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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Drew Houston's Commencement Speech

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Rhetorical Analysis of Drew Houston’s 2013 MIT Commencement Speech Sometimes, life isn't something one can plan out, and sometimes "perfect" doesn’t exist. This is the message Drew Houston (the CEO and founder of Dropbox) looked to promote during his 2013 Commencement Speech at MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). In this speech, Drew Houston employed a range of rhetorical strategies, including humor, emotional appeals, and storytelling, to captivate his audience and effectively convey his message about the significance of following one's passion and persisting through setbacks. By deftly weaving these rhetorical devices throughout his speech, Houston not only engages and entertains his listeners but also inspires them to pursue their dreams with determination and perseverance. …show more content…

This humor begins as early as the third paragraph in his speech, with a description of how life is all about jumping "through hoops"—and how one must "get these test scores, get into this college, take these classes, get this degree, pay your dues, and get to work" (Houston). Houston sarcastically jokes about his statement, explaining that "all of that ends today." Thank God." This jeer in the form of "Thank God" allows for the usually bleak atmosphere of a commencement speech to be broken and for a more laid-back and casual tone to take form. Houston specifically utilized humor in this regard to permit his message to be heard by relaxed students, willing to take in information, and not "scholars" too anxious to truly digest any stimuli. The audience, feeling this change in atmosphere, was allowed to stop worrying about their immediate future and simply enjoy it for what it was at that very moment. Overall, Houston’s humor effectively transforms his audience from one that is potentially unwilling to agree to one that is more able to accept his

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