attention getter for animal farm essay

“Animal Farm” by George Orwell Essay

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The first thing that can be highlighted is that most of the literature pieces are not created just for the sake of entertainment and relaxation but also for meaningful reflections. A lot of novels and books are extremely thought-provoking and encourage readers to engage in discussions and conversations with others. What is important to mention is that different authors achieve this goal in different ways. For instance, some prefer to build their reading on metaphors, some on specific organizations and structures, and others establish their texts on satire. One of such literature prices is an allegorical novella Animal Farm written George Orwell. This reading is extremely interesting from that point of view and, for this reason, should be carefully analyzed. Therefore, the following paper will prove that Animal Farm is a satirical work by using the elements of satire.

Before discussing the elements of satire in the identified novella it seems essential to learn more about its plot and meaning. This reading is an allegory, which is a specific story where the chosen characters and situations represent other characters and situations for the purpose of making a point about them (“Animal Farm at a Glance”). In the story, a group of animals rebel against the human farmer, embrace the idea of Animalism, and organize a revolution in order to achieve justice and equality. However, everything ends with a totalitarian dictator becoming the head of the community and ruining its desire for progress and justice. Since the reading is an allegory, the readers should try looking at the vents from a different perspective. As it appears, Animalism stands for communism, farm stands for Russia, the farmer for the Russian Tzar, the pig for the revolutionary Trotsky, and Napoleon stands for the figure of Stalin (“Animal Farm at a Glance”). Therefore, even by analyzing what characters and situations represent in the story, it can already be stated that the reading is a satire because it represents real people and situations in an ironic way.

Satire and its elements are used in literature works in order to highlight some features of the situation or a person and make fun of them. It effectively represents stupidity of humans, especially those who are the members of the high society layers. One of the most obvious elements that the author of the Animal Farm uses in order to highlight the satire is irony. He uses animals and represents then as being able to talk, feel, and make decisions “in order to illustrate the abuse of one group of humans by another” (Boremyr 3). It can easily be noticed in the end of the story when it becomes almost impossible to tell the animals apart from the humans. Throughout the story, they became more human despite the commitment to the Animalism philosophy. By doing this, he achieves the goal of showing the brutality, corruption and incompetence of the Soviet Union not just like in a history book but in an entertaining and fun way.

Additionally, another way in which the author frames the story as a satirical work is the concept of defamiliarization. As suggested by Adhikari, this idea “tends to throw light on the special use of language in the works of art, unlike the use of language in the everyday life” (378). This concept generally suggests that that various forms of language used to present familiar things in unfamiliar ways for the purpose of persuading their readers and appealing to their emotions can encourage them to look at those things from a different perspective (Adhikari 378). For this reason, by using the concept of defamiliarization, the author increases the irony of the whole novella, makes the forms unfamiliar and difficult to understand, and increases the process of perception and decision-making. Orwell did not adopt the violent mode in order to represent and satirize communism (Adhikari 385). On the other hand, he satirized it and employed a more subtle way of representation (Adhikari 285). Therefore, Animal Farm can be called a satirical piece of literature because the author uses the concept of defamiliarization in order to present the readers with a different and more ironic perspective on a familiar issue.

To summarize, Animal Farm is an interesting and thought-provoking novella. It is very insightful not just from the point of its meaning but also the effective use of satire throughout the story. The author was able to incorporate the different elements of this concept in order to increase its satirical nature and encourage the readers to reflect on this more. Therefore, the presented paper proved that Animal Farm is a satirical novella.

Works Cited

Adhikari, Krishanu. “Animal Farm: A Satire on Communism Through ‘Defamilirization’.” An International Refereed e-Journal of Literary Explorations , vol. 1, no. 1, 2014, pp. 378-385.

“Animal Farm at a Glance.” CliffsNotes . Web.

Boremyr, Hanna. “Reading Orwell’s Animals: An animal-oriented study of George Orwell’s political satire Animal Farm.” 2016.

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Essays on Animal Farm

What makes a good animal farm essay topic.

When it comes to writing an essay on Animal Farm, choosing the right topic is crucial. A good essay topic should be thought-provoking, engaging, and offer ample opportunities for analysis and interpretation. It should allow you to explore the various themes, characters, and literary devices employed by George Orwell in his iconic novel. Here are some recommendations to help you brainstorm and choose the perfect essay topic.

