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Carolina Fernandez

Lisa Fisher

English 1201

3/15/17

Rhetorical Analysis

In late May of 2016, Steven Spielberg delivered what could be considered the most

relevant speech of the year to a group of Harvard graduates. His message alone spoke of the

importance of curiosity over hatred, but his delivery proved to be a key component to the success

of this speech. He displays a creative use of the three rhetorical elements, (ethos, logos, and

pathos) throughout the length of his writing, comparable to Martin Luther King Jr.s, Letter from

Birmingham Jail.

Spielberg begins his speech almost immediately by establishing credibility, or using

ethos. He recalls his college graduation and points out that it was only fourteen years ago, which

makes his seem more relatable. He is already known to be an Academy Award winning director,

but it is important that he make himself seem relevant to the situation, which in this case is a

college graduation rather than a film competition. He speaks of his college experience, and then

introduces the idea of character-defining moments, carrying it throughout the entire speech.

As he speaks, Spielberg carries a very conversational tone, and listening to him almost

sounds like listening to an older uncle telling stories from his youth and wringing out great

advice from his experiences. Spielberg is constantly going back to his younger years and

describes his search for individual thought, as exemplified when he says, Now in a two-hour

movie, you get a handful of character-defining moments, but in real life, you face them every

day. Life is one strong, long string of character-defining moments. And I was lucky that at 18 I
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knew what I exactly wanted to do. But I didnt know who I was. How could I? And how could

any of us? Because for the first 25 years of our lives, we are trained to listen to voices that are

not our own. Parents and professors fill our heads with wisdom and information, and then

employers and mentors take their place and explain how this world really works. (Spielberg)

As the speech continues, Spielberg speaks of his progression in life and references his

works at that point in his life, as well as constantly tying in the idea of character-defining

moments. This shows an interesting use of logos, or logical flow of the speech as he shows his

growth as a person and in that sense moves forward, but always goes back to a constant. This

allows the audience to see a progression, but also offers consistency throughout, much like

MLKs letter.

Dr. Kings letter is a very long, intricate writing dedicated to refuting the points made

against him and his movement. He does not progress in the sense that time moves forward

during the letter, but he does show a pattern in which he moves forward with a point, and often

uses religion as a tool to support his point. In the way that Spielberg uses character-defining

moments, King uses religion several times throughout his writing.

For example, he says, Just as the eighth century prophets left their little villages and

carried their thus saith the Lord far beyond the boundaries of their hometowns; and just as the

Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically

every hamlet and city of the Graeco-Roman world, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of

freedom beyond my particular hometown. (King). Not only does he give himself credibility and

a purpose for writing, he also displays the theme he is to carry throughout his writing.
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One of Spielbergs most useful tools during his speech is his use of humor. He keeps a

very light tone, while still making some very serious points. This keeps the audience

entertained, but also receptive to certain messages they might otherwise be cynical or closed off

to. He pokes fun at himself several times and at some of his works that were not necessarily the

best. He also uses many references from his films that evoke a sense of nostalgia in the audience.

These are both very useful tools when it comes to using pathos, or attempting to appeal to ones

emotions. These are both best exemplified near the end of his speech, when he says, And

finally, I wish you all a true, Hollywood-style happy ending. I hope you outrun the T. rex, catch

the criminal and for your parents sake, maybe every now and then, just like E.T.: Go home.

Thank you. (Spielberg)

This playful sense of writing is key, especially because he is speaking to a younger

audience. His job here is also to send them off into the world feeling positive and ready to take it

on. It would be very difficult to do that if he held a very serious tone, as it is simply not

appropriate for the situation. His skills in filmmaking and writing as well as his comfort with

public speaking are fully put on display as he delivers this particularly motivating and relevant

speech.

Spielberg and Dr. King were writing under extremely different circumstances, but they

are both exceptionally talented writers and it is shown in the in the way they make and support a

point. Spielberg skillfully uses the three rhetorical elements in a way that is subtle, yet clearly

effective. Although only the logical element of Dr. Kings letter was explored, it is a writing that

is filled with examples of every form of rhetorical device. Overall, both of these examples are

perfect examples of great use of rhetorical elements, and although one is dated over fifty years

ago, it has still found a very pertinent place in todays society.

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Works Cited

King, Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail. Reading the World; Ideas that Matter,

edited by Michael Austin, W.W. Norton & Company, 2015, 426-427

Spielberg, Steven. Commencement Speech, Harvard Univerity May 2016. 12 Mar. 2017,

Cambridge, MA, Harvard University, Harvard University Graduation .