Speech Analysis Essay Example for Free

Speech Analysis Essay In David McCullough’s June 2012 Commencement Speech You Are Not Special, he argues that no one is really special. In this speech he is saying that everyone is alike somewhere and somehow. Even though he is seems to be bashing the graduating class, he still adds encouraging words. Throughout the whole speech he continuously states that you are not special, but then ending the speech with saying, â€Å"You are not special because everyone is. † I argue that both McCullough and Sierra use the strategies of adding comparison, list, and emotion to make their speech and article convincing. An article in response to McCullough’s speech, Open Letter from a millennial: Quit Telling Us We Are Not Special written by a woman named Sierra on June 25, 1012. Her response argues that this speech is not appropriate for the graduating class who are ready to take on the world. McCullough’s speech should be aimed towards the parent’s generation. Sierra states that the parents are responsible for the problems their children face. In the real world the high school diploma is worthless. Comparisons are used in both McCullough’s and Sierras work. Sierra uses the comparisons to compare what we know now to our childhood memories, such as the tooth fairy. â€Å"We stopped believing in our own specialness around the same time we stopped believing in the tooth fairy. † She is saying that at a young age, we realized that we are not as special as everyone said we were. McCullough uses comparisons as well. In the beginning of his speech he compares the high school diploma to marriage. Unlike marriages, we cannot separate, divorce, from our diplomas, like we could our spouses. Both McCullough and Sierra use lists to persuade their audience. In Sierras article she uses list to show how as children and teenagers we depend on our parents. Stating that they do work for you, and then call you lazy or telling and teacher that an â€Å"A† is not good enough and the list continues. She uses list to get her point across. Rather than just stating one fact, she gives them all. In McCullough’s speech, he uses lists as well. He states that children have been pampered, fed, catered to, and so on. He uses this to get across that we have been babied our entire lives, so will we be prepared for the real world? He also uses list with statistics stating that somewhere someone is just like you. McCullough uses â€Å"There are 3. 2 million seniors from 37,000 high schools. † He continues on with the numbers of class presidents, swagger jackers, and pairs of Uggs. This is to get across that no one is different and there is always another person with the exact same thing as you. McCullough uses more humor. This makes the speech less offensive to the audience. While reading this speech you don’t notice the humor much, but when actually viewing the speech it is more humorous to the crowd. What some might think is humorous others might not. In conclusion, even though both use similar strategies in their work McCullough’s article is more persuasive. He makes you actually think that you are not special by adding comparisons, lists and emotions.

America, Russia, and the Cold War Essay -- essays research papers

America, Russia, and the Cold War The origins of the Cold War came about when United States President Harry Truman issued his Truman Doctrine. This doctrine stated that the United States would support â€Å"free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.† This would end up being the foundation of the U. S. involvement in the Cold War. The main idea of the doctrine was to support nations in the resistance of communism. Truman felt that if one nation fell to communism then this would lead to a â€Å"domino effect† resulting in many other nations in the region falling to communism. The greatest fear was that the Soviet Union would spread communism throughout the world thus the reason for the policy of containment. Truman felt it necessary to also provide economic aid to nations that surrounded the Soviet Union. The idea being that they would create a ring of Allies that would contain the threat of the Soviet influence of communism. Economic support would be given and if necessary military support as well. The basis for this economic aid was presented in the Marshall Plan. This plan called for $16 billion in economic aid to be used in the reconstruction of Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In April of 1949 nations from North America and Western Europe signed a treaty that stated if the Soviet Union attacked any of the Allies it would be considered an attack against the U. S. itself. In what was perceived as an escalating threat from the NATO alliance, the Soviets created a military alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, with Eastern European Soviet bloc countries in May of 1955.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the Cold War there were numerous incidents on both sides which exacerbated the threat of an all out war. However, there were also several attempts at bringing about an end to the Cold War. One of the greater attempts came from Georgi Malenkov following the death of Stalin in 1953. Stalin had previously appointed several young fanatical Stalinists in a new politburo called the Party Presidium. This move limited the power that Malenkov and Nikita Krushchev had while at the same time giving more power to Stalin. Immediately following Stalin’s death Malenkov cut membership in the new politburo and threw out the young recently appointed Stalinists. Malenkov also announced that any new policies would come from... ...e Soviet Union and at the end of the Cold War became independent nations. The Soviet Union would frequently engage in wars by proxy such as the Vietnam and Korean wars. They also invaded many border nations such as Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ultimately, I believe that Mikhail Gorbachev had the greatest impact in bringing about the end of the Cold War with his sweeping changes to foreign policy, the economy, and the Soviet political system. He took the lead when it came to negotiating arms reductions with Reagan and when inviting new partnerships with Western corporations. Before Gorbachev was in power Reagan was committed to restarting the arms race. Later Reagan followed suit when Gorbachev led the way in the reduction of arms. The policy of the Reagan Doctrine was to fund and support resistance groups while Gorbachev worked instead to pull Soviet troops out of Afghanistan and worked to stop the U. S. supported revolt in Angola. Unfortunately, the damage that was done by the Cold War was severe and we will be working for decades to overcome the problems it created and will likely continue to create in both national security and foreign policy.

