speaker’s message. one listener. In public speaking you will have many listeners.
Everything a speaker says is filtered through a listener’s frame of reference—the
total of his or her knowledge, experience, goals, values, and attitudes. Because a
speaker and a listener are different people, they can never have exactly the same
frame of reference. And because a listener’s frame of reference can never be exactly
The powers of critical thinking
you develop in researching and
organizing your speeches can
be applied in many forms of
communication, including
meetings and group projects.
©Tara Moore/Getty Images
the same as a speaker’s, the meaning of a message will never be exactly the same to
a listener as to a speaker.
You can easily test the impact of different frames of reference. Ask each of your
classmates to describe a chair. If you have 20 classmates, you’ll probably get 20 different
descriptions. One student might picture a large, overstuffed easy chair, another an ele- frame of reference
gant straight-backed chair, yet another an office chair, a fourth a rocking chair, and so on. The sum of a person’s
Even if two or more envision the same general type—say, a rocking chair—their men- knowledge, experience, goals,
tal images of the chair could still be different. One might be thinking of an Early Amer- values, and attitudes. No two
ican rocker, another of a modern Scandinavian rocker—the possibilities are unlimited. people can have exactly the
And “chair” is a fairly simple concept. What about “patriotism” or “freedom”? same frame of reference.
Because people have different frames of reference, a public speaker must take
great care to adapt the message to the particular audience being addressed. To be an
effective speaker, you must be audience-centered. You will quickly lose your listeners’
attention if your presentation is either too basic or too sophisticated. You will also
lose your audience if you do not relate to their experience, interests, knowledge, and
values. When you make a speech that causes listeners to say “That is important to
me,” you will almost always be successful.
FEEDBACK
When the President addresses the nation on television, he is engaged in one-way feedback
communication. You can talk back to the television set, but the President won’t hear The messages, usually
you. Most situations, however, involve two-way communication. Your listeners don’t nonverbal, sent from a listener
simply absorb your message like human sponges. They send back messages of their to a speaker.
own. These messages are called feedback.
In public speaking there is plenty of feedback to let you know how your message
is being received. Do your listeners lean forward in their seats, as if paying close atten-
tion? Do they have quizzical looks on their faces? Do they shuffle their feet and gaze
at the clock? The message sent by these reactions could be “I am fascinated,” “I am
bored,” “I agree with you,” “I don’t agree with you,” or any number of others. As a
speaker, you need to be alert to these reactions and adjust your message accordingly.
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“How I should like to sit to you for mine!” said Mrs. Veryphast,
vivaciously, moving her chair an inch or two nearer to his. “I do wish
you would make a study of me, and put me in one of your charming
stories or dialogues.”
“It would have a fabulous circulation if you were the heroine,” said
Lord Montycute, with a bow.
Mrs. Veryphast smiled, well pleased. She was not always able to
distinguish between impertinence and flattery. Mrs. Veryphast was
evidently anxious to annex another ladies’ friend, who had edged
himself so far away that he was quite an outsider. But he would not
be appropriated, neither could he effect his escape.
“Mr. Wynne,” said Lady Rachel, briskly, “you are up in all the
principal subjects of the day. Do tell us what you think of the new
woman.”
“That she will be an old woman in a few years.”
“So shall I. You are meanly evading the question.”
“I think——Let me think again.”
“You mean, let me dream again. You seem to be half asleep this
afternoon. Well?”
“On reflection, I consider that she is a devastating social
influence.”
“That can be read in two ways, you wary fox. What is your opinion
of the emancipation of women—wives especially?”
“Upon my word! Lady Rachel, I must protest!” he answered, with a
somewhat fixed smile. “You are endeavouring to obtain my opinion
gratis. I cannot afford it. How am I to live?”
Meanwhile Madeline, looking rather pale, listened furtively to this
passage of arms.
“I think you are too horrid. At any-rate, it cannot hurt your pocket to
tell me if you approve of the higher education of my sex.”
“No; I prefer the ancient Greek mode—complete isolation, wool-
spinning, and no books.”
“Gracious! I shall pity your wife.”
His eyes and Madeline’s met for one half-second all the way
across Lady Rachel’s bonnet and Captain Vansittart’s broad
shoulders. Then he stood up.
“What—going? Oh, Mr. Wynne!” protested his captor, with a little
scream.
“I am extremely sorry; but I really must. I see a man over there that
I want to speak to particularly; and I shall lose sight of him if I don’t
look sharp.” And taking off his hat with a comprehensive smile, he
was gone.
Yes, Madeline watched him under her parasol. He looked as well
as any one—in fact, quite distinguished. She wondered vaguely who
was his tailor.
Then people began to discuss him, and she gathered by a word
from Mrs. Veryphast, and another from Captain Vansittart, that the
general opinion of Laurence Wynne was highly favourable.
“Of fine old stock, but poor; but brains, and good race, ought to
bring him something,” said Mrs. Leach.
“An heiress!” suggested Mrs. Veryphast, with a giggle. “And now I
propose that we do adjourn, and go to tea.”
