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Will Ferrells USC Commencement Speech

Will Ferrell has the opportunity to give a commencement speech to graduates at USC

where he made the best of it. Graduation day is occasionally celebrated where a significant

number of students represent the finale of their student life. Nevertheless, this is a day which

could be filled by uncertainties to the college students because they might not get a job

immediately after graduation. Such changes make the students vulnerable, and this is the reason

why commencement speech is of great significance during the graduation day (Romano, 4). The

following is an analysis of Will Ferrell commencement speech at USC 2017.

Notably, will claim that one can never be successful until they learn to give behold them

no matter how chestnut it may sound. Kindness and empathy are the actual signs of emotional

intelligence, and he claims that it is what he teaches his children to be successful in future. To

him, success is being kind and being involved in the charity work during the college year which

gives scholarship only to the participants (Romano, 5). Will congratulated those who were

graduating, having a pretty good idea of what they are likely to do with their lives. He also

encouraged those who do not have any idea to empower their life ahead confirming that it is the

same chair he sat on a considerable number of years back.

Throughout his commencement speech, his primary purpose was to motivate the student

through sharing his both failure and personal success stories. His general message to the students

and their parents is that: it is all well not to have all that they want at the moment so long as they
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are right and believe to themselves they are likely to achieve their dream success (Ferrell).

Moreover, will point out that the extend degree one should measure one's success to others but

not to one's achievement through fame and fortunes. Will uses ethos and pathos in delivering his

message thus being incredibly efficient (Romano, 4).

Ferrell shared various anecdotes from his time as a student at USC; he emphasized that

he was not afraid to follow his guts and pursue other interest despite the fact that he remained

committed to his chosen major. In addition, his firm ethos succeeded in giving a cemented base

for the credibility of his speech to the graduates (Romano, 1). He was able to establish a common

ground with the graduates through sharing his experience both negative and positive. Will Ferrell

as he was delivering his speech, put himself in the shoes of his audience and encouraged them

that he was once seated where they were. Thus, having the same feeling of uncertainty since he

did not have any idea for life ahead.

It comes not as a surprise that Will Ferrell uses humor to convey the pathos appeal

because of his undeniable fame as a comedic actor. His comedic persona is consistent throughout

his speech since he gave comedic relieve to keep his audience as a tool to connect with them. In

his remarks, Will started by thanking the students for their clapping and eventually apologizing

to parents who did not agree with him (Romano, 5). Chiefly, he goes on and says that his

achievement in life includes running naked through the city thinking that is on fire. It is through

the use of this self-deprecating humor that it is Ferrell's smart way of humbling his celebrity

status. Therefore, he is in a position to give his message in a relevant setting. In addition, Will

added that he wants the university to know that he does not take the proffered prestigious honor

with lightweight (Romano, 3). He says that he had instructed his wife and children to call him

Dr. Ferrell except none thus being comic to the audience.

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Moreover, through his excellent personality as a comedian, his voice, and choice of

words match the tone since it is honest and inspiring. He uses various rhetorical devices such as

metaphor where he says he is just trying to throw darts at the dartboard hoping that one will

finally stick. Through that metaphor, Will meant that he was overconfident thus he ought to

succeed through this period (Romano, 1). Moreover, he also uses hyperbole as he commences his

speech through saying that he is determined to make the University know that he does not take

the given chance lightly but he is grateful for the opportunity. Will says that his family should

call him with the title Dr. and no one should be an exception. Therefore, Will Ferrell uses

exaggerative and metaphorical language and careful selection of words he uses in his speech thus

being a comedian throughout his speech (Romano, 2).

In conclusion, Will Ferrell gives a speech which is motivational and encouraging to his

audiences most likely the graduates stuck in thoughts of the ideas they should maneuver in

achieving their life dreams. The use of comedy draws the attention of the audience thus

participating in the speech. He uses humor as a narrative style to remain funny thus entertaining

the audience.
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Work Cited

Romano, Nick. "Will Ferrell Channels Whitney Houston during USC Commencement Speech."

Entertainment Weekly.Com, 12 May 2017, p. 1. EBSCOhost, 165.193.178.96/login?

url=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ebscohost.com%2flogin.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26db

%3dedb%26AN%3d123028675%26site%3deds-live.