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ellen degeneres commencement speech
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The commencement ceremony encourages each student’s search for knowledge. It often includes a speech which seeks to put their recent hard work into the context of their future. Oprah Winfrey’s Harvard commencement speech and Bill Gates’s Harvard commencement speech both give Harvard graduates important advice for the future. While there are differences between Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gate’s commencement speeches at Harvard, they both agree that students should find a purposeful cause in their lives and find the solution. Both speeches are full of ideas that are geared to motivate the graduates, help them set goals, and strive for things in life. The speeches give them a message to takeaway for later. Not all speeches are the same but they seem to have similar running theme to them.
These speeches both have motivating factors to them, and I felt in Winfrey’s it was this quote. “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise. At some point you are bound to stumble because if you’re constantly doing what we do, raising the bar. If you’re constantly pushing yourself higher, higher the law of averages not to mention the Myth of Icarus predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do I want you to know this, remember this: there is no such thing as failure” (Winfrey, 2013). This quote was a real motivating factor in her speech because it lets us know that as we succeed in life sometimes we fall and that’s ok. Along as the graduates are pushing themselves towards the top it doesn’t matter what happens along the way it’s just part of the ride. Bill Gates’s motivation point was when he said “When you consider what those of us here in this Yard have been given – in talent, privilege, and opportunity – there is almost no limit to what the...
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...gs are great to have any graduate think about, as they are starting the next chapter of their lives.
And while, both speeches were amazing and engaging in their own ways, they both motivated their audiences and made them think about how they can change peoples' lives. They let them know that people in the world need help and that have the solutions to help them. They challenged them to take on the problems and to make a difference. While the speeches are not exactly the same they have similar themes running through them. These are truly two of the most amazing people who have given this world so much.
Works Cited
Gates, B. (2013). Harvard commencement speech. In The writer’s guide from Soomo Publishing.
Retrieved from www.webtexts.com
Winfrey, O. (2013). Harvard commencement speech. In The writer’s guide from Soomo
Publishing. Retrieved from www.webtexts.com
Fear of the unknown can be a very terrifying situation, many people graduate college thinking they are done when in reality they are just getting started with life. In Steven Spielberg’s Commencement speech to the Harvard Graduates, class of 2016. Spielberg exploited the fears and truths in life, what he was faced with and how life turned out for him. In my opinion Steven Spielberg did a really good job of structuring his speech and keeping the audience’s attention, Spielberg’s speech was well written and well delivered. He used some very nice quotes in the speech to inspire the audience. Steven Spielberg’s Speech was effective in persuading the audience, he really showed great use of ethos in his speech because many of the audience could relate. And just like in his movies Spielberg used pathos in his speech when he connected some of his popular movies with the speech in order to appeal to the audience.
In 2005, David Wallace Foster delivered a memorable commencement speech to the graduating class of Kenyon College. It was not the standard US commencement speech with “the deployment of didactic little parable-ish stories” which then turn out to be “one of the better, less bullshitty conventions of the genre”. By using pathos , Foster created an intelligent argument that wasn't overpowering but thoughtful and understanding. The argument made by Foster in his speech is about the capital-T Truth. And to Foster, the capital-T Truth is about life before death. The point of Fosters speech is to expose the importance of education, the value it possesses and the awareness it brings. Its modest amount parables, proverbs and cliches revealed the honesty behind his words and ugly truths that caused a stir the audience. Wallace Foster stripped away the standardness of such monotone and basic writing of commencement speeches to his advantage. By using pathos he builds bridges, sustains his arguments and emotionally influences his audience.
“Climb on one’s back and stand on their shoulders to reach the top” this is what the Coronel Colin Powell hints to recent graduating students from the Howard University in 1994. The Commencement Speech was long enough to motivate the graduating students. In addition, it was proper and formal. When the speech began, Powell was excited by ending on sharing his own experiences and giving great advices for those future professionals. Powell´s Commencement Speech demonstrates his interest by sharing his thoughts, and its language was uplifting and captivating. (502).
In her ,“Harvard”, address, actress, comedian and producer Amy Poehler speaks to the graduating class of 2011. Her speech is filled with her uplifting sense of humor and her down-to-earth personality that you can’t help but enjoy. Poehler utilizes various rhetorical strategies throughout her address such as allusion, and conveying pathos in a humourous as well as an emotional way. By using these, she successfully encourages the young students and families at Harvard University to work their hardest and take on the world.