From a distance Laurence noted the party en route to
refreshments, Madeline and Lord Montycute bringing up the rear.
She belonged to another world than his, there was no room in her
life for him and Harry. As he had chafed in Lady Rachel’s chains, he
had caught snatches of the conversation of the butterflies who
fluttered round his wife. He heard of balls, river parties, rides,
picnics. He was aware that Miss West’s society was in immense
demand; he caught one laughing announcement “that she had four
engagements for the next evening, and not a spare hour for the next
three weeks.”
Not long after that, as he and a friend were walking down to
Parsons Green station, they were passed by a splendid carriage,
which gave a glimpse of two frothy-looking parasols, and two tall
hats.
“There goes Miss West,” explained his companion, “the Australian
heiress and beauty, with Lord Tony on the back seat. I hear it is quite
settled, they are to be married in the autumn.”
“Are they? Who is your authority?”
“I can’t say; it’s in the air. I wonder she was not snapped up, long
ago, for although old West is about as common as they make ’em,
yet every one allows that his daughter is charming.”
CHAPTER XXXIV.
MR. WYNNE IS A WIDOWER.
The first opportunity that Madeline could find she ventured a visit
to the Holts. It was a lovely June morning as she walked up to the
front entrance of the sequestered Farm. She found Harry—her
Harry, a pretty little fellow with fair soft hair and surprised dark eyes,
sitting alone upon the doorstep, and nursing a pointer pup. It was
useless for her to ask in her most winning manner—
“Harry dear, don’t you know me? Darling, I am your own mother;
your own mummy!”
Harry simply frowned and shook his curls, and clutched the puppy
tightly in his clasp as if he meant to throttle it.
Presently Mrs. Holt came upon the scene, with turned-up sleeves,
and stout bare arms, fresh from the dairy. She was exceedingly civil,
and exceedingly cool; invited Miss West into the little parlour, dusted
a chair for her, and did her best to soften the rigidity and hauteur of
little Harry’s aspect.
After some conversation about his double teeth, the weather, and
Nice, she said—
“Suppose you and he just go round the garden, ma’am, and make
friends. I’ll leave you to yourselves, whilst I go and see after the
dinner.”
“But pray don’t get anything extra for me, Mrs. Holt,” implored
Madeline. “Just what you have yourselves. I shall be very angry if
you make a stranger of me.”
Mrs. Holt muttered some incoherent reply, and went away saying
to herself—
“Not make a stranger of you! and what else? Not make any
difference for you! I’m thinking you’d look very glum if I were to set
you down to beans and bacon, my grand young London madame.
Dear me, but she is changed! She cannot stir without a sound of
rustling; and the price of one of her rings would build a new barn!”
Meanwhile, Harry and his mother went round the garden as
desired, hand-in-hand. He could talk very plainly for his age, and
trotted along by her side, considerably thawed in manner. This
process was due to a lovely ball she had unexpectedly produced, a
gay picture-book, and a packet of candy. He chattered away in a
most friendly style, and showed her the pigeons, the bees, and
where the lark was buried—in fact, all what he considered the lions
of the place; and every moment unfolded to his delighted companion
some additional marvel and charm.
By the time that one-o’clock dinner was ready, the couple were on
excellent terms, and he had even gone so far as to kiss her, and to
put his little holland-clad arms round her neck of his own accord. The
sensation was extremely pleasant.
After dinner—not consisting of beans and bacon—Mrs. Holt and
her guest had a long tête-à-tête. The condition of Harry’s health was
first disposed of, then the state of his wardrobe came under
discussion.
“I should tell you, ma’am, since you ask, that all the lovely frocks
and pelisses you sent from France are just laying there. Mr. Wynne
won’t allow him to wear one of them, nor anything you gave him.”
“And why not, pray?” demanded the young lady with considerably
heightened colour.
“He told me quite serious, one day,” said Mrs. Holt, now speaking
with ill-suppressed satisfaction, “that what he had worn and was
wearing, as you gave him, he might wear out; but no new things
were to be accepted, as you had nothing to do with the child now. So
I put them all by, just as they came, in the front room wardrobe, and
there they are.”
“What does he mean?” asked Madeline, in a sharp key.
“I’m sure, ma’am, you know better than I do; he said as he had no
objection to your seeing the child, now and then, but that was all. I
expect Mr. Wynne can be real stiff and determined,” smoothing out
her apron with an air of solemn disapproval, not of him, but of her
visitor.
Madeline said nothing, but she felt a good deal. Mrs. Holt, from her
manner more than from her words, sat in judgment upon her. She,
this wife of a common farmer, actually dared to criticise the beautiful
and admired and spoiled Miss West.
“You see, ma’am,” she continued, “you are, and you are not, the
child’s mother. He does not recognize you as that—I mean the child
himself—you have kept away too long. In course you can’t be in two
places at once, nor be both Miss West and Mrs. Wynne. ’Tisn’t my
wish, nor my own doing, as I have taken your place with the child.
He is main fond of me. And then, poor Mr. Wynne, he felt your
leaving him at first, no doubt of that; but he is getting over it now;
men haven’t as much feeling as we think.”
Madeline listened with a guilty conscience, every word went home
to her with as much force as a blow. She had chosen her line, and
she must stick to single blessedness. There was to be no going
