AP Lang Semester 1 Final essay
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Most commencement speeches offer life advice to those in the audience. Dove, however, explicitly points out how she is not going to do that. Dove uses ethos, imagery, and a unique writing set up to convey her message.
Dove uses ethos by wishing for the graduates to have hunger, hard work, and uncertainty. She relates personal experiences into wishes. The way in which she does this is very caring yet emotional. The opening lines of Dove’s speech acknowledges that commencement speeches usually give advice and how she does not want to do that because advice and how she does not want to do that because advice is meant for particular moments in time. This shows that she has thought about this very deeply and wants to convey a powerful message.
Dove’s use of imagery also helps to indulge the audience. After she says the wish she wants for her graduates, she explains the true meaning behind the wish. For example, when she wishes them hunger, she wants them to crave learning and experiencing life, not the actual, physical phenomena. Each wish has its own deep dive of imagery and the true meaning behind the wishes.
Lastly, the setup of the speech helps the message to be conveyed. She uses a poetic-like setup of her speech rather than the regular paragraphs. Poetry and prose are considered a more loving, caring way of expressing your feelings. Dove’s use of stanzas helps us to understand how much she truly cares for the graduates. The setup allows the audience to truly be indulged in her words and what she wants the graduates to know.
All of the choices the author used in the speech were carefully placed to show the true feelings to the graduates. Through ethos, imagery, and page setup, the author conveys a message of care, curiosity, and love to the audience.
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You’ve got a solid start! You identified Dove’s rhetorical strategies—ethos, imagery, and structure—but could delve deeper into how these support your analysis. For example, when you mention ethos with the wishes for hunger, hard work, and uncertainty, explain how these convey Dove’s authenticity and engage the graduates’ trust. Each example you provided is a stepping stone; build on them to show how they connect to her broader message of growth and resilience.
In discussing imagery, consider not just what Dove wishes but how these images stir the graduates’ imaginations, pushing them toward introspection and passion. Lastly, the poetic structure is a brilliant observation—consider explaining how this format enhances the emotional resonance, nurturing a deeper connection with the audience.
Where would you like to go further? Analyze the emotional impact of her personal anecdotes, discuss her use of humor, or explore how her syntax choices enhance the speech’s motivational tone. Engage in the journey of discovery and make your analysis burst with insight!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like your helpful AP English Language teacher in room 126.
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