Learning Objectives

•Understandthe occasion and stylistic features of the speech

•Thinkabout the question of the purpose of university education

•Knowsomething about the author

•Solveyour own questions about the text

John Ciardi 1916-1986

ua child of Italian immigrants

uBegan his career teaching English at the University of Kansas City 

uJoined the US Air Force in 1942, served as a gunner in fighter planes

uwent on to teach at Harvard University in 1946 

uin 1953 accepted a position at Rutgers University

uin 1961, gave up teaching and devoted himself to his own literary endeavors.

uPoet, translator, etymologist

uMajor works:

            ØFirst book of poems, Homeward to America,1940

            ØOther Skies, focusing on his war-timeexperience, 1947

            ØHow Does a Poem Mean, astandard textbook for high school and college poetry courses

            ØTranslationof Dante’s DivineComedy (TheInferno,1954; ThePurgatorio,1961; TheParadiso,1970)

uInfluence:

            ØA very popular poet

            ØPoetry editor of SaturdayReview from1956 to 1972

            ØFellow of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences

                and a member and former president of the National

                Institute of Arts and Letters

Genre

Orientation speech

period of time at the beginning of the academic year at a  university  during which a variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students. The orientation helps new students to organize their classes, acclimate to student life, and introduce themselves to other new students. Speeches are often given at orientation by presidents or acclaimed professors of the university.

 Audience

             - College freshmen

Style

            - colloquial, familiar; first humorous, mildly sarcastic;  later serious and earnest