back, at any rate at present.
This conviction made her reckless, and she rushed with eagerness
into the full tide of London gaiety with a passionate desire to escape
from the past, to get away from the clamouring of a still articulate
conscience, to annihilate memory by some great and effective
action, and to be happy! But memory was not so easily stifled, and
now that Laurence had disappeared from her life—such is the
contrariness of humanity—she wished him back. At times, at races,
at Hurlingham, in great assemblies, at the theatre, or in the Row, she
searched the crowds for him in vain. Mrs. Leach, who was her
constant companion and self-elected chaperon, reading her young
friend by the light of her own memories, noticed that she was not like
other girls, content and happy with her company and surroundings.
There was a restlessness in her manner; she seemed to be
continually looking for some one—some one who never came, who
was never to be seen.
Madeline preferred Lady Rachel’s, or Mrs. Lorimer’s company to
the splendid widow’s society, and made futile efforts to shake off her
shackles—efforts which were vain.
Yes, among all Madeline’s social successes, in the midst of her
most dazzling triumphs, she ever cast a glance around in search of
Laurence. Surely, if he went to see her in the full blaze of her
triumph, he would think twice ere he permanently renounced such a
treasure! She felt hot and angry when she thought of him, but
nevertheless she longed to see him once more—odious,
unreasonable, and tyrannical as he was. Surely he did not mean to
abandon her in reality. That idea had no place in her mind when she
was abroad. There everything and everybody seemed different. It
was easy, in a strange country, far away from Laurence and Harry, to
drop a misty cloud over the past, and to feel as if she really was Miss
West. But here in London, where she had lived as a married woman,
and had struggled—and oh, what a struggle!—with the awful
question of how to support a household on nothing, the idea was
unnatural—nay, it went further, it was improper. She would perhaps
write to him some day, and hold out the olive branch; but not yet, and
meanwhile she must see him.
Mr. West was still extremely uneasy about himself. He found the
heat, and dust, and noise of London trying to his health, he declared;
and, much to the disgust of Mrs. Leach and other interested friends,
he announced that the middle of July would not find him in England.
He was going to Carlsbad, to Switzerland, and to winter abroad—
probably at Biarritz.
Ere she was thus carried off, Madeline resolved to see Laurence.
She prevailed upon Lady Rachel to take her to the Temple church.
She was aware that he went there every Sunday, and Lady Rachel,
little guessing the reason of her friend’s sudden enthusiasm for the
venerable edifice, and anxiety to hear a certain well-known preacher,
procured two tickets for benchers’ seats, and occupied them the
ensuing sabbath.
These seats were roomy and elevated, and commanded an
excellent view of the whole centre of the church where the members
of the various inns sat. They came in gradually, not in legal garb, as
Madeline had half expected, but in their usual dress; and she
strained her eyes so eagerly that her sharp little friend nudged her
and said, “For whom are you looking, Maddie?”
“Oh, no one,” colouring. “It is such a very interesting old place. I
like staring about. What crowds of people who cannot get seats, and
have to stand!”
At this juncture the organ pealed out, and every one stood up as
the choir filed in, and just immediately afterwards, Lady Rachel
exclaimed in an excited whisper, “There’s Mr. Wynne—look!”
Of course Madeline never moved her eyes from him; they followed
him, as he found a seat at the end of a pew, luckily well within her
view. He could not see her, but she could study him, especially when
she knelt down, with her two hands shielding either side of her face,
from watchful Lady Rachel.
He looked well, a little grave perhaps, a little worn; no doubt he
was working hard. He did not stare about as did others, nor cast a
single glance at the radiant figure in the benchers’ seats. At times he
seemed preoccupied and buried in thought, but he gave his
undivided attention to the sermon, to which he listened with folded
arms and a critical air, as if he were weighing every word of it in his
mind, and as though it were a summing up of evidence being laid
before a jury of which he was a member. There was no abstracted
air about him, his mind was on the alert, he had cast the past or
future aside, and was absorbed in the present.
The sermon concluded, crowds flocked through the ancient
doorway, and scattered outside. Lady Rachel still lingered, and
looked about eagerly, ere taking her departure westward, and then
she exclaimed, in a disgusted voice—
“I wanted to have asked Mr. Wynne to lunch, if I had seen him to
speak to,” shaking out her parasol and opening it with a jerk of
annoyance. “But there he goes, marched off by that girl in the green
and blue frock—the very sight of it turns me cold! And do you see
the old papa rushing after them, and accosting him with rapture? The
way in which girls throw themselves at men’s heads nowadays, is
abominable. However, it’s a mistake for these bold creatures to
imagine that men will marry them. They either take a wife from the
stage or music-hall, or some quiet little country mouse. As for Mr.
Wynne, he is a widower, and I believe his wife was a perfect horror—
so he will not be caught again! Ah, here’s a hansom! Now, my dear
girl, get in, get in. These dry sermons make me frightfully thirsty. I am
dying for my lunch.”
CHAPTER XXXV.
INFORMATION THANKFULLY RECEIVED.
The house in Belgrave Square remained closed for many months,

