Steve Jobs Rhetorical Analysis

Steve Jobs has influenced the world globally, not only through his innovative technology devices he has helped create, but through his rhetorical genius he reveals whenever he speaks. As the past chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple and of Pixar Animation Studios, Jobs was invited by Stanford University to give his first and only commencement speech to the graduates of 2005. Senior class president of Stanford at that time, Spencer Porter, helped select Steve Jobs specifically because of his overall success. He expected a speech full of how Jobs was able to succeed in life. Yet, instead “he told three stories about failure,” stated Porter. Although, Jobs did not graduate from college, his inner instincts and passions kept him focus …show more content…
The big question is why does Steve Jobs command so much respect? Everyone recognizes who he is. Jobs is known worldwide as the face of Apple, a popular company who designs, manufactures and markets technology devices with the trademark of a partially eaten apple. In an article Staying Hungry, Staying Foolish: Academic Reflections on the Life and Career of Steve Jobs, Hurley-Hanson and Giannantonio pinpoint that “Steve Jobs' personal story and business success reflect the American dream. The highs and lows of his career path embody the entrepreneurial spirit.” He carries credibility throughout each graduate’s mind without speaking a word because of who he is and what he has done. His success in life contributes to his persuading each individual with his speech. His credibility allows his audience to be more open to his arguments. Jobs takes the alternative path of introducing who he is by addressing the audience with appreciation and conquering the elephant in the …show more content…
He confesses, “Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation.” Many graduates, at that time, argued that Jobs shouldn’t deliver the graduation commencement speech because he was not an actual college graduate himself. Yet, by bringing awareness to the fact he never graduated from college, it enabled to build Jobs’ credibility even more. Instead of ignoring this, Jobs’ willingness to provide the audience facts from the start, even facts that are damaging to his reputation, lets him form a trusting relationship between him and the audience. And his willingness to poke fun at this fact, creates those who did not want to believe advice from a non-graduate to turn their heads and take a listen to what he has to say next. He takes weakness as a non-graduate to become a strength in his argument. Instead of focusing on the failure aspect of dropping out, Jobs exemplifies how his brief time at college allowed him to learn calligraphy, which soon become a crucial part in the birth of Macintosh. He proves to the audience that learning at an institute can be fundamental essential to their future. Jobs won the audience over with his humor, honesty, and being humble while speaking of his short college