The King's Speech - A Response Essay

        Like an evening star, every sport, every hobby, and every profession has mined wisdom from the phrase, “practice makes perfect.” It doesn't make a difference if you're a football player, a chess fanatic, or a poker player, if you don't practice, you'll be as wanted as a leather chair on a hot summer day. But for some unbeknownst reason we forget to make that connection with public speaking. Public Speaking is a fine art that requires just as much practice to make perfect. After watching the King's Speech and attending my Communication 301 class at Sacramento City College, I've learned three important aspects of public speaking: Rehearsal, Weakness, and Communicating.

        One of the first things that are thrown out with the baby is rehearsal. Often we'll visualize our audience, organize a fluent outline, and, in the best of nights, have a wonderful PowerPoint presentation. All of these things are the bare minimum for a successful presentation. However, I learned that vocalizing your practice speeches, instead of memorizing it in your mind, gives you that cutting edge for a fluent speech. Time and again, in the King's speech, the Duke of York was required to rehearse out loud not only his speeches but also his intonations, enunciation, and other verbal ques. It's not enough to have a well-ordered mind, but also a well-ordered mouth. In my Communication class we were given the opportunity to recited our speeches at least four times before small groups. Of course, this is in addition to the practice sessions that my siblings and parents are dragged into. However, this was a perfect opportunity to practice how my speech would sound, where the blood clots were, potentially fatal pauses, and places were we may want to stress a bit more “umpf”. In other words, when we practice our speech, we need to practice in situations as if we were delivering the real thing.
         The second aspect that I learned is probably the most overlooked aspect of any sport or art: weakness. Many a night, we are drilled with the notion of perfecting our strength, strength, and strength. However, if we fail to identify what stops our clocks, what really makes the audience squirm in their seats, then no matter how well spoken we may be, our weaknesses will glare our audiences into submission. In the King's Speech, the Duke of York understood that despite his earnest sincerity to do well for his country. If he couldn't control his stammer his, country would look right past him. So he took steps to control his stammer. In my Communication 301 class, I learned that failing to delivery important points in the context that you're given isn't only an opportunity to perfect an art, but also a weakness that I desperately needed to address. To become an effective speaker, I need to learn how to cut down the oak and plant the acorn. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.

        And lastly, Communication. When people think of communication they tend to fly for two stereotypes: a formal speech given at Victorian dinner, accented with Austinian calibre language, or a down to earth “homie-buddy-buddy” style that attacks every notion of good form. What we forget is that the art of communication is communicating. In the final scene of the King's Speech, the Duke of York is required to give a global military address. They've been practicing, practicing, and practicing, but the speech isn't coming out quiet right. It's time to give his speech. They're escorted to the speaking room. The door is close. The light is blinking. And just before the light signals to commence his speech, Lionel, the Duke of York's speech therapist, standing on the other side of the Duke's microphone, says, “Speak, speak like you're talking to me.” I learned in my public speaking class that the art of communication is learning how to speak to your audience as if you were friends, as if you were talking to them.

        I believe that if we take the time to rehearse our speeches exactly as we are to give them – out loud and clear – learn to identify our weaknesses and account for them in our speaking opportunities, and learn how to simply communicate, like friends, to your audience then we are one step closer to achieving our goals. But too often we find ourselves shouting the same words as King George V. “Just do it!” We're frustrate because we're not seeing our actions align with our perception: public speaking appears to be leaps and bounds easier than it we often give credit. I'm thankful for the opportunity to analyze this movie and to participate in a class that explores the fine art of public speaking.