whilst its master roamed from one fashionable continental resort to
another, in search of what he called health—but which was merely
another name for variety and amusement. Madeline was at first
averse to this protracted absence; but she had excellent news of
little Harry. Laurence was still in what she called “the sulks;” and
every day weakened her hold more and more on her former ties, and
bound her to her present condition. In the early twenties a girl is very
adaptable, and it had come to this, that at times Miss West forgot
that she had ever had other than this sunny butterfly existence; and,
if her conscience occasionally made a claim on behalf of her child,
she promptly told herself that he was well cared for, and that Lady
Frederick Talboys sent all her children out to nurse until they were
three years of age, and Harry was barely two. As for Laurence, he
would come to his senses in time; and the idea of telling her father of
her marriage she now put away in the lumber-room of her brain, and
rarely looked at.
About Christmas Mr. and Miss West and suite arrived at Biarritz,
put up at a large and fashionable hotel, and occupied the best rooms
on the first floor. They found Biarritz charming, Madeline liked the
sea, the rolling Atlantic breakers, the Basque tongue, and the
bronzed semi-Spanish peasantry. Mr. West was charmed with the
society, the golf links, and the Casino.
One day Mrs. Leach casually arrived at their hotel, with a number
of basket-trunks and a maid, looking very handsome, and was
enchanted to meet dearest Madeline and dear Mr. West. She had
heard that they were at Pau, and was so surprised to discover them.
Madeline was such a naughty girl about writing, such a hopelessly
lazy correspondent.
To tell the truth, Miss West was secretly anxious to shake off the
tenacious widow, and was purposely silent.
In less than a week the lady had resumed her sway over
Madeline’s papa. Her soft manners, pathetic eyes, stately presence,
and low, caressing voice, proved his undoing. He had almost
forgotten the Honourable Mrs. Leach—and here, in three days, he
was as much, or more, her slave as ever. So much for men’s vanity
and women’s wiles. She flattered—he confided. It came to pass, as
a matter of course, that the lady occupied a seat beside Madeline in
the landau every afternoon. Her maid tripped down with her wraps
and parasol precisely as if it were her mistress’s own carriage. Her
mistress also occupied Miss West’s private sitting-room, received her
friends in it, wrote, and worked, and read all the Wests’ papers and
books, shared their table at meals in the salle à manger, and (but
this was never known to Madeline) her little weekly account for room
and board was always furnished to and settled by Madeline’s papa;
a few whispered words on the balcony one night had arranged this
trifling matter. The handsome widow was completely identified with
the West family, and was included in all their invitations as well as
their accounts. Every evening, after dinner, she and Mr. West sat
aloof in a little alcove whilst he smoked cigarettes, or on the
verandah whilst he smoked and sipped his coffee, and she amused
him and cut up many of the gay and unsuspicious company for his
delectation. She was also confidential respecting her own affairs. If
she had told him their true position his few scanty locks would have
stood on end. She was almost at the end of her wits, and he was her
sole hope, her last resource. For years she had lived beyond her
income—a small one. Her dressmaker’s bills would have staggered
even him. She owed money in all directions; her creditors were
pressing, her society friends were not pressing with invitations; her
husband’s connections ignored her. But if she could establish herself
in Mr. West’s heart and home, as his second wife, she would have
before her a new and delightful career. And she had begun well!
Certainly Madeline was irresponsive and cool, but always pleasant
and polite. Why was Madeline changed? However, once she was
Madeline’s mamma, Madeline would find a difference! Every night,
as Mrs. Leach stepped into the lift, to be borne aloft to her own
bower, she said to herself, “He will certainly propose to-morrow,” but
alas! one evening these cheering presentiments were crushed.
The conversation had turned upon Madeline. She was a favourite
subject with her father.
“She nursed me well and pulled me through that nasty illness last
winter. I shall never forget her. One would have said she was
accustomed to nursing—and nursing a man too, ha, ha! I should
miss her terribly if she married.”
“But there is no prospect of that at present, is there?” asked his
listener softly.
“No. She is too stand-off. She will ride and dance, and talk and
laugh, but once a man’s attentions become marked, she freezes up!
I’m afraid she is serious when she says she won’t marry. There’s
