Wellesley High School Commencement Speech By David Mccullough Jr.

Wellesley High School Commencement Address
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.
McCullough’s speech had many aspects that not only made it interesting, but caused it to be effective. Right from the beginning he used humor which related to the entire group there. It help to open the mood and allow each individual to relax and start with an open mind. His speech is filled with examples and phrases that get you thinking, which is the part of his purpose for the speech. One of the most remembered phrases used by McCullough is “You’re not Special”. This phrase put this speech on the map, but also open the

eyes of everyone that day.
A commencement, the beginning: the ceremony from teenager to adult, to responsibility outside of your parents and the step to your future.

This is what McCullough convey in his speech to each student. He stated that “it was a level playing field” and used the phrase “You’re not Special”. The use of logos in this phrase transmits a person of no concern for the student that he is speaking to, but in fact it’s the opposite. This phrase along with the entire speech was to encourage each student in their future. His main focus was to help each student see that no matter where you come from or how you got to this point, from this day forward it was up to you, where you

go.
Each piece of this speech used relatable information that would allow the students to stop, think, and realize that what he was saying had some truth. McCullough got down on their level and use sentences and words that they would be able to understand. He use pieces of information that had facts and truth. His straightforward reality aspired not only to those that attended, but to those that heard his speech. The tone of his speech felt harsh, callused, and cruel and the words used seems to follow as unkind, insensitive, and cold. But the speech and the meaning was appreciated, valued, and welcomed by many.
McCullough’s speech hit home for many people that day and has been a big success story. His point of view has proven that the nature of his speech was not ungrateful but accepted by millions. I believe his speech was effective from the use of repetition, anaphora, and parallelism. His speech embraced a truth that can be received and put to the test. Each person wants to be the best person possible and with McCullough’s direct and open speech it open the eyes of many that day. (McCullough, Jr.)