College and First Year Students Essay

â€Å"One of the few rights America does not proclaim is the right to fail†. William Zinsser speaks shades truth when addressing the college student and the pressures imposed upon them. In our modern day and age, college students are mounted with problems: finance, respect, insecurity, and competition, are just a few. Modifications must be made in regards to relieving the high levels of stress students tend to inquire, opportunities to explore a variation of career types, and a general understanding from both teachers and students that the majority of freshmen have no clue what they want to do. It is for these reasons that I strongly lobby students not to decide on a major entering their first year of college. However, not everyone would agree. It is ideal for students to compromise to a course and take the necessary steps in the completion and mastery of a particular profession. Because admission nowadays is exceedingly selective, it is important to know what you want in the beginning to keep you on track. â€Å"You don’t want to pay for college twice†, says Will McGuiness, editor of the Huffington Post. For students investing both their time and money into these institutions of higher learning, it seems practical to just get a degree that will pay the mortgage. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education, in 2012 college graduates faced an unemployment rate of 8.3, well above the national average of 7.7. Although these bold facts are intimidating enough to have every freshman running for the hills, they fail to add the human components of learning and growth that most instrumental in excelling through college. Now that we have considered the factors that edge students in rushing into a major, let’s explore the reasons to stay abstinent. Giving a first year student the option of not having to make a career choice is a stress relief in and of itself. Unfortunately for college students, stress is nothing new; in fact, 37 percent of all college freshmen are above the average levels of stress and anxiety (Tamar Lewin, 1). These numbers should not be taken lightly, especially when shown that people under constant levels of stress live 10 years shorter than those who are not (â€Å"PSY Science†, 148). The pressures of achievement, acceptance, and competition are all intertwined with ones performance at a progressive level. Because tension in a stressful environment naturally creates a bigger learning curve, it is important to give these pupils breathing room with a year free of any grave decisions. Not only will this benefit the student’s health, but will show in test scores, communication, and most importantly learning. By eliminating the perceived need to commit to a major students are unsure of, will lead to a reduction of stress. Another reason for a first year hold out is the opportunity to explore. A year of exploration through a variety of different courses is vital to a student’s growth. At 18, it is safe to say that we have not been properly exposed to the world and even our own abilities. So to make us pick a career that we might dedicate the rest of our professional lives to seems absurd. Students exploring a wide range of subjects learn new things and develop interests they may never have known they had. Whereas choosing a specific major right from the start binds them to a narrow path. Occupations students once thought they were destined for fade into the horizon as their true passions are discovered. Additionally, a student knowledgeable in polarizing fields is a well-rounded one more effective in the workforce. As William Zinsser points out, â€Å"I would employ graduates who have this range and curiosity rather than those who narrowly pursue safe subjects† (â€Å"College Pressures†, 2). Which leads me to my last reason, if not the most important, the overlooked fact that we just don’t know. First year college students simply do not know what they want to be for the next 50 years of their life. The exception would be the hand full of students that have known their career path since the age of 5, leaving the rest of us in the dark with envy. The human brain does not fully develop until the age of 25, so deciding a career wouldn’t necessarily be a thoroughly calculated decision. Incidentally, most college students change their major an average of 3 or 4 times (â€Å"Off to college†, 18). Every semester councilors confront these timid, unfamiliar faces that stumble into their office and ask them for their major, while handing them a long list of credits needed for whatever choice they made. The blank stares the councilors receive from the students should be a clear enough indicator that these kids are as clueless as a dim light bulb and need help. Teachers and faculties need to emphasize the notion that it is okay not to know, that they have the right to fail. This leads me back to my hammering question at hand, what is the point of compromising to a major in freshman year? Through much comparison, calculation, and critical thinking, I have concluded it only logical not to decide on a major being the new kid on the block. While it is time and money saving to make a commitment sooner than later, it is not practical in the long run. Stress is not necessary, can affect academic performance and even pose a long term health risk. An exploratory student is progressive one that reflects the importance of a year to sample different career opportunities. Finally, awareness that most freshmen students do not know what educational path to take leads to a better understanding support group in teachers and faculty. Students are the driving force of our future, and must be encouraged, not disillusioned. A year of free trial and error without the loom of hefty decisions can be the difference between a learning environment and a hostile one. One of my favorite quotes, from the United Negro Fund, that I believe should be displayed in every school is, â€Å"A mind is a terrible thing to waste†.