When brainstorming essay topics for Animal Farm, it's important to consider the themes and underlying messages of the novel. Think about the parallels between the events in the book and real-life historical or political events. Consider the characters and their motivations, as well as the use of allegory and symbolism throughout the story. A good essay topic should also be specific enough to allow for in-depth analysis, but broad enough to offer multiple avenues of exploration.

A good Animal Farm essay topic should be relevant, thought-provoking, and open to interpretation. It should encourage critical thinking and analysis, and allow you to delve into the complexities of the novel. Your topic should also be unique and original, offering a fresh perspective on the text. With these considerations in mind, you can choose a topic that will make for a compelling and insightful essay.

Best Animal Farm Essay Topics

• The use of propaganda in Animal Farm
• The role of the pigs in the novel
• The allegorical representation of the Russian Revolution
• The theme of corruption and power in Animal Farm
• The significance of the windmill in the story
• The role of the working class animals in the rebellion
• The character of Napoleon and his leadership style
• The theme of loyalty and betrayal in the novel
• The significance of the Seven Commandments
• The role of fear and intimidation in maintaining control
• The impact of language and rhetoric in the novel
• The symbolism of the various animals on the farm
• The theme of social class and inequality in Animal Farm
• The role of violence and coercion in the story
• The significance of the final scene in the novel
• The theme of utopia and dystopia in Animal Farm
• The portrayal of human nature in the book
• The impact of ignorance and apathy on the farm
• The role of education and knowledge in the novel
• The significance of the ending of Animal Farm

Animal Farm essay topics Prompts

• Imagine if the animals on the farm had been successful in creating a utopian society. How would the story have unfolded differently?
• Explore the parallels between the events in Animal Farm and real-life historical revolutions. How does the novel reflect the complexities of political change?
• Consider the role of fear and intimidation in maintaining power on the farm. How does this theme resonate with contemporary society?
• Analyze the character of Boxer and his unwavering loyalty to the cause. What does his story reveal about the nature of power and manipulation?
• Imagine if George Orwell had written Animal Farm from the perspective of the humans on the neighboring farms. How would this change the reader's understanding of the story?

Choosing the right essay topic for Animal Farm is essential to crafting a compelling and insightful piece of writing. By considering the themes, characters, and literary devices of the novel, you can brainstorm unique and thought-provoking topics that will allow for in-depth analysis and interpretation. Whether you choose to explore the use of propaganda, the role of the pigs, or the allegorical representation of the Russian Revolution, a good essay topic will offer ample opportunities for critical thinking and engagement with the text. With the right topic in hand, you can delve into the complexities of Animal Farm and offer a fresh perspective on this timeless classic.

Abuse of Power in Animal Farm

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Napoleon in "Animal Farm": Analysis of Quotes

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The Reasons Why Animal Farm Failed

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An Analysis of Literacy and Power in Animal Farm, a Book by George Orwell

"animal farm" mirrors the russian revolution in both characters and events, the exploitation in the animal farm, the revolution in animal farm, power and leadership in animal farm, animal leaders as russian politicans in animal farm, ideal society in animal farm, propaganda in animal farm, "the animal farm": a review of themes and characters, russian revolution and orwell animal farm, the animal farm, orwell's novel review: snowball and napoleon comparission, animal farm by george orwell: the issue of government and management, the difference in representation of napoleon and snowball characters in 'animal farm', the significance of old major's speech on equality in animal farm, a novel by george orwell, themes of socialism and capitalism in orwell's animal farm, comparison of snowball and napoleon in the animal farm, compassion in animal farm by george orwell, rhetorical devices in animal farm by george orwell, animals' inability to read in animal farm, ignorance and the result of class segregation: napoleon, boxer and the destruction of animal farm.

17 August 1945

George Orwell

Allegorical Novella

Political Satire

Napoleon, Old Major, Snowball, Squealer, Boxer, Mr. Jones, Clover, Pilkington, Mr. Frederick, Mr. Whymper, Benjamin

The book has been influenced during Orwell's Spanish Civil war experiences and author's opinion regarding Stalinist corruption of the original socialist ideals.

It symbolizes Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. The symbols include capitalism, socialism, fascism, and communism. The rule of power, corruption.

The Animal Farm teaches us an important lesson that it is not possible to create a utopian society since every leader will sooner or later become corrupt. Another important aspect is the gain of power and temptation of a luxurious life that is always based on personal gain. It is a reason why it becomes an important book that tells about the potential of good intentions. While it does portray the authoritarian example of the USSR, it also explores the ways of people that still serve others with good intentions.

