GCSE English - Inspiring Speech Analysis CA Flashcards
Introduction
In my analysis, I am going to compare and contrast extracts from speeches by Steve Jobs, an entrepreneur and founder of Apple, and Ashton Kutcher, an actor. Both speeches aim to empower and inspire the audience to achieve their goals , however both Jobs and Kutcher do this in very different ways.
Context
Kutcher’s spontaneous speech takes place at the ‘Teen Choice Awards’ an awards show which recognises the year’s biggest celebrities, as voted by teenagers aged 13 to 19. Kutcher’s informal speech is in response to him winning the ‘Ultimate Choice Award, 2013’. However, Jobs’ speech is formal and scripted, and is given during a Stanford Graduation Ceremony in 2005. He is addressing graduate students before they go out into the real world.
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Kutcher uses a blunt statement ‘And I feel like a fraud’ to try to shock and confuse his audience through his admittance. Kutcher is aiming to present himself as a fraud - that he does not deserve the success he is being given. This makes him vulnerable to his impulsive, easily influenced audience, yet this is the intended effect that Kutcher was aiming for. He deliberately plays his vulnerability to the audience, making them sympathise with him and appreciate his honesty instead of despising his deceitfulness. The audience will now feel a personal connection with the actor after his manipulation of their emotions (shock, curiosity, sympathy), establishing trust between Ashton and the crowd. This emotional connection will make the audience more receptive to his message.
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Jobs’ uses a monosyllabic imperative, ‘Don’t lose faith.’ to inform the graduates that life is full of obstacles. The very form in which the imperatives are in, i.e composed primarily of monosyllables - short simple words, allows the message to be universal in perceivance, regardless of whether you’re a Stanford graduate student, or a young adolescent at an awards show. This will empower and inspire the eager graduates to face the new world with unwavering strength and determination, to commit to what they are passionate about and to remain firm in spite of difficulties and setbacks, thanks to Steve Jobs’ advice.
Similarly, Kutcher uses a monosyllabic imperative, ‘Don’t live one, build one.’ to inspire his audience to make their own way of life. In comparison, both speeches shape their imperatives to cater to their audiences. This ensures that each person fully understands the message and takes inspiration from it. Kutcher aims to persuade his fans to live ‘outside the box’ and to be different. This will encourage the teenagers to lead unique, unconventional lives in which they follow their dreams and are passionate in their way of life, which will provoke emotions of self - confidence and optimism.
Steve Jobs admittance
This presents failures as normal and necessary for improvement, and in turn makes Steve Jobs more relatable as he too made mistakes. This establishes a feeling of trust between the speaker and the audience, making them more receptive to his message. The young graduates can now follow their dreams and realise that failures are a necessary part of life, even for Steve Jobs himself.
Kutcher Repetition + Steve Jobs Repetition
Kutcher uses repetition, “I had my first job with my Dad carrying shingles up to the roof, and then I got a job washing dishes …” to emphasise that in life you have to work for your opportunities , that each promotion or improvement gained will contribute to something great. The intensity of his speech is built upon after each repeated word, reinforcing Kutcher’s unwavering confidence and belief in hard work. This will empower and inspire the young teenagers to never give up and work hard, as Ashton himself is living evidence to that work ethic.
Similarly, Jobs uses repetition, “And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going …” Through the rhythmic repetition of the word ‘work’ in his speech, Jobs has reinforced into the minds of the young graduates that what you do in life is of immense importance. He is implying that in life you can only do great work if you do what you love. This will encourage the audience to follow their hearts, and if they don’t find what their looking for, to not settle for less.
Jobs uses Humour + Kutcher uses Humour
Jobs uses humour, “And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started?” to ‘lighten’ the mood in the auditorium and to sustain the listener’s attention due to the ironic statement. However, this statement not only make them think, but also leads the audience to the conclusion that everyone makes mistakes, even Steve Jobs. This will encourage the young graduates to view failures in a light hearted way, judging from the light hearted nature in which Steve Jobs reacted to being fired from Apple. This will inspire the audience to work through their setbacks in order to achieve their ultimate goals.
Similarly, Kutcher uses humour “let’s be brutally honest - this is the old guy award …” Through the exaggeration of Kutcher’s age in this comedic manner, Kutcher has immediately grasped the audience’s attention. By briefly engaging and entertaining the listener, Ashton has provoked emotions of amusement. Through the manipulation of the audience’s emotions, Kutcher has established an emotional connection with the audience. This emotional bond will help make the audience more receptive to Kutcher’s message, and it may also inspire the audience to set life goals by the time they reach Kutcher’s age.
Kutcher loud, passionate tone + Jobs slow, meaningful tone
Kutcher uses a loud, passionate tone when saying ‘no smarter than you’ to display his strong feelings. Kutcher is trying to persuade to the audience that they are capable of anything they set their minds to, provoking feelings of self confidence and belief in the hearts and minds of the teenagers. He endeavours for the audience to trust and believe in what he is saying, so he uses a powerful, knowledgeable tone that forces the audience to have faith in him. The audience are now aware of his knowledge on the topic at hand, i.e life, and are filled with confidence as Kutcher himself believes that they can overcome the setbacks present on the road to success.
In contrast, Jobs’ slow, meaningful tone when telling the audience ‘No one wants to die.’ reveals to the audience his knowledge of life and death. His humble, meaningful tone correlates with the emotions felt in response to inherent human nature, i.e life and eventual death. His moving and emphatic tone makes the audience realise that they too are afraid. However, his slow, focused speech redirects this insight towards the topic at hand. The audience now feel humbled and appreciative of life, thus inspiring them to live a fearless and fulfilled life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both talks are highly effective in empowering and motivating their audience. Kutcher utilises humour to give a light-hearted speech, tailored to his audience, yet includes imperatives and repetition to empower and inspire his fans. However, Jobs remains formal and professional, as is expected, to appeal to the students, but still engages their attention with powerful anecdotes, advice and analogies.
Personally …
Personally, I was more motivated by Ashton Kutcher’s speech as I felt that I could relate to his message more as he was delivering it to people in the same age group as myself. Both speeches are specifically adapted for their audience and motivate their listeners to follow what they love.
