Speeches are given every day for different occasions and to
different audiences. The choices of language as well as literary devices used
in speeches are essential to successfully deliver a well-composed and relevant
message concerning the audience’s expectations. Wallace’s 2015 commencement
speech at Kenyon College and Toni Morrison’s 1994 Nobel Prize speech present distinct
differences in diction and syntax used regarding the dissimilar characteristics
of their purposes and audience. These characteristics reflected the writings of
the authors. While Wallace’s utility of language is notably simple and approachable,
Morrison’s writing techniques are profoundly elevated and artistic.
This Is Water by David
Foster Wallace was a commence speech delivered to graduating college seniors
addressing the author’s concern about the “natural default-setting” or basic
self-centeredness found in many young people. Instead of conventional lecturing,
Wallace approach these eager graduates with common speech that makes it easy to
understand and better to communicate. He uses colloquialism to connect with the
audience: “over-intellectualize stuff,” “stupid and cow-like,” “unsexy,” this
stuff.” His catch phrase are short and easily remembered: “This is water.” The
speaker purposely employs these slang words and simply constructed, memorable
sentences to target the common characteristics of his audience: young and
eager, too stubborn to acknowledge the plain-sighted realities, too unruly to
stay conscious. With this speech, Wallace holds an effective conversation with
the students, assuring the quality of his message.
In a more formal setting with the audiences consist of the
most eligible and excellent representatives in the field of humanities, Morrison
must prove herself as the right member of the first class of world literature.
Thus, her diction and sentences’ structures must also reflect her exclusive
and skillful technique. The speaker especially uses creative narration and poetic
language to convey her message: “Underneath the eloquence, the glamor, the scholarly
associations, however stirring or seductive, the heart of such language is
languishing, or perhaps not beating at all – if the bird is already dead.” The
use of syntax also proves the author’s artistic writing style: “We die. That
maybe the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our
lives.” Morrison’s speech successfully communicate with many excellent
scholars, proving herself deserving the Nobel Prize of Literature, and enlightening
many about how crucial language is as we hold its future in our hands.
I strongly agree,both of these speeches writing techniques are different, because of the type of audience they each appeal to. While Wallace's Commencement speech targets young people who are quick to judge and automatically doubt a person.He explains that being educated is worth more than just knowing things,how we have control over how we choose to respond to situations.With this he gives these young graduates not only advice,but a sense of motivation to continue their education. On the other had Morrison's speech is so much more formal and complex, because not only is she giving this speech after being the first african american woman to receive this Nobel prize,but her audience consists of highly educated scholars who admire her work. She displays complicated techniques and is very elaborate with the use of literary devices,she does this to help the audience understand and admire the quality of her writing. Toni Morrison gives the audience a new perspective on the importance of language.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post based on the very different settings for both speeches. Morrison is very formal but approachable in his speech because, he is getting awarded for a Nobel Prize. Whereas Wallace, is giving a bunch of seniors a cold hard awaking on their graduation day about the real world. At first when you read Wallace's speech you make assumptions about his character because he brings up topics that make most people step back for a minute. Until you really get to the main idea and understand where he is coming from and start to relate to it. Furthermore, in Morrison's speech he uses an analogy at first about an alive or dead bird and you wonder what this has to do with the speech until you get to the main point about language. These 2 different speeches have different tones due to the environment and age of the audience. It also affects the formality and how the author conveys his use of language to the audience. Their both also trying to prove two totally different points like Morrison trying to provide structure but also be creative and Wallace is less formal and cold.
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