The book tells a story about farm animals who rebel against their human farmer. As simple as that, they hope to create a different society where every animal can live an equal life, remain free, and feel happy. It is a complex allegory that tries to reflect a revolution. Still, this animal rebellion is betrayed with the farm ending up in a poor state. The reason for this failure, according to Orwell, is the dictatorship's rule of a pig named Napoleon.

• The Animal Farm has been rejected more than most books in the history of publishing by the big names until Secker & Warburg decided to publish it.
• The book became influential for C.S. Lewis who believed that the book is about equality where every animal is equal, yet some are more equal than others.
• The book has been based on real-life village of Wallington, which is where Orwell has lived during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
• The Animal Farm became a propagandistic tool of the CIA to bring anti-communist views across the world.
• Speaking of the Soviet Union, the novel has been banned until about 1988 when "Glasnost" views have made it possible for the Latvian magazine to publish it in four parts.
• The book has also been banned in Cuba, North Korea, Kenya, and even the United Arab Emirates.
• The book has inspired numerous world-famous musicians like The Beatles and Pink Floyd.
• Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame was the one who voiced the main character "Napoleon".
• "Remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter. No argument must lead you astray. Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest, that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. It is all lies. Man serves the interests of no creature except himself. And among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades."
• "All the habits of Man are evil. And, above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal."
• "The animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
• "Animal Farm, Animal Farm, Never through me shalt thou come to harm!"
• "Ah, that is different!" said Boxer. "If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right."

The purpose of the book is to explain how existing potential often leads to dangers of good intentions. As the political satire of the USSR's ruling style, it aims to show that revolution and striving for change comes from good intentions, yet misleads people into something else. Using dystopian fiction, Orwell remains precise in his opinion regarding tyranny and origins that it has. It also deals with ignorance and an intentional failure to notice things.

This topic is important for essays because it deals with corrupting influence of power, totalitarian regime, sincerity, propaganda, and the good intentions that we all have. It is also a good topic to tell about leadership and betrayal. Since this book deals with an allegory, it must be taken as an example of our modern life.

The Old Major's speech represents a significant element for this novel because it speaks of the very idea of rebellion that is brought to the minds of the animals. It is the first time when they start approaching human beings as their enemies and see themselves as the victims of animalism or farm oppression. The major speaks about hardships and bad lives and claims that it is Farmer Jones that is to blame. It can be approached as the turning point of the novel.

Relevant topics

• The Crucible
• Things Fall Apart
• Catcher in The Rye
• Bartleby The Scrivener
• Their Eyes Were Watching God
• All Summer in a Day
• Alice in Wonderland
• Harry Potter and The Sorcerer'S Stone

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Power Corrupts in Animal Farm Analysis

How does power corrupt people? In the book, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, he talks about how power can overtake people’s lives. Power can either be a terrible or an amazing thing. The theme is that power can eventually take over life if you get too caught up in it. Leaders will do anything so that people will follow their beliefs and decisions which could be bad in many ways. Leaders can become too confident in themselves which could lead to them thinking only about themselves and not others. Sometimes leaders take their actions too far which can cause a fight against someone else. In other words, when power corrupts people, it can cause bad things to happen to them and to others.

Leaders will do anything so that people will follow their beliefs and decisions which could be bad in many ways. Power can corrupt people in any sort of way. Some people start off shy when becoming leader but then it could end in something like a dictatorship. This means that the leader will do anything to get people on their side, decisions could become out of hand too. ‘"Comrades," he said quietly, "do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!"’ (Orwell, page 21). This quote shows that Napoleon is trying to get every animal on his side. He will lie and do anything for that to happen. Napoleon is trying to get everyone against Snowball because he is very self-centered. He only wants everything for himself and is using the animals only for the number of votes to become the next leader at the farm. As a result, Napoleon would do anything in his power to get everyone to follow what he believes in.

