A Rhetorical Analysis Of Speech By Rita Dove

4. Rita Dove, a Pulitzer Prize-winning former poet laureate, addresses her, now former, students at their graduation ceremony in Birmingham. In her speech, Dove first creates credibility with her audience through an analysis of her sonal history, then metaphorically phrases her "wishes" in order to implore the class to appreciate her "lessons" and, subsequently, tackle life with a greater appreciation for themselves and a desire to earn more than they currently have. As a professor at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where she is giving the address, Dove has an innate credibility with the audience. However, in the introduction of the speech, she goes beyond the idea that the audience must respect her because she is a professor,

Furthermore, when providing her "lessons," Dove calls upon her personal experiences to further establish her credibility. For example, when detailing the importance of hard work, Dove highlights how she, as the daughter of "the first African-American research chemist to break the color barrier in the tire and rubber industry," (55) has been surrounded by hard work her entire life. When listening to a speaker, oftentimes it is difficult to follow their lessons and reasoning if they are preaching something that they have not experienced. Acknowledging this truth, Dove ensures that she highlights her own experiences, to create credibility with the audience, in an attempt to convey her message effectively. After she has created her credibility with the audience, Dove emphasizes three metaphorical phrases that seem counterintuitive to her message on the surface. For example, the speaker wishes "hunger," (17), "hard work," (41) and "uncertainty" (83) onto her listeners. These phrases serve to pique the interest of the audience, which may have zoned out or only partially listened