“You're Not Special” Speech Analysis

The speech “You’re Not Special” was given by David McCullough Jr., a teacher at Wellesley High School, at their 2012 commencement ceremony. The audience he spoke to was not only the graduating class but the members of the board of education and the parents, family, and friends of the graduates.

David McCullough Jr., the teacher, gave the speech to not only commend the graduates for all they’ve done but to urge them to know that they are not even close to finishing their long journey. He wanted to convey this with his examples that life is difficult and that they are not going to be handed things in life because they are nice or think they deserve it because they are not special. Throughout the speech, he repeats the sentence 'you are not special', proving the importance of it. In the beginning, the sentence was perceived as a negative connotation, but towards the end, there was an acceptance of the negative sentence. “You see, if everyone is special, then no one is.” (l., p. ) What he means is that they are all special, and therefore, none of them are. Look at it this way even if there are no two grains of sand alike on a beach, not a single grain of sand stands out amongst any other.

To convey this message to the graduates, McCullough uses logos. He uses the appeal to logic by stating factual evidence to show them that they are just like everyone else. To put it in perspective, he uses the population of the world as an example, “Even if you’re one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion, that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you.” He mocks the famous saying about someone being “one in a million” by actually doing the math about how many “one in a million” equals and using imagery to make the audience realize how the bigger picture looks.

He also uses a lot of pathos to get the audience more involved. He made the audience laugh throughout the entire speech because of his different jokes, for example, “I hope, as Sophocles assured us, that wisdom is the chief element of happiness. (Second is ice cream… just an FYI.)” In this quote, at the end of page four, he starts off serious with the notion that wisdom is the most meaningful part of happiness, but then he says that ice cream is second to loosen up the more serious mood, which makes the audience laugh. Therefore, he connects more to his audience. “Neither can Donald Trump… which someone should tell him… although the hair is quite a phenomenon.” Pathos is also present in this quote “If you’ve learned anything in your years here, I hope it’s that education should be for, rather than material advantage, the exhilaration of learning... I also hope you’ve learned enough to recognize how little you know... how little you know now... at the moment... for today is just the beginning. It’s where you go from here that matters.” In the quote, McCullough repeats the word hope. In this context, the repetition of the word gives the notion that if you have not done what he is suggesting you do, you have let him down. No one likes letting anyone down, so it gets the point across. They indeed do not know everything, even though they have successfully completed high school. In a way, he is telling them what they should be thinking about for their futures, which appeals to a curious feeling, and therefore it provokes pathos.

Lastly, he also uses ethos. He lends credibility to his argument before he even speaks a word. That is because of his reputation since preconceived moral judgments affect the perceived credibility of the messenger. McCullough is viewed as a devoted teacher, advocate of civic engagement, and son of a prolific academic which commands a certain degree of respect. Therefore, his ethos is already present, but his authority as a teacher is reinforced by his reference to ancient philosophers and prominent literary figures "You've learned, o, I hope, as Sophocles assured us, that wisdom Is the chief element of happiness." Because of references like this, the audience perceives McCullough as reputable, a true expert in the field. This establishes a positive connection between McCullough and his audience, and it enhances his credibility therefore, it enhances his ethos.

Just like he uses the three forms of appeal, he uses multiple rhetorical devices. The rhetorical devices subconsciously provoke an emotional response from the audience and make the matter of the speech more compelling. These devices enhance the appeal forms but mainly enhance pathos in this speech.

Anaphora, epiphora, and anadiplosis are all the repetitions of words or sentences which create emphasis on the points conveyed in the speech. “You are not special. You are not exceptional.” This is an anaphora because the word ‘you’ is repeated at the beginning of the two sentences. This creates a more powerful impact because he emphasizes ‘you’ and that pulls on the audience's emotions and draws them in because he includes them in the speech. “Whether male and female, tall or short, scholar or slacker, spray-tanned prom queen or intergalactic Xbox assassin, each of you is dressed, you’ll notice, exactly the same. And your diploma… but for your name, exactly the same.” This is an epiphora because the last phrase of a sentence, exactly the same, is repeated at the end of the following sentence. “And I hope you caught me when I said “one of the best.” I said “one of the best” so we can feel better about ourselves, so we can bask in a little easy distinction” This is an anadiplosis because the first sentence ends with the same words as the following sentence begins with.

Moreover, he uses the rhetorical device called tricolon, which is a combination of three words or phrases. It emphasizes the points of the speech, but using a tricolon is also a great way to make sure your audience remembers key points in your speech. “Dream big. Work hard. Think for yourself.” These phrases are easy to remember, and they perfectly point out what McCullough wants for the graduates, for his students. “The fulfilling life, the distinctive life, the relevant life…”

I think that the message of the speech is to live life to the fullest, enjoy the journey, “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” YLOO, you live only once, as McCullough said.

You are not special because everyone is.