preview

What Is The Rhetorical Analysis Of William Mcraven's Speech

Decent Essays

Admiral William H. Mcraven addressed the 2014 graduating class at the University of Austin, Texas with more than eight thousand students in attendance. Adm. Mcraven’s address touched the hearts of millions all around the world with his inspirational message of how one person can change the world by following a simple set of rules. I chose this speech for my rhetorical analysis because of the important message it portrays, by how helping a few can eventually help many. Adm. Mcraven’s address was especially effective for his audience, much due to how he relates to the students by reminiscing of the day he graduated from UT while providing advice to his audience of college graduates preparing to begin their adult lives. Adm. William …show more content…

If you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them.” Not only is Ethos and Pathos used effectively in the speech, Logos is as well. Though the use of Logos is used much more indirectly than either of the latter, it is still an important component of the speech. Adm. Mcraven uses Logos by providing support for his statements and lessons taught throughout the speech. For example, Adm. Mcraven explained how one individual could ultimately change the lives of eight-hundred million people by only changing the lives of ten in their lifetime. He supports this claim with mathematical reasoning and evidence, “Ask.Com says that the average American will meet 10,000 people in their lifetime. That's a lot of folks. But, if every one of you changed the lives of just 10 people — and each one of those folks changed the lives of another 10 people — just 10 — then in five generations — 125 years — the class of 2014 will have changed the lives of 800 million people.” Though Adm. Mcraven did use much more Ethos and Pathos than Logos, the way in which he used them was near textbook. By using a combination of all three components he was able to express emotion, logic, and give credibility to himself and his stories. Perhaps the most evident usage of persuasion was the stories he told and the lessons given after them. Doing this, Adm. Mcraven was able to give valuable life advice to his audience in a simple, well composed statement that the audience was able to relate

Get Access