Rhetorical Analysis Of Steve Jobs

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Steve Jobs effectively displays ethos immediately at the start of his speech. Ethos is being able to convince an audience that the speakers’ character is credible and trustworthy. Jobs accomplishes this by sharing personal stories from his early life that all the students can relate to. He begins by stating that he dropped out and has never graduated college. He had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Steve struggled with finding his identity and was uncertain of his future. Similarly, the students have no idea what life has in store for them after graduation. Speakers can create ethos by “showing they can understand their audience’s point of view by adapting carefully to them, identifying similarities in their experiences and beliefs” (Keith 39). …show more content…
When Steve Jobs draws upon his personal experiences, he establishes common ground with his audience. Jobs further displays his persona by disclosing the obstacles he had to overcome to become the successful person he is today. By describing three critical events in his life, Steve allows the audience to view his personality through his various chronicles. He is able to sway the crowd over by showing he is just a regular human that experiences failures like everybody else. Steve appears as a humble person who has made many mistakes on the road to attaining success. This approach gains trust and respect by showing that he is not superior to the group; rather, he is equals with the audience. Reflecting on trial and tribulations and showing his character not only constructs a rhetorical support of ethos, but also backs an appeal to