Analyzing Michelle Obama's Arguement Speech

Michelle Obama, the First Lady of the United States from 2009-2017 gave her last commencement speech as the First Lady on June 3, 2016, at CCNY-City College of New York-to the graduating class of 2016. Michelle's message to the students is showing and sharing your story with the world is what allows new learning, bonds, and perspectives to thrive.
Michelle Obama in her commencement speech states why she chose to speak at City College of New York out of the thousands she could have chosen. Michelle indicates “...you represent more than 150 nationalities. You speak more than 100 different languages; you represent just about every possible background; every color and culture, every faith and walk of life.” she later in her speech went on to talk

The Devices Michelle uses in her speech are very potent because she allows herself to connect with the audience profoundly way. During the speech, Michelle uses Anecdote in large ways sharing her story and her history while also sharing the story of many students who have accomplished and reached outstanding academic heights. Michelle uses the devices Compare and Contrast and Cause and Effect closely. Michelle mentions “They seem to view our diversity as a threat to be contained rather than as a resource to be tapped. They tell us to be afraid of those who are different, to be suspicious of those with whom we disagree. They act as if name-calling is an acceptable substitute for thoughtful debate as if anger and intolerance should be our default state rather than the optimism and openness that have always been the engine of our progress.” In this statement, we see Michelle compare the thought of those who oppose diversity and the thoughts of those who are for diversity. In this statement we also see Michelle use Cause and Effect by stating the cause of our progress as a nation, school, and the human race is our diversity, the effect being great progress. The rhetorical appeals used throughout whole speech are Logos, Pathos, and Ethos; we see Michelle use Pathos appeal by sharing stories that she