Lord Tony hanging after her.”
“Oh, don’t you think he is very much épris with Miss Teale of New
York?”
“Not he!” impatiently. “I dare say he and Madeline will settle it
some day.”
“And then how lonely you will be, dear Mr. West! I know what it is
like.”
“Yes, I suppose it will be a little dull, unless the young people will
live with me.”
“Oh!” rather sharply, “they won’t do that!”
“If they don’t, I shall have to set up another housekeeper, to get
some one to take pity on me and marry again,” and he looked
significantly into Mrs. Leach’s unabashed eyes.
Mrs. Leach held her breath.
“But I should never dream of doing that as long as Madeline is with
me.”
“So here was the matter in a nutshell,” said his listener to herself,
as she grasped her fan fiercely and closed her lips. Unless Madeline
went off, he would never marry. The great thing, of course, was to
get the girl settled. She passed her obvious admirers in lightning
review. There was actually not one whom she could lay her finger
upon as a possible son-in-law for the little gentleman beside her. She
knew several who would have gladly proposed to Madeline, but
Madeline never gave them a chance. Why? She would make it her
business to discover the reason why Miss Madeline was so cold and
difficile, and to find out who he was? Mr. Jessop knew. Oh, if she
only had a chance of exercising her fascination on that sour-looking
barrister! Madeline had had a note from him recently, and she had
been on the point of perusing it when she had been disturbed: she
frequently mistook Madeline’s letters for her own, and had glanced
over a good deal of her correspondence. It had proved extremely
commonplace, but she felt confident that Mr. Jessop’s letter would
be of absorbing interest.
Madeline was on the alert. She had taken a sincere dislike to this
tall, dashing body-guard of hers, with her splendid toilettes, shocking
meannesses, her soft manners, and her sharp claws. She was
aware that she tampered with her letters. She had surprised her (but
not discovered herself); and seen her carry a piece of recently-used
blotting-paper and hold it up before the sitting-room mirror; and she
was aware, from Josephine, that Mrs. Leach had made an
exhaustive search in her room, under pretence of seeking a fur
collarette. Oh! she was a clumsy spy.
In March, when the English season was as its height, and every
hotel and villa was packed, an elderly Englishwoman, wearing blue
spectacles, and a small sandy-haired girl, wearing a tailor-made and
sailor hat—that seal of British livery—toiled up the staircase of the
Grand Hotel, followed by their luggage. At the first landing the young
lady stopped and stared at a very smart apparition which had just
come out of a sitting-room—a pretty, tall girl, dressed with much
elegance in a plum-coloured cloth coat and skirt, a white cloth
waistcoat, white felt hat with purple velvet, white gloves, white
sunshade. Could it be possible that she was Madeline West?
Madeline, the pupil-teacher at Mrs. Harper’s? She raised her eyes:
yes, it was Madeline. She would speak.
“Madeline—West, I am sure. Don’t you remember me at school—
Nina Berwick?”
“Oh yes, of course,” shaking hands.
“Growing up makes a difference, doesn’t it?” (Growing rich makes
a difference too.)
“You are staying here?” said Miss Berwick effusively.
“Yes, we have been here ever since Christmas.”
“How nice! I hope we shall see a great deal of one another, and
have talks over old times.”
“Yes,” assented Madeline, colouring, “that will be charming.”
“You are not married, are you, Madeline?”
“What has put such an idea into your head?” was the misleading
reply. Madeline was clever at evasion and subterfuge: practice
makes perfect.
“You see we have been living abroad for two years, and are rather
out of the way of news. I am living with my aunt, Lady Fitzsandy. She
hates England. Well, I’m nearly dead, and very dusty and thirsty. Our
rooms are on the quatrième étage, and the lift is out of order, I hear,
so I must toil up. Ta-ta!” and she hurried away after the porters and
her relative.
Nina Berwick had left school just after the breaking-up—Madeline
recalled this with a sensation of relief. She came from the borders of
Scotland, and knew nothing; besides, she was always intensely
stupid, and never could remember anything—names, dates,
historical events, and even school events went through her sieve-like
brain. She had not been a particular friend of Madeline’s, and had
only known her in those days when she had fallen from her high
estate—never as the rich Miss West.
For her part, Nina Berwick was amazed at her friend’s
transformation. She occupied a suite on the first floor. She had an
English footman, a private sitting-room, a Paris frock, and yet she
was not married! The Miss Berwicks were well-born but poor; their
aunt could not afford them the delights of a London season. She
