“Be the change that you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
Waiting for Godot: Speech Presentation
One of the primary themes in “Waiting for Godot” is how
Beckett poses the question, “What are you waiting for?”
Through the characters Vladimir and Estragon, we are called
to task, reflecting on the age-old question, what is the
meaning of life? Beckett’s pessimistic answer to this
question seems to be that there is no meaning, and that we
are all waiting for nothing – essentially that all of our
lives have no purpose.
Your job is to challenge this sullen idea by demonstrating
to your peers that instead of waiting for all life’s
challenges to disappear, they should be active participants
in creating meaning in their lives and in the lives of
others around them. What issues have you encountered
either yourself or through observation? What makes you
passionate, angry, upset or sad when you hear, read or see
it in the media? What challenges have you personally faced
and neglected to act upon?
The Task:
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Consider an issue that exists in the world and/or in our lives
(global, social, societal, economic…)
Do some research on that issue. Ensure that your research
comes from a source that is reliable and offers good insight.
Reflect about how it affects people, and how we can participate
in changing the reality of this issue in our lives or the world
around us.
Write a 3-5 minute speech persuading people to take action!
Tell them how this issue is present in their lives and convince
them that by making a change, they will find self-fulfillment.
In your speech, make a connection to “Waiting for Godot”. You
can choose to connect it in any way you wish, as long as it
does not disrupt the flow and style of your speech.
You are presenting your findings, so it would be a good idea to
have some kind of handout, or visual for people to see while
you talk. You cannot use any technology, so be creative!
The Mark:
K = 10 marks The Issue
 Research (reliability)
 Knowledge of issue/ topic
 Points
“Be the change that you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
T = 10 marks Persuasiveness
(speech structure)
 Speech Structure
 Flow and Style
 Meaning of topic
C = 10 marks Delivery
 Voice and Tone
 Pitch
 Body Language and Eye
Contact
A = 10 marks Connection to
Godot and Props
 Visual
 Connection to Godot
 Connection to the
audience