Leaders can become too confident in themselves which could lead to them thinking only about themselves and not others. Leaders can get way too confident while being in charge. Yes, the leader will try and get others on their side but they are only thinking about what will happen to themselves in the future. “When they were all gathered together, Napoleon emerged from the farmhouse, wearing both his medals (for he had recently awarded himself "Animal Hero, First Class," and "Animal Hero, Second Class").” (Orwell, page 25). This quote means that Napoleon thinks he is the best. He is too confident in himself and sometimes forgets that there are other things happening in the world. Napoleon gave himself two medals and didn’t give anyone else a medal because he only thinks for himself and doesn’t think about how others feel about him giving them only to himself. Overall, Napoleon is too confident in himself and doesn’t think about the consequences about only thinking about him and not others.

Sometimes leaders take their actions too far which can cause a fight against someone else. People who have power can potentially start a fight if they take it too far. They can make terrible decisions and if other people are against their choices, then they could start a fight which will end in terrible things. “The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered, the other argued that if rebellions happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves.” (Orwell, page 16). This quote means that Napoleon and Snowball are in a disagreement about who has better decisions between each other. They both want to be the leader of who gets to choose all of the decisions. Napoleon and Snowball always disagree with each other, but this time, this fight led to Snowball leaving the farm. The two brothers always have different choices which will always lead to something bad. This power can corrupt so many people which can potentially cause a fight. For this reason, Napoleon and Snowball always fight about who will get to make all of the decisions like a leader, but that could end badly because power corrupts many people in this world.

The theme is that power can eventually take over life if you get too caught up in it. Leaders will do anything so that people will follow their beliefs and decisions which could be bad in many ways. Leaders can become too confident in themselves which could lead to them thinking only about themselves and not others. Sometimes leaders take their actions too far which can cause a fight against someone else. In conclusion, power can corrupt people in many different ways and it usually doesn’t turn out too good once power overtakes you as a person.

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9.2 The Attention-Getter: The First Step of an Introduction

Learning objectives.

• Understand the different tools speakers can use to gain their audience’s attention.
• Name some common mistakes speakers make in trying to gain attention.

Stephen Velasco – IMG_1422 – CC BY-NC 2.0.

As you know by now, a good introduction will capture an audience’s attention, while a bad introduction can turn an audience against a speaker. An attention-getter is the device a speaker uses at the beginning of a speech to capture an audience’s interest and make them interested in the speech’s topic. Typically, there are four things to consider in choosing a specific attention-getting device:

• Appropriateness or relevance to audience
• Purpose of speech

First, when selecting an attention-getting device, you want to make sure that the option you choose is actually appropriate and relevant to your specific audience. Different audiences will have different backgrounds and knowledge, so you should use your audience analysis to determine whether specific information you plan on using would be appropriate for a specific audience. For example, if you’re giving a speech on family units to a group of individuals over the age of sixty-five, starting your speech with a reference to the television show Gossip Girl may not be the best idea because the television show may not be relevant to that audience.

Second, you need to consider the basic purpose of your speech. As discussed earlier in this text, there are three basic purposes you can have for giving a speech: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. When selecting an attention-getter, you want to make sure that you select one that corresponds with your basic purpose. If your goal is to entertain an audience, then starting a speech with a quotation about how many people are dying in Africa each day from malnutrition may not be the best way to get your audience’s attention. Remember, one of the basic goals of an introduction is to prepare your audience for your speech. If your attention-getter differs drastically in tone from the rest of your speech (e.g., dying in Africa when you want your audience to laugh), the disjointedness may cause your audience to become confused or tune you out completely.

Your third basic consideration when picking an attention-getting device is your speech topic. Ideally, your attention-getting device should have a relevant connection to your speech. Imagine if a speaker pulled condoms out of his pocket, yelled “Free sex!” and threw the condoms at the audience in the beginning of a speech about the economy. While this may clearly get the audience’s attention, this isn’t really a good way to prepare an audience for a speech about bull and bear markets. Not every attention-getter is appropriate for a given topic. Instead, a speaker could start this speech by explaining that “according to a 2004 episode of 60 Minutes, adults in the United States spend approximately $10 billion annually on adult entertainment, which is roughly the equivalent to the amounts they spend attending professional sporting events, buying music, or going out to the movies” (Leung, 2004). Notice how effective the shocking statistic is in clearly introducing the monetary value of the adult entertainment industry.

The last consideration when picking an attention-getting device involves the speech occasion. Different occasions will necessitate different tones, or particular styles or manners of speaking. For example, a persuasive speech about death and dying shouldn’t be happy and hilarious. An informative speech on the benefits of laughing shouldn’t be dull, dreary, and depressing. When selecting an attention-getter, you want to make sure that the attention-getter sets the tone for the speech.