carried them abroad, where they had never heard of Madeline’s
social successes. Lady Fitzsandy roved about the Continent, from
one gay centre to another, and was extremely anxious to get her
nieces settled—especially Lucy, who was plain and twenty-eight.
Lady Fitzsandy gladly foregathered with Mr. West’s pleasant party.
They always joined forces after dinner in the hall, and took coffee
together. And her ladyship was specially charmed with Mrs. Leach,
Miss West’s chaperon, who was so sweet and so handsome—she
was connected, too, with her own cousins the Horse-Leaches—and
seemed so pleased and interested to hear that Nina had been at
school with Miss West.
“The dear girls,” as she pointed out the pair sitting side by side on
a distant divan, “were going over old times three years ago, and
talking so happily together.” This is what they were saying, and what
Mrs. Leach would have given her best ring to hear:—
“And so your father came home very wealthy, Maddie? And you
live in London, and have had two seasons, and go everywhere—and
know everybody?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.”
“Well, of course, you have hosts of admirers.”
“I don’t know about that either!”
“Nonsense, I’m sure you have had hundreds. What was the name
of that gentleman at school?”
“Gentleman at school—there were no gentlemen—at school.”
“Now don’t be silly! He was the friend of some people that used to
come to the breaking-up. He danced with you, and Miss Selina was
wild. I’m sure you must remember him.”
“I don’t want, as you may easily imagine, to remember anything
about school, except,” picking herself up, “some of my school-
fellows.”
“Oh, now, let me see, I’ve a shocking memory for names. I think
his name began with N, or was there an N in it?”
“There was nothing in it—will that answer as well. There is to be a
big ball here to-morrow; you are just in time.”
“In the hotel?”
“Yes; it will be a capital dance.”
“But I know no men.”
“I know any number, and I will get you partners,” said Madeline,
recklessly.
And Madeline kept her word, to the intense enjoyment of Miss
Berwick, who, thanks to her school-fellow, had quite a delightful
plurality of cavaliers. It seemed so strange to Nina Berwick to see
Madeline West, the shabby drudge whom she had pitied at school,
now surrounded with every luxury and crowds of smart
acquaintances, with a carriage and servants at her orders, and all
the best partis at her feet.
She was extremely good-natured, and did her utmost to give this
rather plain, dull little spinster a good time. She got up picnics and
golf tournaments. She took her for long drives and pleasant
expeditions.
One afternoon Miss Berwick’s grandmamma and Mrs. Leach
remained at home, had tea together, and talked Miss West over in
her own sitting-room. Lady Fitzsandy liked Miss West, and sang her
praises in a mild key; ditto Mrs. Leach, in a yet louder strain, with
one occasional piercing high note—that note a “but.” “But she is
wildly extravagant; but she is wonderful, considering her
antecedents; but she cannot live without excitement; but she is
uncertain in her friendships.”
But Lady Fitzsandy was staunch, and said, “I must say that, as far
as I can judge, Miss West is true to old friends. She is very much
attached to Nina.”
Mrs. Leach, on her own part, professed a rival attachment for Miss
Berwick, gave her autographs—which she was collecting—also a
box of pralines, and took her arm round the gardens once, treated
her to coffee at the Casino, and there pumped her to the best of her
ability.
“And so Madeline was only a pupil-teacher when you were at
school, you tell me, dear?”
“Yes; I was there fourteen months, for finishing. I was among the
elders, and she had charge of the small fry; I did not come across
her at classes or in school hours, but I used to meet her in passages,
and in the boot-room, and sometimes we waltzed together on half
holidays. I always liked Maddie.”
“And you left before her?”
“Yes; I left last Christmas three years, after the breaking-up dance.
I recollect Maddie played, to save the old skinflints a guinea. But the
end of the evening she danced with a man several times, and Miss
Selina was furious; I think he admired Madeline, and that was her
reason.”
“And what was his name, darling?”
“I really cannot remember. I asked Madeline about him, and she
rather snubbed me; but it was something beginning with an N, I
think.”
Oh, what a tiresome, stupid creature! “You cannot recollect,
darling?”
“No; except that there was an N in his name! I am sure of that.”
“And so Madeline remained on for a year; and did you never hear
anything more of the school after you left?”
“Yes; let me see, I did hear something, I may have dreamt it, that
some one was expelled.”
“Expelled!” with a slight start. “Dear me, how shocking!”
“I cannot recollect, but I am sure it was not Madeline. She was not
that sort of girl; and I may have read it in a book. I get so mixed
