David Wallace Commencement Speech Analysis

In the movie Mr. Keating made many students become more independent in their decisions they make. In the movie he made Neil one of the main character more independent, Neil’s dad, Mr. Perry seems like he was controlling Neil. By telling him what he should and should not do. He became

He is also using pathos, when he talks about the different stories, including Ellen being bullied. Even though there is a great amount of pathos, especially as the commencement address is about life, love and the future, the main mode of persuasion is ethos. He is a professor at the university and he is being very open with his own failures by telling these personal stories, which is making the audience respect him. Simultaneously, he also uses the sponsorship effect as he mentions Shakespeare, Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Hayden Carruth, who is a graduate from Syracuse, to strengthen his

It was hard to comprehend people’s ideas and so Ralph suggested “to have ‘Hands up’ like [he did] at school”. This depicts how he is bringing civilized manners from a rational world and integrating into this irrational world. He is trying to turn this irrational place into rational place and increasing their chances of survival. Applying this suggestion improved their communication which brought them closer and eventually helping them to move up on the hierarchy of

Jeff Haden’s “DO WHAT YOU LOVE? #@&** THAT!” is a counter argument to Steve Jobs speech to Stanford graduates expressing them to follow their hearts. Haden immediately explains how that is the worst advice you can give a young individual. He then formats his article with bold headlines, so the reader can easily identify his key points. All his key points include various forms of “passion” and how an individual might not always get paid for theirs.

David Foster Wallace establishes credibility in his speech by expressing his experience in learning how to think. Ethos is a rhetorical appeal that uses credibility and experience to give an argument more strength. Within the beginning of the “This is Water” speech, David asserts his credibility to the audience by conveying that he too was a student, and that as a student, he disliked the idea that others had to teach him how to think (Wallace 1). Wallace begins with this statement to let the audience know that he knows that they do not want to be told how to think because he was a student just like them. As a student, David was stuck in his default setting because he was still being told how to think.

He never jumps from one to another topic without explaining completely. Even though during the opening of the essay Forsgren seems like throwing Speer’s name out of nowhere, but as fast as he could, he follows it with a narrative and explanation of who Speer is. Forsgren don’t always literally describes, instead he puts on story and expert testimony to strengthen what he is saying. Since his audience seems to be the “general educated” population, his purpose of writing this essay could be easily fulfilled or succeeded. His goal of writing is to give people a realization that even during the worst time, mankind should still have their conscience and humanity.

The first challenge is: “How would you describe Edmundson’s ethos, or self-representation, in this essay?” In answer, he clearly established his ethos in his introduction as a college professor that cares about his students and how they learn. He then explains that, while he gets good feedback about his teaching from his students, he feels that he is being too easy on his students and he isn’t teaching them the way he would like. He also compares himself to a professor that asked the two part question: “What book did you most dislike in this course? What intellectual or characterological flaws in you does that dislike point to?”

Keating seems to have set out to break the mold of the tradition Welton teacher. He also seems to want his students to also break the mold and think for themselves. He accomplishes this goal by showing them how to look at the world differently and showing them that emotions are not something you should bottle up, but put on a page. Keating also pushes the importance of Carpe Diem or “seizing the day” (Williams,1989). The boys, in turn, take interest in Mr. Keating’s teachings, they take the idea if they are going to die one day, to heart, and begin to live their lives to the fullest.

An anonymous author once said, “You say it 's your life therefore your decisions, but are you aware that your choices will not affect only you, but also those around you, who care and love you dearly even if you aren 't aware of that. So make the right decisions and choices in life to make not only yourself proud and happy but also those around you.” Throughout the many books we read during class there seemed to be a running theme through a few of them. Men make rash decisions and act on these rash decisions while women stop and think things through before they act. According to crisiscounseling.org, Dr. Michael G. Conner author of “Understanding The Difference Between Men and Women” writes, “... male attraction to high speed activities and reckless behavior that usually involve collisions with other males or automobiles.

The point of education is for professors to provide students with a variety of views on a controversial subject, not provide them with their own opinions. In fact, when teachers provide students with multiple point of views it not only makes them more successful, but also establishes a more effective curriculum and education to students. However, while Source G argues that the Academic Bill of Rights push for diversity by removing the already present politics in the classroom results in teachers censoring their beliefs for students, even when they are “experts in their subject matter.” It is important to remember that

William Zinsser writes in the selection, “College Pressures” about the social, political, and economic pressures of going to a major university and how it encourages students uniformity and overachieving. Zinsser states numerous times when students ask for help to balance a normal life, while still satisfying the needs of themselves, their peers, and their parents. While he explains all of this, it is hard to believe that he is not only exposing a difficult situation, but also trying to bring change to this situation. Many times Zinsser explains how everyone wants to take the “right” road, which is the safe, easy choice for students to get them exactly where they want to go in a safe way. Even if that is truly not what they want to do, or what

Pursuit of Happiness Alex Smith, a professional football player for the NFL, gave a speech to a graduating class at the University of Utah. With this speech I’m going to take a rhetorical analysis look at it. I’ll take a deeper look into what Smith said, and why he said it that way. The graduation speech was meant to be inspirational for the graduates and others attending the ceremony. It was also intended to congratulate them on their accomplishments.

In some aspects of life, society begs for perfection; It holds you to the highest of standards. This is what Donovan Livingston addressed in his commencement speech at Harvard University. In his speech Livingston stresses the importance of being yourself and quit the dreams of being perfect. Donovan Livingston uses robust phrases to educate and influence the public to not be scared to step up to the next level, to become the start of a movement, or to be the one that breaks social injustice. Donovan Livingston crafted is speech using a plethora of metaphors to appeal to the publics’ emotion and help them create a mental image inside their minds.

In her "Bowie State University Commencement Speech" Michelle Obama encourages students to aggressively pursue their own education because of its extreme value. In her speech, Obama reminded the students of the many challenges and obstacles African Americans had to pass through in their battle to obtain an education. The battle which offered them a better life, and also the opportunity to new generations to obtain a high-level education. A reminder that Michelle Obama gives for the sole purpose of making a so-called of awareness to those young people who no longer strive to obtain a higher education; even though they have the education opportunity that is widely available to everyone. Indeed Michelle Obama is right.