Rhetorical Analysis Of Oprah Winfrey's Speech

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2017 marked a movement that gave a voice to the enslaved and silenced, an opportunity to scream, “Me too.” These cries were heard across the globe and were unbound by race, gender, religion, economic or celebrity stature. At this time, several influential faces of Hollywood were under a spotlight that unveiled their violations against the bodies and souls of other humans. It is for this reason that the attendees of the 2018 Golden Globes traded in their colorful dresses and suits for muted black, in solidarity with the voices behind the Me Too campaign. These elite members of Hollywood and the viewers at home watched through teary eyes as Oprah Winfrey took to the stage with her long, black dress, diamond earrings, and passionate, fiery speech. Winfrey unites millions in a fight …show more content…

Oprah’s speech is so compelling because she appeals to her audiences emotions through her use of a personal narrative, various stylistic techniques, and inclusive language. She comences her speech, detailing when she was a little girl with big dreams, watching Sidney Poitier receive the Cecil B. Demille award, the same award that she is being presented with. This story paints Oprah as human and allows her to not only relate with her peers in the live audience, but also the indefatigable working class at home. This strong appeal to emotion is not lost as she moves into the third paragraph where she first begins speaking about the “Me Too” movement. Within this paragraph, Winfrey triggers strong emotions when she states, “Because we all know that the press is under siege