While Lincoln’s speeches were great and well thought out, Roosevelt’s speeches were more persuasive and full of imagery that swayed audiences and help attention captive. Roosevelt had a way with words that Lincoln did not have. Roosevelt’s speeches were more upbeat and tried to lift spirits while Lincoln’s speeches saddened many. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Two presidents in history whose speeches made a lasting impact on
Growing up my parents always taught my sister and I that we should always be grateful for what we had. Take care of all our toys and expensive things that they brought us. They taught us that you have to work hard for what you want and nothing is handed to you. Even though me and my sister always got what wanted we also knew that we worked for it and that made getting it even better. I believe my parents raised me pretty good. I always respected them and knew my limits, me and my sister had chores we had to do and if they weren't done by the end of the week we would have a consequence. This taught us responsibility and that in the real world if you don't do your job you would be fired or there would be a consequence you would have to pay. Lately I have noticed that a lot of kids in today's society are very ungrateful. They feel entitled and believe that they shouldn't have to work for anything. They think things should just be handed to them without any questions asked. I think I have a way to stop this rising trait in today's youth.
Edwards and King both are very powerful speakers. They know how to capture their audience's attention merely through words. Both King and Edwards wanted people to change their ways, though not for the same reason. They both put all they had into their speeches making them very emotional speakers. With their words they painted pictures of what they wanted the people to think of as they listened.
“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake,” said Martin Luther King (“Never, never”). Many of us know Martin for his powerful words and his inspirational speeches. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s childhood and life experiences led him to become a student of non-violent activism, to receive numerous awards and honors, and to greatly impact our society.
Graduating from school is only one of the essential tools for a young person to have a successful life. A person endures many long years of schooling, and then the graduation day finally arrives. That special day is one of the most momentous days in a young student’s life. Happiness and sadness are the two emotions a person will feel on that special day. A student will experience happiness because of a significant milestone that was completed in the student’s life. The sad emotions will arise because of a terrifying new chapter in the book of life that is about to begin. Both Bradley Whitford and His Holiness the Dalai Lama give their commencement speeches by using humor to relax the mood of the crowd, making light of their fame, and giving the usual words of wisdom to the graduating class of students.
David McCullough Jr., delivered the commencement at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts on June 1st 2012 to staff, the 2012 graduates, and their family and friends. The speech was straightforward and supplied valuable information for their future. . McCullough’s speech at times felt harsh, offensive, and insulting. His words and examples were given to achieve insight, knowledge, and awareness for each student’s future. The commencement expressed a great deal of achievement, but conveyed that there was more work to be done. His speech was effective and appreciated through humor parallelism, repetition, and anaphora. His point of view has obtained respect and determination by all those that have been challenged and have heard his words.
Eidenmuller, Michael E. Great Speeches for Better Speaking: Listen and Learn From America’s Most Memorable Speeches. New York: Mcgraw Hill, 2008. Google Books. Web. 4 September 2010.
In June of 2011, Conan O’Brien gave the commencement address to the 2011 graduating class of Dartmouth College. O’Brien uses humor and anecdotes to deliver a powerful speech which resonated with most viewers. O’Brien also used many literary devices for the graduates to better understand his primary points. Conan O’Brien delivery of his commencement address was effective because of his use of pathos, ethos, and antidotes, which contributed to his fantastic speech.
Barack Obama’s eulogy of Nelson Mandela is a beautiful, passionate speech which uses a range of different techniques: rhetorical, non-verbal, and language styles – to be able to connect and communicate his messaged effectively with his audience. Obama’s ability to combine his strong voice and tone control along with his powerful words create a sense of emotion which cannot be underestimated. Obama understands the means needed to influence others and understands how to execute presentations to benefit his professional and political credibility. It’s unfortunate surrounding the circumstances in which Barack Obama had to present this speech, but it’s a speech that will be known as one of the most powerful, moving, inspiring and passionate tribute to someone who was beloved by millions, and will be missed.
Commencement is a critical juncture in our lives; it is a momentous occasion where we believe we are about to start anew. However, graduation is the bittersweet moment where the forces of past and future are simultaneously acting on us. Consequently, the past is not dead. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, suggests that our past experiences will be with us forever as he states, " [we] are a part of all that [we] have met; yet all experience is an arch where through gleams that untraveled world." That is why graduation, similar to other turning points in our lives, possesses two halves, which accentuate each other. We are looking forward, but the "arch" of experience beckons us to remember, value, and learn from our past experiences. Thus, I feel that in order to appreciate commencement fully, we must remember our own past, and in particular, the last four years:
I consider Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005 to be one of the most effective speeches. He uses mechanics of speech to craft a well-rounded speech that is crowned by his use of rhetorical devices. Jobs gives relevant and fundamental knowledge of his life and experiences with his rhetorical approach. In his speech to the Stanford’s graduation class, he tells different stories of love, loss, discovery and difficulty he faced in his life to encourage new graduates as they continue to mature in life. He encourages students to pursue their dreams and not be discouraged by failures they might experience in life.