Justin Trudeau's Speech

What constitutes a great and memorable speech? Following the recent results of the October 19th federal election in Canada, two major speeches were delivered – Justin Trudeau’s victory speech and Steven Harper’s defeat speech. Just as with President Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech ("Top 10 Presidential Addresses of All Time"), people with political preference may rank one of the two speeches more highly solely due to the identity of the speaker. Thankfully however, Lifehack provides some invaluable insights on the basic factors of a memorable public address. According to the website, imagery increases the effectiveness of a strong public speech, as does connection with the audience and persuasive, powerful statements. Taking those factors into account will help in evaluating both Trudeau’s and Harper’s speeches with a minimal amount of political bias.
As previously hinted, usage of imagery helps increase the effectiveness of a public address. It represents one of the strongest literary devices by using “words and phrases to create ‘mental images’” and, in the process, helps listeners
visualize and better understand concepts ("Imagery"). Justin Trudeau incorporates imagery during his speech in the form of an Abraham Lincoln quote excerpt ("Abraham Lincoln: First Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural Addresses. 1989"), calling out Canadians’ achievement of appealing to “the better angels of [their] nature” ("Justin Trudeau Victory Speech: In Canada, Better Is Always Possible - Federal Election 2015 |FULL"). Integration of such literally language helps awaken sensory perception ("Imagery"), allowing Trudeau to effectively establish a unique link with his audience. On the other hand, while Harper also used some strong descriptive words, he failed to take proper advantage of imagery. With the addition of a few rich literary phrases, Harper could have made his speech more memorable and effective.
When delivering a public address, connecting with the audience is especially important. Body language, facial expressions, and a persuasive voice all play a significant part in achieving this goal. Both Trudeau and Harper made eye contact with their listeners, trying to sweep across the room as much as possible. Additionally, Trudeau also used the nodding gesture, which helped him reinforce and amplify his message in a natural way.
Strongly defined statements contribute greatly to the persuasiveness of a speaker’s message.
When delivering the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln concluded by stating, “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (Lifehack). Due to the relevance of that one line, his words remain widely circulated to this day. Trudeau himself made some memorable statements throughout his victory speech, such as “politics doesn’t have to be negative and personal to be successful” ("Justin Trudeau Victory Speech: In Canada, Better Is Always Possible - Federal Election 2015 |FULL"). Like Lincoln, Trudeau used simple words to bring up a point his audience believed in, thus creating a memorable quote. Harper, on the other hand, makes very few defined statements and they all fail to encompass the timeless quality Trudeau incorporates in his
assertions.
Delivering a successful public address requires much consideration. Analysing Trudeau’s oration gave valuable insight on some of the vital components behind an effective and memorable speech, including imagery, audience engagement, and persuasiveness. Though Harper encompassed some of those characteristics, he failed to express himself in a fully memorable and engaging fashion. Analysing the two speakers farther shows the importance of a well-organized, well-delivered speech. Conservative or Liberal, political views loose their relevance if not articulated in a proper, effective, and engaging manner.