between what I have heard and what I have read about; but I am
awfully absent and dreamy.”
“Have you kept up a correspondence with any of your school-
fellows?”
“Oh no! I hate letter-writing; and I detested school. But I always
liked Maddie West. She was so pretty to look at, so pleasant to talk
to, so good-natured. And she is not a bit changed. She is a dear.”
“There never was any—you never heard of her getting into any
scrape at school, did you?”
“Oh no; what a funny idea—a scrape! Why, Maddie was as strict
about the rules as the Harpies themselves!”
“And this gentleman that admired her?”
“Oh, it was only at our dances, the breakings-up; he never gave
her a second thought.”
So Mrs. Leech had wasted her blandishments, her time, and her
money all for nothing on this half-witted, tow-headed girl. When she
realized the fact, she rose rather abruptly—looking surprisingly sour,
paid at the comptoir, and led the way back to the promenade in
somewhat gloomy silence.
The Berwicks went on to Pau a few days later, and were lost sight
of once more, as is the usual way with these wandering birds of
passage.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
TO MEET THE SHAH-DA-SHAH.
Mr. West returned home early in the season, and inaugurated his
arrival with new horses, new liveries, new footmen, and gave a
series of most recherché dinners. He would have bidden Mr. Wynne
to one of these banquets, for the old gentleman had a tenacious
memory (especially for things that his daughter expressly wished he
would forget), but she quietly turned the subject; and did not
encourage the idea of entertaining her husband under her
unsuspicious parent’s roof.
“But he belongs to my club, The Foolscap. I see him there now
and then, and he seems a popular chap, and to know every one. I
heard Fotherham—Lord Fotherham—pressing him to spend a
couple of days with them up the river, and they say his articles and
writings are quite popular.”
“Oh, I don’t think literary people are very interesting; you have
always to get up all their works, and be able to stand a stiff
examination in them, if you want to invite them here. Did you see the
failure of a great bank in Australia—it was among the telegrams in
the Echo this evening?” she added artfully.
“No. Bless my soul! what bank? Where is the paper?” in great
excitement. And Mr. West’s mind was hurried away into another
channel, and Mr. Wynne’s invitation-card was not despatched.
Madeline found time to pay many stealthy visits to Harry, who was
really a beautiful child, of whom even the most indifferent mother
might well feel proud. He could talk and walk so nicely, and was such
a pretty, endearing little fellow, that her visits, from being spasmodic
and irregular, became of weekly occurrence.
Impunity had emboldened her, and every Saturday morning, when
her father imagined her to be shopping, or in the Park—found her in
Mrs. Holt’s old-fashioned garden, walking and playing between high
hollyhocks, sunflowers, and lavender bushes, with a fair-haired little
boy. What would Mr. West have said had he seen his lovely daughter
running round and round, and up and down the gravel path, driven
by two knotted reins, and a small fierce driver, wielding a long whip
with a whistle at the end of it?
Mr. and Mrs. Wynne never met, for her days, as we have seen,
were Saturdays, and his were invariably Sundays.
Low fever was prevalent that sultry month of June, also typhoid
and diphtheria. The latter fastened its grim clutch on little Harry. It
was a case which developed rapidly. The child had been hot and
heavy, and not his usual bright talkative self, when his mother saw
him on Saturday. Mrs. Holt attributed this entirely to the oppressive
weather, and to thunder in the air. On Sunday his father, justly
alarmed, summoned the local doctor, who at once pronounced that
the little patient was a victim to diphtheria.
On Monday Madeline was sent for. The child was a shade better,
though still very ill. He lay in his cot and gazed at her with large
distended eyes—and gasped out “Mummy—mummy,” as he held out
his little hot hands.
She remained all day, for it so happened that her father was out of
town; but, under any circumstances, she assured herself, she would
have stayed all the same; and when she finally departed, late in the
evening, the patient was sleeping, and the doctor’s opinion more
encouraging. He assured her that she need not alarm herself, as he
walked down with her to where the fly stood waiting in the lane.
“You really need not be uneasy, my dear madam,” he said
impressively, “unless things take a most unexpected turn, and then,
of course, we will let you know. He is a fine healthy child, and
admirably nursed by yonder good woman,” nodding towards the
house.
“She is indeed a good woman!” returned Madeline fervently, as her
thoughts recalled Mrs. Holt’s unwearying care and night and day

