Unlike a poem or a novel, a speech is presented for a specific audience, and its
success in achieving its goals depends on the reactions of those listeners. This is
why audience analysis, discussed in Chapter 5, is so important. The audience helps
to create the rhetorical situation by affecting, among other things, your choice of
what to emphasize in the speech, what level of knowledge to assume, how to organize
the speech, and what your specific purpose will be.
Most speakers, most of the time, want to present their ideas in ways that achieve
identification with the audience; that is, they try to find common ground between
what they know about the audience and what they want to say.7 Without distorting
their own message, they try to emphasize the elements that are most likely to
strike a responsive chord among audience members. Thus, an African American
speaker who is addressing a mostly white audience might emphasize their shared
American dream.
Sometimes, though, a speaker may deliberately avoid identification with the audience
and may even try to antagonize listeners. The same African American might
point out that the American dream is not shared equally by all citizens. Such a
tactic may suggest that the speaker is a person of high integrity who will not hold
back punches simply to gain the audience’s approval. Or the strategy may be intended
to influence some other audience that is overhearing the speech.8 Whether
the goal is to identify or to criticize, however, knowledge of the audience is critical
in assessing the rhetorical situation.
Sometimes, audience members are prepared to incorporate what the speaker
says into their systems of beliefs. At other times they may be skeptical or downright
hostile. The degree of interference they offer to the speaker’s purpose is an
important factor when assessing how the audience contributes to the nature of the
rhetorical situation.
Audiences also provide important feedback. If listeners frown or stare blankly
when you make an important point, they may not understand you. To respond
to the rhetorical situation, you will want to explain that point further. If listeners
appear lost, you may want to summarize your main points before moving on. If
you’ve said something that you think is funny but no one laughs or smiles, you
might either rephrase the comment or decide to let it pass. And when listeners nod
supportively, you should feel more confident and reassured. Audience feedback
will let you know whether you have assessed the rhetorical situation accurately
and responded to it appropriately.
You can also get valuable feedback by placing yourself in the role of an audience
member. If possible, review a video of your speech. At first, you may feel uncomfortable
watching a recording of yourself; you may be oversensitive to details that
no one else would notice. But do not worry about these details. Instead, try to view
yourself as the audience saw and heard you. Watching a video after the fact allows
you a critical distance that helps you to assess aspects you can improve before giving
your next speech.