Steve Jobs Rhetorical Devices

Rhetoric, the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, was an integral part of the speeches in this unit. Through the effective use of language, the speakers in this section were able to reach out to their audience and connect with them. The speakers’ mastery of language and knowledge of their audiences allowed them to transcend the generations and effect people today. Steve Jobs, now known for his entrepreneurial successes, revealed his humble beginnings in his speech at Stanford. His audience, a multitude of scholars, may have expected the CEO of Apple to introduce himself by flaunting his intelligence and success. Yet that was not the case. Jobs commenced his speech with a simple congratulatory remark to the scholars and a humble expression of gratitude. He reached out to his audience and inspired them to …show more content…
It included instances of archaic diction. Even so, it had an ineffable quality to it that drew me in and made feel enlivened with a renewed sense of patriotism. This was my favorite speech in the unit. I admired Kennedy’s fervor; I found that his patriotism made his speech more effective and that his patriotism contributed to his pathos appeal. In addition, his faith and his honesty contributed to his trustworthiness, particularly when he stated, “All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.” This demonstration of honesty aided in his intent because it showed that he was not going to be able to solve all of the country’s problems during the time of his administration, as is the fantasy of many citizens when they elect a new president. I particularly admired Kennedy’s strong moral and political standpoint, and that, though he endorsed compromise, he demanded that the country never “compromise out of