David Mccullough Rhetorical Devices

In addressing the Wellesley High School class of 2012, David McCullough, Jr., uses rhetorical devices such as logos, pathos and literacy devices to argue the uneasy fact to the grads that every person is not special and thus should not try to accomplish everything in life.
McCullough, intertwines logos and pathos to emphasize the importance of doing things for self–enrichment, instead of the established ideal of competition. These students are not the first ones, last ones, or only ones to graduate high school in Massachusetts. He lists, “no fewer than 3.2 million seniors are graduating about now from more than 37,000 high schools. That’s 37,000 valedictorians, 37,000 class presidents...2,185,967 pairs of Uggs”. He drives

in his purpose that they are not special while simultaneously catching the attention of these high schoolers by applying to humor through the popular shoe–fad statistics. The trend of fact and emotional stimulation of specific and global seniors, creates a genuine interest in McCullough’s claims. Despite the many achievements one might of made at their elite high school school, it would be a disservice to allow all “6.8 billion examples of perfection” to continue to be coddled by parents and teachers of every little success. McCullough instills a healthier view towards education if the student work for their interests and not the scrutiny surrounding the notion of excelling at everything. Instead of reality slapping them in the face later on in life, McCullough does it right then and there. McCullogh acknowledges that each student has talents, but “if everyone is special, then no one is”. In confronting a universal commonplace, he ensures his message as relevant and unarguable for the students and parents. His reference to marriage, baseball, “YOLO”, and the ubiquitous dislike for Donald Trump’s hair, create a persuasive human element to the speech. Moreover, he describes historical examples like Roosevelt, Mr. Thoreau, and Mary Oliver who “encourage young scholars to carpe the heck out of the diem”. Such remarks qualify that the student needs to to take initiative to do something positive in his/her life for him/herself, not for a recognition.
Additionally, McCullogh uses various literary devices to convey his point about the indistinctive grads.

To regard the importance of the bigger picture, he maintains parallel structure and utilizes the repetition of words in the body of the speech. “The fulfilling life, the distinctive life, the relevant life” occurs when one seizes the day—when one finds the joys in life by realizing “you are not special”. The pauses and short sentences also adds to the conversational aspect and pace of the commencement piece. To continue, he notes how in this moment of time, every single one of them is dressed “exactly the same” and their diplomas are “exactly the same”. The unification of these prospective seniors further augments the message of settling. McCullogh further critiques the phrases that defy logic. High school students have perceived that “good is no longer good enough, where a B is the new C”. The goal into doing one’s best has been shaped into doing the capabilities of another, in which McCullogh responds metaphorically to only focus on the betterment of the self: “climb [the mountain] so you can see the world, not so the world can see you”. All of these seniors have fallen into the preconceived mindset of superiority, unifying them together but it is their personal capabilities that distinguishes one from another, successes from failures. The support and inspiration he is aiming for is clearly portrayed in proposing to the students to, “[d]ream big. Work hard. Think for yourself”. He inspires them to experience life instead of accomplish

it.
As a distinguished English teacher at Wellesley High School, David McCullough, Jr., successfully advises the graduating class to live life in the present for oneself, not to to fight against one another for “the best” label. McCullough shows his care for the class of 2012 by berating the idea that students can excel at everything in life from an academic, athletic, and social aspect. Through the use of rhetorical strategies such as pathos, logos, and literary devices, the forthright speaker captivates his audience into realizing why they are not special, nor want to be special.