Fiction Essay - 1012 Words

Stewart 1 Christy Stewart English 102 B18 Fiction Essay The short story has been an intricate part of literature going back as far as it’s actual â€Å"writing down† was invented. Perhaps two of the most intriguing and somewhat tragic short stories is that of D.H. Lawrence’s, â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† and Shirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery†. With the classic theme of â€Å"luck† and what that means in each story, we see two very different meanings as these two stories unfold. In â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner†, we see the protagonist, Paul, who endlessly searches and somewhat attains luck in his search for his mother’s monetary desire. Within the lines of â€Å"The Lottery†, however, we see a quaint satirical setting of towns’ folk who gather†¦show more content†¦Both â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† teach valuable lessons of luck. Sometimes the luck of the draw does not end with true luck as in â€Å"Th e Lottery† and as seen in â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner†, one can truly have luck with the blessing of family and beauty but be blinded by the meaningless and life altering desire for monetary value. In conclusion, the quest for luck is presented in both â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner†. Luck is defined in many different ways and can be described as having more and more money as in â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† or simply not choosing the one paper with the black dot on it as in â€Å"The Lottery†. Within the pages of these two stories, the Christian can see what true values of life are not held in luck. With every endeavor one must be willing to sacrifice something of value. The Christian can of himself after reading each of the two stories above, what is worth losing to gain what is desired. Money doesn’t always yield us true luck as true peace and blessing can’t be promised without the possibility of losing close relationships or even family. Sacrifice is always a necessity, however, some desires in life cost us more than we could ever have imagined. Stewart 4 Works Cited Kennedy, X.J, and Dana Gioia. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. New Jersey: Pearson. 2013.Show MoreRelatedFiction Essay1407 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 102 B43– Literature and Composition Spring 2014 Term A Jessica Jack, Student ID#25840627 APA Format Compare and Contrast Short Story Fiction Essay Jessica Jack Liberty University English 102-B43 Outline for Compare and Contrast Essay Thesis: â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner† by D.H. Lawrence and â€Å"The Lottery†, by Shirley Jackson provide two contrasting uses of Setting in a short story which accentuate the importance of the element in a story. 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This makes sense as they are both literary forms that are trying to pass stories along to the reader or watcher. These elements are the building blocks of any story and are pretty much required. Where drama and fiction differ though is what makes each one its own form. Plots. A plot is needed for a good work of fiction and it is also needed for a good work of dramaRead MorePulp Fiction Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesEthical Values in Pulp Fiction Pulp fiction is a movie filled with drugs, violence, gambling, and pop iconography, describing how real-life society is going towards the â€Å"death of god† era; a life without morals. A lot of movie critics would say that Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) possess no ethical values, no sense of morality. They also say that the movie does not convey a message. 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