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

SPEECH PREPARATION: GETTING STARTED

SPEECH PREPARATION: ORGANIZING AND OUTLINING

PRESENTING THE SPEECH

VARIETIES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

PART ONE SPEAKING AND LISTENING

Chapter 1 Speaking in Public 2

Courtesy of Josh Shipp

Chapter 2 Ethics and Public Speaking 26

Chapter 4 Giving Your First Speech 60

Chapter 5 Selecting a Topic and a Purpose 74

Chapter 6 Analyzing the Audience 94

Chapter 8 Supporting Your Ideas 134

©Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Chapter 9 Organizing the Body of the Speech 158

Chapter 10 Beginning and Ending the Speech 176

Chapter 11 Outlining the Speech 196

Chapter 12 Using Language 212

Chapter 13 Delivery 230

©Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg/Getty Images

PART FIVE VARIETIES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

Chapter 15 Speaking to Inform 268

©Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images

Chapter 17 Methods of Persuasion 316

©Nick David/Getty Images

Chapter 20 Speaking in Small Groups 372

A Note from the Author

McGraw-Hill Connect and Instructor

xviii A Note from the Author

A Note from the Author xix

SUPPORT TO ENSURE SUCCESS

xx A Note from the Author

A Note from the Author xxi

The Power of Public Speaking

The Tradition of Public Speaking

Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation

Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation

Developing Confidence: Your Speech Class

Public Speaking and Critical Thinking

The Speech Communication Process

Public Speaking in a Multicultural World

The Power of Public Speaking

You are one of seven management trainees in a large corporation. One

4 CHAPTER 1 Speaking in Public

The Tradition of Public Speaking

Similarities Between Public Speaking

Differences Between Public Speaking

Developing Confidence: Your Speech Class

Again, speechmaking is at the top in provoking anxiety.

DEALING WITH NERVOUSNESS

Acquire Speaking Experience

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Negative Thought Positive Thought

Many psychologists believe that the ratio of positive to negative thoughts in

Use the Power of Visualization

Know That Most Nervousness Isn’t Visible

Don’t Expect Perfection

1. Am I enthusiastic about my speech topic?

14 CHAPTER 1 Speaking in Public