Now that we’ve explored the four major considerations you must think of when selecting an attention-getter, let’s look at a range of different attention-getters you may employ. Miller (1946) discovered that speakers tend to use one of eleven attention-getting devices when starting a speech. The rest of this section is going to examine these eleven attention-getting devices.

Reference to Subject

The first attention-getting method to consider is to tell your audience the subject of your speech. This device is probably the most direct, but it may also be the least interesting of the possible attention-getters. Here’s an example:

We are surrounded by statistical information in today’s world, so understanding statistics is becoming paramount to citizenship in the twenty-first century.

This sentence explicitly tells an audience that the speech they are about to hear is about the importance of understanding statistics. While this isn’t the most entertaining or interesting attention-getter, it is very clear and direct.

Dave Dugdale – Attentive Audience – CC BY-SA 2.0.

Reference to Audience

The second attention-getting device to consider is a direct reference to the audience. In this case, the speaker has a clear understanding of the audience and points out that there is something unique about the audience that should make them interested in the speech’s content. Here’s an example:

As human resource professionals, you and I know the importance of talent management. In today’s competitive world, we need to invest in getting and keeping the best talent for our organizations to succeed.

In this example, the speaker reminds the audience of their shared status as human resource professionals and uses the common ground to acknowledge the importance of talent management in human resources.

Another way to capture your listeners’ attention is to use the words of another person that relate directly to your topic. Maybe you’ve found a really great quotation in one of the articles or books you read while researching your speech. If not, you can also use a number of sources that compile useful quotations from noted individuals. Probably the most famous quotation book of all time is Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations ( http://www.bartleby.com/100 ), now in its seventeenth edition. Here are some other websites that contain useful databases of quotations for almost any topic:

• http://www.quotationspage.com
• http://www.bartleby.com/quotations
• http://www.moviequotes.com
• http://www.quotesandsayings.com
• http://www.quoteland.com

Quotations are a great way to start a speech, so let’s look at an example that could be used for a speech on deception:

Oliver Goldsmith, a sixteenth-century writer, poet, and physician, once noted that “the true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them.”

Reference to Current Events

Referring to a current news event that relates to your topic is often an effective way to capture attention, as it immediately makes the audience aware of how relevant the topic is in today’s world. For example, consider this attention-getter for a persuasive speech on frivolous lawsuits:

On January 10, 2007, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. and a fellow inmate escaped from a Pueblo, Colorado, jail. During their escape the duo attempted to rappel from the roof of the jail using a makeshift ladder of bed sheets. During Gomez’s attempt to scale the building, he slipped, fell forty feet, and injured his back. After being quickly apprehended, Gomez filed a lawsuit against the jail for making it too easy for him to escape.

In this case, the speaker is highlighting a news event that illustrates what a frivolous lawsuit is, setting up the speech topic of a need for change in how such lawsuits are handled.

Historical Reference

You may also capture your listeners’ attention by referring to a historical event related to your topic. Obviously, this strategy is closely related to the previous one, except that instead of a recent news event you are reaching further back in history to find a relevant reference. For example, if you are giving a speech on the Iraq War that began in 2003, you could refer back to the Vietnam War as way of making a comparison:

During the 1960s and ’70s, the United States intervened in the civil strife between North and South Vietnam. The result was a long-running war of attrition in which many American lives were lost and the country of Vietnam suffered tremendous damage and destruction. Today, we see a similar war being waged in Iraq. American lives are being lost, and stability has not yet returned to the region.

In this example, the speaker is evoking the audience’s memories of the Vietnam War to raise awareness of similarities to the war in Iraq.

Another device you can use to start a speech is to tell an anecdote related to the speech’s topic. An anecdote is a brief account or story of an interesting or humorous event. Notice the emphasis here is on the word “brief.” A common mistake speakers make when telling an anecdote is to make the anecdote too long. Remember, your entire introduction should only be 10 to 15 percent of your speech, so your attention-getter must be very short.

One type of anecdote is a real story that emphasizes a speech’s basic message. For example, here is an anecdote a speaker could use to begin a speech on how disconnected people are from the real world because of technology:

In July 2009, a high school girl named Alexa Longueira was walking along a main boulevard near her home on Staten Island, New York, typing in a message on her cell phone. Not paying attention to the world around her, she took a step and fell right into an open manhole (Whitney, 2009).

