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Oprah Winfrey Speech Analysis

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PURPOSE STATEMENT
Oprah Winfrey’s Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech explores several societal issues. Although Winfrey suggests men are part of the cause of years of sexual abuse, she recognises the men who are working hard to change such a perception and encourages more to get involved. Winfrey’s speech is a bid to provide empowering support for any women who have ever suffered sexual abuse and all people who have been subject to racism, across all social classes and industries, whilst also educating people who may not acknowledge or understand the depth of the issues. Alongside the key issues, she also touches on how the media is facing adversity but continues to uncover the truth for the benefit of society. …show more content…

Taylor is another woman considered to have been prominent figures in the USA’s civil rights movement. Although they may not be current, Winfrey uses their stories of overcoming “brutally powerful men.” to empower women, attempting to make them feel that they can do the same. This also reinforces her closing statement, that “a new day is on the horizon!”. Winfrey believes that with so many people now coming forward with their stories of abuse and torment, society can begin to overcome these …show more content…

Winfrey’s final paragraph summarises her point as well as what she’s tried to do throughout her career. “To say how we experience shame, how we love and how we rage, how we fail, how we retreat, persevere and how we overcome.” The word ‘we’ allows Winfrey to group herself with not only the celebrities in the direct audience, but everyone else watching at home. This makes people feel that her point is relevant to themselves as an individual, thus making them more inclined to agree. The repetition of the word ‘we’ only reinforces the relevancy of her point to every member of the

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