Bill Murray Gives a Delightful Reading of Twain’s Huckleberry Finn (1996) George Bernard Shaw once called Mark Twain “the American Voltaire,” and like the inspired French satirist, Twain seems to have something to say to every age, from his own to ours. But if Twain is Voltaire, to whom do we compare Bill Murray? Only posterity can properly assess Murray’s considerable impact on our culture, but his current role as everyone’s favorite pleasant surprise will surely figure largely in his historical portrait. Just above see Murray read an excerpt from American great Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 1996 was an interesting year for Twain’s novel. Revisiting these debates reminds us of just how much we can take for granted a literary work’s social and cultural value. After Murray’s reading above, New York Times writer Brent Staples introduces a distinguished panel of Shelby Foote, William Styron, Roy Blount, Jr., and Justin Kaplan. You can find copies of Huck Finn in our Free eBooks and Free Audio Books collections. Related Content:
Introduction to Speech Communication – Simple Book Publishing Book Description This book, Introduction to Speech Communication, is used to support teaching, learning and research for SPCH 2713 at Oklahoma State University (OSU). This resource has been customized for use at OSU by faculty members Sarah E. Hollingsworth, Kathryn Weinland, Sasha Hanrahan, and Mary Walker. In addition to inclusion of original work authored by the editors to meet the needs of their course at OSU, the editors adapted and mixed together portions of Exploring Public Speaking: 4th Edition, Stand Up, Speak Out, and Fundamentals of Public Speaking. Please see below for full citations of each of these works. Book Source This book is a cloned version of Stand up, Speak out by [Author removed at request of original publisher], published using Pressbooks by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing edition, 2016. Authors Sarah E. Subject Speaking in public: advice and guides
Examples of Theme in Literature As you continue to savor literature throughout your life, you'll encounter five important elements to any narrative: character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme. No story would be worthwhile without a multi-faceted main character, an interesting setting, an engaging plot (or series of events), a conflict to overcome, and a central theme or message. The theme is a pivotal element, because it lingers throughout the entire story, from start to finish. It can be whatever the author deems appropriate, and there can also be more than one theme. What Is Theme? In any work of art, the theme is the underlying message that the writer would like to get across. Whether you're reading your favorite Disney book or working your way through The Great Gatsby by F. It's important not to confuse the theme and the main idea. How to Find the Theme No story is complete without a few essential elements. At this point, you can also ask yourself, "What's the main idea? What problem is the main character facing?
Build Your Public-Speaking Confidence With This Proven Practice Schedule When I teach executive education classes at Harvard, I set a deadline for students to submit their final slides. The deadline is about two weeks before they're required to deliver their presentations to the class. By forcing speakers to finish their PowerPoint slides two weeks early, it offers plenty of time for speakers to rehearse. Once students send me their final decks, they often ask me, "How much should I practice?" Well, I once interviewed a scientist who practiced an 18-minute presentation about 200 times before taking the TED stage. Jill Bolte Taylor's "Stroke of Insight" attracted millions of viewers, making it one of the top TED talks of all time. Here's the good news--you don't have to practice 200 times. The ideal number of practice sessions is 10. If you rehearse your pitch or presentation 10 times, you will grow more confident, and your delivery will show it. Don't worry. Part One (practice sessions 1-3). Part Two (practice sessions 4 and 5).
Archetype Examples What do a villain, a hero, and a damsel in distress have in common? They’re all archetypes: typical examples of characters in stories. Archetypes can occur in literary plotlines, settings, and symbols, as they represent shared patterns of human experience. Keep reading to find common archetypes in literature, as well as examples from books, movies, and short stories. Scene from storybook with a knight, princess, dragon and castle Character Archetypes Coming up with unique and interesting characters is a challenge for any author. Character Archetypes in Literature William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous examples of the Star-Crossed Lovers. A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,Whose misadventured piteous overthrowsDoth with their death bury their parents' strife. Even though Romeo and Juliet love each other very much, their outcome defines them as the tragic archetype. Situation Archetypes Common situation archetypes include: Situation Archetypes in Literature
4 Basic Elements of Great Storytelling Everyone has a personal story to tell. Some people are just better than others at telling those stories. Learning to craft and share an origin story is a valuable communication skill that every entrepreneur and small business should strive to sharpen. Storytelling skills will help you differentiate your idea or the products and services you sell. An origin story means exactly what it says--it reveals the origin of an idea. In 1976, two friends started a computer company. The preceding paragraph is a short origin story of about 100 words. Structure An origin story is just that--a story. The beginning of a story establishes the setting and the characters. Characters An origin story captures the company's values, mission, strategy, and purpose. We see ourselves in other people's stories. Conflict I went to a screening of the Aaron Sorkin movie on Steve Jobs. Overcoming hurdles is an essential ingredient in storytelling to keep listeners riveted to the narrative. Resolution A story must end.
Types of Characters in Fiction Let's take a look at the types of characters in fiction. Once you're aware of the different character types, you'll find yourself noticing them more and more. The next time you pick up a novel, see how many you can spot. Protagonist We must begin our study with the protagonist, or main character. If you're writing in the first person and choosing to tell your story through a narrator, that will typically become your protagonist. Antihero The antihero can also be the main character in a story. Take Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Characters like Jack and Lestat are antiheroes. Antagonist Good, bad, or otherwise, most main characters will be faced with an antagonist, or villain. Interestingly, the antagonist doesn't have to be another person. Can you name Gatsby's antagonist? Foil What would a story be without several juicy bits of drama? In The Great Gatsby, there's no doubt Tom Buchanan was a foil to Gatsby. Dynamic Let's remain with The Great Gatsby. Static Round Flat
How the CDC Abandoned Science The main federal agency guiding America’s pandemic policy is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which sets widely adopted policies on masking, vaccination, distancing, and other mitigation efforts to slow the spread of COVID and ensure the virus is less morbid when it leads to infection. The CDC is, in part, a scientific agency—they use facts and principles of science to guide policy—but they are also fundamentally a political agency: The director is appointed by the president of the United States, and the CDC’s guidance often balances public health and welfare with other priorities of the executive branch. Throughout this pandemic, the CDC has been a poor steward of that balance, pushing a series of scientific results that are severely deficient. This research is plagued with classic errors and biases, and does not support the press-released conclusions that often follow. In November 2020, a CDC study sought to prove that mask mandates slowed the spread of the coronavirus.
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