Commitment Speech By Anna Quindlen
Beginning as a assignment reporter, Anna Quilden had an opinion column in the New York Times. She left her job as a reporter which caused her to receive much criticism. In the Commencement Speech, Anna wants everyone to learn that being themselves is okay, and not to worry about other's opinions; Anna does this with rhetoric and other literary devices.
The author's tone is very inspiring and energetic, yet hurt and upset at how she used to live her life. Throughout the speech, Quindlen's attitude is very enthusiastic and encouraging and connects with the audience by continually referring to her audience, often addressing them as “you.” She seems extremely regretful at how she acted in college, saying trying to be perfect was very unnecessary
and time consuming. The use of rhetoric helps her speech be more persuasive.
Quilden says "Eventually being perfect day after day, year after year, became like always carrying a backpack filled with bricks on my back. And oh, how I secretly longed to lay my burden down.” The use of a simile to show how being "perfect" was hard work and not worth the effort. By saying she "secretly longed to lay my burden down" she means that she no longer wanted to act perfect like everyone else
Quindlen describes how she was in college and the career path she chose and left behind: "If there was a test to be had, I had studied for it; if there was a paper to be written, it was done. I smiled at everyone in the dorm hallways, because it was important to be friendly, and I made fun of them behind their backs because it was important to be witty.... When I quit the New York Times to be a full-time mother, the voices of the world said that I was nuts. When I quit it again to be a full-time novelist, they said I was nuts again. But I am not nuts. I am happy. I am successful on my own terms." The use of ethos builds her credibility with the audience, showing that she has been through this phase, and the only solution is to be yourself.
Anna Quilden uses many literary devices effectively to enliven her speech about being yourself. The use of rhetoric, figurative language, ethos, and many other literary devices make her speech more interesting and inspiring.
The author's tone is very inspiring and energetic, yet hurt and upset at how she used to live her life. Throughout the speech, Quindlen's attitude is very enthusiastic and encouraging and connects with the audience by continually referring to her audience, often addressing them as “you.” She seems extremely regretful at how she acted in college, saying trying to be perfect was very unnecessary
and time consuming. The use of rhetoric helps her speech be more persuasive.
Quilden says "Eventually being perfect day after day, year after year, became like always carrying a backpack filled with bricks on my back. And oh, how I secretly longed to lay my burden down.” The use of a simile to show how being "perfect" was hard work and not worth the effort. By saying she "secretly longed to lay my burden down" she means that she no longer wanted to act perfect like everyone else
Quindlen describes how she was in college and the career path she chose and left behind: "If there was a test to be had, I had studied for it; if there was a paper to be written, it was done. I smiled at everyone in the dorm hallways, because it was important to be friendly, and I made fun of them behind their backs because it was important to be witty.... When I quit the New York Times to be a full-time mother, the voices of the world said that I was nuts. When I quit it again to be a full-time novelist, they said I was nuts again. But I am not nuts. I am happy. I am successful on my own terms." The use of ethos builds her credibility with the audience, showing that she has been through this phase, and the only solution is to be yourself.
Anna Quilden uses many literary devices effectively to enliven her speech about being yourself. The use of rhetoric, figurative language, ethos, and many other literary devices make her speech more interesting and inspiring.