Text Analysis of Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech - Essay Example

of unit Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech Steve job is one of the most successful college dropout in the history of united states. Many consider him a genius and most of the young professional look at his achievements as motivation to do better in their field of specialization. Commencement speeches have gained popularity in modern day universities, and Stanford chose Steve Jobs in 2005 to talk to young graduands entering the job market. The paper critically analyzes ethos, pathos and logos in Steve Jobs Commencement Speech. The irony of his presence is a successful college dropout giving advice to college graduates. The paper adopts the thesis Steve jobs speech appeals more to college students than his academic background. Speaker Steve Jobs is one of most celebrated inventor, businessperson, philanthropist and personality (Wilson 56). Steve is as one of the cofounders of Apple Company and computerized animation (Pixar animation). However, analyzing Steve Jobs at an academically it a different story. The quagmire of the speech at one of the most respected academic institutions is the fact he openly refers to his academic life standing at the podium. Steve’s speech is well crafted and depicts all the three elements that are necessary to capture the audience attention. Steve Jobs effectively uses irony to introduce the fact that he has never graduated by uttering the words “…This is the closest I have ever got to college graduation…” (The Apple History Channel). The Audience Steve speech audience is composed of mostly young graduands from Stanford University. Steve Jobs understands well the level of education of his audience and goes directly to the main points in his speech. The environment and atmosphere that the audience offer Steve Jobs encourages him to continue with the speech. The audience is patient and responds well to Steve Jobs humor and emotional words. The composure of the audience implies they are eager to listen and learn new concepts. The audience responds well to Steve humour and applause him when he is for the first time. Steve Jobs uses tonal variation and posting from time to time giving audience time to comprehend his points. The audience respond during the pauses reveals they are attentive and listening to the speech keenly. There is very little murmuring during the speech, the audience in this case are a matured lot and respect the speaker Steve Jobs. The audience is more rejuvenated and fired up to face life at the end of the speech. The logos appeal Steve Jobs success overshadows the fact that he has never graduated from college and effectively presents his speech to the college graduates. Irony presents its self since Steve has never graduated, but the students look more to his personality as the CEO of Appel and Pixar Animation. His speech is of three parts. Connecting the dots, appeals more to Steve Jobs inception and early college life. There is a similarity between Steve Jobs biological mother a college dropout just like him but present little gist to the speech main objectives. Connecting the dots, Steve prepares the college students for the most and main important parts of the speech in the next sections. However, Steve puts emphasis on following ones heart in connecting the dots. He refers to the fact that he dropped out of college followed his heart and learned calligraphy. Calligraphy proved to be priceless ten years on. The fact clearly shows that one can only connect the dots out of college looking backward. Steve Jobs is passionate, and states, “…believing in the dots will connect down the road gives you the confidence to follow your heart…” (The Apple History Channel). Steve Jobs sentiments encourage the college students to trust in the knowledge aquired at college and apply it in real life. The second section love and loss, Steve uses rhetorical questions to present the fact that he lost the company he created. However, the low moments in his life prove that he is an inventor and has the personality of a fighter. He starts a fresh and creates the first animation company in the world. Steve advises the gathering to keep looking and not settle, Steve’s achievements clearly appeal to the graduates on the need to work hard. The speech is structured as Steve introduces hope by stating he found love during the trying process. The third section is death; Steve Jobs presents himself as an individual with a passion for what he does. In the process of narrating the state of his health, Steve Jobs appeals to the audience emotions. Most of the audience looks up to him as a role model, and the news that he is terminally ill is devastating to them. However, cleverly he challenges Stanford community to take over from where he has left and do greater things. To ensure that all the audience gets his message, he raises his voice when stating the point that facing death makes one a better man. Pathos appeal. Appeal to pathos ensures that one captures the audience attention and helps in relaying a message. Steve Job cleverly uses pathos appeal to present his message. He appeals to all the emotions of the audience by making them laugh, feel sad and motivated throughout his speech. He rhetorically refers to Stanford as one of the most expensive colleges just like the one he dropped out from many years back. The audience takes the rhetorical statement at a lighter note, and this helps Steve command full concentration of the audience. In the second story, Steeve appeals more to the emotions of the audience by initiating the spirit of never give up in the audience. Steve appeals to the audience not to give up even if life hits you in the head with a brick. He advises the audience not only to never to give up but find out they love. Steve Jobs states, “… if one finds what he loves then he will be satisfied as he does great work, if one has not found it he should keep looking and not settle” (The Apple History Channel). Steve Jobs statements are close to the matters of the heart. He associates love with success; the statements ensure that the audience become passionate and evokes feelings deep in their heart with passion. The move is a clever way evoke passion to succeed among the graduands. When he narrates the history of being fired from a company he created, Steve appeals to the audience emotions by making them feel angry and some ramose for him. However, he quickly changes the mood of the audience by telling them of happier successful moments of his life in creating the first animation company. His success appeals to the audience emotions as it provides a relieve from the anger and remorse feeling for Steve losing the company he created. The use of tonal variation appeals to pathos of the audience and ensures that they are attentive to his points. Death is a sensitive topic and despite Steve facing death after being diagnosed with a cancerous pancreas tumor, he challenges the Stanford community to take over from where he might leave. Steve closing statement, “…Stay hungry stay foolish…” (The Apple History Channel). Provides one of the strongest appeal to pathos in the entire speech. The use of tonal variation with these words entice the whole audience which is evident by the way the applause his sentiments. Some of the first emotions that the crowd gets from the statements are life changing and particularly suit the occasion. Ther graduands were hoping for such a statement to fire them up as they enter the Job market and set up their businesses. Appeal to credibility and logic Steve Jobs personality and achievements provide enough credibility to address college graduands. He has achieved what most graduates have not (Isaacson, 38). Steve understands very well that he never graduated. Hence, he starts by stating this fact. The statements make room to appeal to the audience emotions to view him as a credible speaker. His statements are full of logic and life truths. Steve Jobs states, “...Death is the final destination we all share…it is life change agent; it clears the old to make way for the new…” (The Apple History Channel). The words challenge the college graduates not to west their time for they have a limited time on earth. Steve is credible in his speech as he narrates true happenings in his life. He starts by referring to his mother. The reference is the start of making the speech more credible. In the speech, Steve referees to learning institutions with respect. In his opening words he says, “I am honored to be with you today … from one of the greatest university in the world..” (The Apple History Channel).When the statements are with the occasion, his speech is more readable. onclusion Steve Jobs speech is with the audience despite the audience level of education compared to the speaker. His achievements make him be relevant and have a commanding appeal to be listened to by the Stanford community. His speech inspired by his achievements appeals more to his audience than his academic background appeal. Works Cited Isaacson, Walter. Steve Jobs. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2011. Print. The Apple History Channel,. Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005. 2006. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. Wilson, Suzan. Steve Jobs. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2001. Print. Read More