A second type of anecdote is a parable or fable. A parable or fable is an allegorical anecdote designed to teach general life lessons. The most widely known parables for most Americans are those given in the Bible and the best-known fables are Aesop’s Fables ( http://www.aesopfables.com ). For the same speech on how disconnected people are with the real world because of technology, the speaker could have used the Fable of The Boy and the Filberts:

The ancient Greek writer Aesop told a fable about a boy who put his hand into a pitcher of filberts. The boy grabbed as many of the delicious nuts as he possibly could. But when he tried to pull them out, his hand wouldn’t fit through the neck of the pitcher because he was grasping so many filberts. Instead of dropping some of them so that his hand would fit, he burst into tears and cried about his predicament. The moral of the story? “Don’t try to do too much at once” (Aesop, 1881).

After recounting this anecdote, the speaker could easily relate the fable to the notion that the technology in our society leads us to try to do too many things at once.

While parables and fables are short and entertaining, their application to your speech topic should be clear. We’ll talk about this idea in more detail later in this chapter when we discuss how to link your attention-getter explicitly to your topic.

Startling Statement

The eighth device you can use to start a speech is to surprise your audience with startling information about your topic. Often, startling statements come in the form of statistics and strange facts. The goal of a good startling statistic is that it surprises the audience and gets them engaged in your topic. For example, if you’re giving a speech about oil conservation, you could start by saying, “A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel.” You could start a speech on the psychology of dreams by noting, “The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.” A strange fact, on the other hand, is a statement that does not involve numbers but is equally surprising to most audiences. For example, you could start a speech on the gambling industry by saying, “There are no clocks in any casinos in Las Vegas.” You could start a speech on the Harlem Globetrotters by saying, “In 2000, Pope John Paul II became the most famous honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters.” All four of these examples came from a great website for strange facts ( http://www.strangefacts.com ).

Although startling statements are fun, it is important to use them ethically. First, make sure that your startling statement is factual. The Internet is full of startling statements and claims that are simply not factual, so when you find a statement you’d like to use, you have an ethical duty to ascertain its truth before you use it. Second, make sure that your startling statement is relevant to your speech and not just thrown in for shock value. We’ve all heard startling claims made in the media that are clearly made for purposes of shock or fear mongering. As speakers, we have an ethical obligation to avoid playing on people’s emotions in this way.

Another strategy for getting your audience’s attention is to ask them a question. There are two types of questions commonly used as attention-getters: response questions and rhetorical questions. A response question is a question that the audience is expected to answer in some manner. For example, you could ask your audience, “Please raise your hand if you have ever thought about backpacking in Europe” or “Have you ever voted for the Electoral College? If so, stand up.” In both of these cases, the speaker wants her or his audience to respond. A rhetorical question , on the other hand, is a question to which no actual reply is expected. For example, a speaker talking about the importance of HIV testing could start by asking the audience, “I have two questions that I’d like you to think about. How many students on this campus have had sexual intercourse? Of those who have had sex, how many have been tested for HIV?” In this case, the speaker does not expect the audience to give an estimate of the numbers of students that fit into each category but rather to think about the questions as the speech goes on.

Humor is another effective method for gaining an audience’s attention. Humor is an amazing tool when used properly. We cannot begin to explain all the amazing facets of humor within this text, but we can say that humor is a great way of focusing an audience on what you are saying. However, humor is a double-edged sword. If you do not wield the sword carefully, you can turn your audience against you very quickly. When using humor, you really need to know your audience and understand what they will find humorous. One of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make is to use some form of humor that the audience either doesn’t find funny or finds offensive. Think about how incompetent the character of Michael Scott seems on the television program The Office , in large part because of his ineffective use of humor. We always recommend that you test out humor of any kind on a sample of potential audience members prior to actually using it during a speech.

Thinkmedialabs – Audience laughing – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Now that we’ve warned you about the perils of using humor, let’s talk about how to use humor as an attention-getter. Humor can be incorporated into several of the attention-getting devices mentioned. You could use a humorous anecdote, quotation, or current event. As with other attention-getting devices, you need to make sure your humor is relevant to your topic, as one of the biggest mistakes some novices make when using humor is to add humor that really doesn’t support the overall goal of the speech. So when looking for humorous attention-getters you want to make sure that the humor is nonoffensive to your audiences and relevant to your speech. For example, here’s a humorous quotation from Nicolas Chamfort, a French author during the sixteenth century, “The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.” While this quotation could be great for some audiences, other audiences may find this humorous quotation offensive (e.g., religious audiences). The Chamfort quotation could be great for a speech on the ills of modern society, but probably not for a speech on the state of modern religious conflict. You want to make sure that the leap from your attention-getter to your topic isn’t too complicated for your audience, or the attention-getter will backfire.

