Informative Speech About A Film (chapter 27)

I am having a hard time coming up with an informative speech. I wanted to talk about the film "Chapter 27", which has actor Jaret Leto portraying Mark David Chapman, who murdered John Lennon on December 8, 1980. (Much information on it in synopsis form can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapter_27.) I am not sure of the best way to approach an informative speech on such a film, as it is somewhat controversial. Many John Lennon and Beatles fans are against the film's very existence and do not wish to see Chapman gain notoriety in any way, shape, or form. I did see the film (which was based on interviews conducted between Chapman and journalist Jack Jones) and I found that it does not portray Chapman in a sympathetic fashion. I don't want to persuade people, mind you, but rather inform the audience of the film and the opposing views. What I'm trying to say is that I've hit a mental block. What would be some good ways to go about talking about "Chapter 27" as an informative speech?

Perhaps I should also write about this, to save space: for a persuasive speech, I was considering utilizing one (just one!) of many, many points made in this video of a CNN Crossfire debate with Frank Zappa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISil7IHzxc.

One idea that is touched upon is that rock lyrics are not so much corrupting the spirit of America, but rather are a reflection of the preexisting corruption in certain aspects of the spirit of America, and the need to focus on those aspects instead of rock lyrics. Any help is greatly appreciated, as I have come to a mental block on this, as well.

Good evening.

An informative speech (unless otherwise specified by your instructor) is a speech that assumes an audience knows little or nothing about a topic, and your job is to educate them about a specific thing.
I suggest you find one specific premis of this film and begin with it. For instance, what is the most important point of the film to you? Why is it important? Why do you feel others should know about this film?
Using a point another person brings up is fine; make sure that if you use it word-for-word that you properly cite it. Otherwise, it is OK to analyze the idea and synthesize it into your own words. You can mention that it came from someone else when you do this, but make sure that you don't plagiarize.
How about researching these other preexisting corruptions and shedding some light on them to illustrate Zappa's point?

Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com

Hello,

Thanks for your advice. I decided that I would not be able to do the film justice, so I changed the subject to a Salvador Dalí painting titled "The Hallucinogenic Toreador." I have gotten as far as the introduction and the body, but am not sure if I should include more information, as there is a time limit, and I'm not sure how to conclude it. I also have not yet compiled my bibliography.

Thanks for your help!



The Hallucinogenic Toreador

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the Salvador Dalí painting The Hallucinogenic Toreador.

Central Idea:

I. How many of you know about Salvador Dalí? In case you don't know, he was a famous Spanish surrealist painter who was born in 1904 and died in 1989. I didn't really know who he was until about ten years ago, when my family and I visited the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. While the rest of my family thought the museum was okay, I was blown away by it. It was amazing to see these weird and imaginative paintings on display. The painting that I was most amazed by was huge, 10 foot by 13 foot, that Dalí painted over the course of 1968 to 1970 at his home in Figueres, Spain: El torero alucinógeno, or, The Hallucinogenic Toreador. I think the reason I still like it so much is that there is so much going on in it. A tour guide there tried to explain it to us, but there was so much to see, I couldn't take it all in. Well, consider me your tour guide when I tell you that there is so much time, so little to see. (Wait. Strike that. Reverse that.) I'll try to show you as much as I can about The Hallucinogenic Toreador. First, I'll touch on what inspired the painting. Then I'll explain the method used in developing the painting. Finally, I'll explain what it's about and what the main elements represent.

Transition: Let's get started.

II. Salvador Dalí's initial inspiration for The Hallucinogenic Toreador was a box of pencils.
A. According to an article on dali-gallery.com, while in an art supply store in New York, Dalí found a box of Venus de Milo pencils and saw an optical illusion in the package photo, which I will explain later.

Transition: Now I'll explain the method used by Dalí in conceiving the painting.

III. Salvador Dalí developed the painting by using the paranoiac critical method, a surrealist system that he invented for connecting to his subconscious and his deepest thoughts.
A. According to an article on associatedcontent.com, Dali trained himself to fall into a hallucinatory haze, without using any drugs, then return to a normal state of mind and paint the images that came from being in that haze.

Transition: Now I'll explain what it's about and what the main elements of the painting represent.

IV. In The Hallucinogenic Toreador, Salvador Dalí depicted a toreador at a traditional Spanish bullfight using a variety of surreal images.
A. At the center of the painting, the Venus de Milos form the image of a toreador, hence the painting's title.

1. On the center Venus de Milo, the green skirt represents the necktie, the white skirt the shirt, the abdomen the chin, the waist the mouth, the left breast the nose, and the nape the neck the eye, shedding a tear for the bull.
2. On the right-hand Venus de Milo, the red skirt represents the toreador's red cape, along with a rose on it, the hip the outline of the face, and the right arm the other eye.
3. The dots and flies above the Venus de Milos represent the toreador's hat, while the dots and flies at the bottom left-hand corner represent the toreador's coat.

B. At left of the center of the painting, a glowing Venus de Milo forms another image, that of the figure of a toreador dedicating the bull to the glowing woman's face above.

1. The left breast represents the head of the toreador, the hip and waste the upper body of the toreador, the right arm the two arms of the toreador, and the shoulder the hat being raised by the toreador.
2. According to an article on cdc.gov, the woman above represents Gala, Salvador Dalí's wife, who frowned upon bullfighting.

C. Below the glowing Venus de Milo is a dying bull with drool coming out of its mouth.

1. The colored dots above the bull represent the point at which the bull is stabbed: between the shoulder blades and through the heart.
2. The eye of the bull is represented by a fly.
3. The bull also can be seen as a rock formation, and the drool coming from its mouth as a lake, complete with a girl in a bikini on a pool float, representing Cape Creus, a local tourist spot.
4. According to Dalí, it represents the "modern tourist invasions of Cape Creus which even the flies of St. Narcisco have been unable to halt!"

D. Below the lake are seemingly random spots.

1. If you look closely, the spots form the image of a Dalmatian.
2. According to an article on Boston University's website, the dog image is used in demonstrating the Gestalt theory of Emergence, which says that our minds aren't able to recognize the dog simply by its parts, but rather, our minds fill in the negative spaces and recognize the dog all at once.

E. At the bottom right-hand corner of the painting is a small boy in a sailor outfit, holding a hoop and fossil bone.

1. The small boy is a self-portrait of Dalí as a child; his favorite toys were, in fact, a hoop and a fossil bone.
2. Dalí as a child looks directly at Gala at the top left-hand corner.

Nice work.

You are very organized and your body fits your introduction nicely. The opening gets the attention of the audience, and your short story about your personal interaction with the subject familiarizes the topic quickly. The organization is great and your audience will be able to follow along easily. Each point of interpretation is thorough and it seems like you will spend about the same amount of time on each one. Try a run-through, and if you are over the time limit you might think about removing one supporting detail from each of the topics (depending on the overage).
As for a conclusion, you could wrap it up with something such as, "You now have some fundamental information about this artist and this painting, and I hope I have inspired you to go out on your own and appreciate any form of art that inspires you." Or something to that effect.
Keep up the good work!

Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com

Speak enthusiasticly, and the audience won't yawn

Not only did they not yawn, I got an A. :)