Personal Reference

The tenth device you may consider to start a speech is to refer to a story about yourself that is relevant for your topic. Some of the best speeches are ones that come from personal knowledge and experience. If you are an expert or have firsthand experience related to your topic, sharing this information with the audience is a great way to show that you are credible during your attention-getter. For example, if you had a gastric bypass surgery and you wanted to give an informative speech about the procedure, you could introduce your speech in this way:

In the fall of 2008, I decided that it was time that I took my life into my own hands. After suffering for years with the disease of obesity, I decided to take a leap of faith and get a gastric bypass in an attempt to finally beat the disease.

If you use a personal example, don’t get carried away with the focus on yourself and your own life. Your speech topic is the purpose of the attention-getter, not the other way around. Another pitfall in using a personal example is that it may be too personal for you to maintain your composure. For example, a student once started a speech about her grandmother by stating, “My grandmother died of cancer at 3:30 this morning.” The student then proceeded to cry nonstop for ten minutes. While this is an extreme example, we strongly recommend that you avoid any material that could get you overly choked up while speaking. When speakers have an emotional breakdown during their speech, audience members stop listening to the message and become very uncomfortable.

Reference to Occasion

The last device we mention for starting a speech is to refer directly to the speaking occasion. This attention-getter is only useful if the speech is being delivered for a specific occasion. Many toasts, for example, start with the following statement: “Today we are here to honor X.” In this case, the “X” could be a retirement, a marriage, a graduation, or any number of other special occasions. Because of its specific nature, this attention-getter is the least likely to be used for speeches being delivered for college courses.

Key Takeaways

• In developing the introduction to your speech, begin by deciding upon a statement to capture the audience’s attention.
• Attention-getters can include references to the audience, quotations, references to current events, historical references, anecdotes, startling statements, questions, humor, personal references, and references to the occasion.
• Make a list of the attention-getting devices you might use to give a speech on the importance of recycling. Which do you think would be most effective? Why?
• You’ve been asked to deliver a speech on the use of advertising in children’s media. Out of the list of ten different possible attention-getting devices discussed in the chapter, how could you use four of them to start your speech?

Aesop (1881). Aesop’s fables . New York, NY: Wm. L. Allison. Retrieved from http://www.litscape.com/author/Aesop/The_Boy_and_the_Filberts.html

Leung, R. (2004, September 5). Porn in the U.S.A.: Steve Kroft reports on a $10 billion industry. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com .

Miller, E. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32 , 181–183.

Whitney, L. (2009, July 13). Don’t text while walking? Girl learns the hard way. CNET News Wireless . Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10285466-94.html

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Effective Attention Getters for Your Essay with Examples

Whether you’re trying to enroll in college or submitting a scholarship application, your essay has to be super appealing. Pressed for time, most admissions committees will only glance at the first paragraph to decide whether the piece is worth a read. Since nobody can guarantee your submission gets considered, it’s up to you to ensure it will amuse the reader.

So how do you write the perfect attention-grabber and impress the college admissions counselors? How can you make your work stands out from the crowd? Below you can find good attention-getters for essays to help you write a compelling introductory paragraph that makes the audience want to read on.

What Are Attention Grabbers in Essays?

The so-called attention-grabbing technique has a simple purpose. It must catch the reader’s interest from the very beginning. Hence, you need sentences that make a good essay introduction and attempt to stir the audience and show your ability to weave words.

For instance, an amusing fact, personal experience, or a joke can do the job. Whatever strategy you use, don’t forget that using random quotes or anecdotes won’t work. Your intro must lead to the main thesis or introduce an opposing argument you’re about to refute.

The Importance of Good Attention Grabbers for Essays

Also known as “grabbers” and “hooks,” these elements always go in the first paragraph. Often, they make the first two or three sentences of the intro. At this point, ensure you include compare and contrast transition words to make sentences run smoothly in a coherent whole.

But why do you need an attention-getter? What impact does it leave on the reader? Here are a few reasons.

• To convince the reader to go until the end of your work and not give up after the first few lines.
• To tell the audience that you’re a skillful writer who knows how to use an intriguing opening.
• To encourage people not keen on the subject to get on the bandwagon.
• To invoke the curiosity of whoever’s considering the paper.
• To inform that you’re exposing something rare, not just another chore.

Different Types of Attention Grabbers for College Essays

Several attention-grabbing openings can achieve the same effect. The most compelling introductory lines include posing a question, storytelling, sharing fascinating statistics, and rhetorical generalizations. Below, we list examples of attention-getters for essays to help you get on the right foot.

Whatever method you choose, you can’t go wrong. Hooks go interchangeably in almost any written piece. However, if you have writer’s block, refer to a  reflective essay writing service to get the ball rolling. These experts can assist you in drafting a relatable and highly appealing attention-getter.

Use a Quotation

Using a quote when writing an essay will make it credible and intriguing. This strategy engages the emotional side of readers and connects them to your wording. To start strongly, find a quotation by a famous author or expert related to your topic. Use it wisely to support the thesis and demonstrate that your research is thorough. Besides conveying your thoughts eloquently , quotes move and speak to people with timeless words.

Examples of a Quotation

If you want to present yourself as a creative and artful soul, begin your paper with: “Einstein once said: Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.”

Similarly, if you wish to come across as a hard-working and trustworthy student, say: “Samuel Johnson claimed that what we ever hope to do with ease, we must first learn to do with diligence.”

Use Shocking Statistic

Another way to capture the audience is to introduce a striking figure or data relevant to the topic. Avoid facts that everyone is aware of and pick something surprising. Moreover, when writing conclusion paragraph for your essay , you may end with some projected statistics from trusted sources. This hack is excellent for informative or technical papers.

Examples of Attention Grabbers with Shocking Statistics

“According to tech schools, girls get outnumbered 6 to 1 by boys when it comes to enrolling in computer science classes.”

“The latest research shows that the human body contains ten times more bacteria than cells.”

Ask a Question

Posing a question at the beginning is an effective method to compel your reader. However, you must know the audience well to create an intriguing formulation that stimulates critical thinking. In addition, the intro query should direct the reader to read the paper and find the answer. Hence, avoid posing questions that are too general and don’t impress the target recipient.

Introductory Question Hooks

“Have you ever been so keen on a course that you spent the entire summer working to afford it?”

“Do you feel that each photograph, regardless of its high-quality, reduces the reality it represents?”

Tell an Anecdote

Share an experience that makes your life journey unique and relates to the essay’s purpose. By doing so, you will engage your reader emotionally. Often, considering a  descriptive essay writing service can help you transform your chronicle into an attention-grabbing hook. Alternatively, a well-crafted fictional account can evoke the same emotional response.

Example of a Real Event

“The day I met my Science teacher in middle school changed my life for the better. And not because she encouraged me to pursue a career as a geneticist. The encounter was something you’d never expect. As my dad approached the building, he hit another car on the side, and guess who was inside? My new Science teacher.”

Use Storytelling

Why not start the essay with a story or a good joke and steer away from complicated concepts? Everybody loves well-written stories because they raise interest and leave a trace. Yet, connecting the narrative with what follows next is critical to the main theme of the assignment. Finally, this approach is ideal for admission applications but not for more formal academic papers.

Example of a Great Story

“Lightings stroke hard, and the rain was attacking the roof, drowning any words we tried to pronounce. I’d expected to play the guitar and show the company my latest song, but the universe prevented whatever I attempted to do that night.”

Use Rhetorical Generalizations

Consider issuing a statement to serve as a pathway into the main argument. Conversely, if you doubt your writing skills, hire a  website to write an essay to get you admitted into college. These professionals know how to use a generalization that introduces your thesis statement in a way that challenges people to contemplate the topic.

Ideas for Rhetorical Generalizations

“Who wouldn’t agree that higher education is the most reliable ticket to self-fulfillment?”

“Recycling is undoubtedly the most efficient method to attain sustainability.”

Using any of these attention getter examples will pave your path to success. However, it’s not just the opening that needs to get polished to perfection. You may quickly spoil the first impression if the rest of the essay abounds with irrelevant information or contains grammatical errors and typos. This can be avoided if you get a professional essay writing service . So, getting help is a good option.

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