Assignment
Sample Rhetorical Analysis: Oprah Winfrey, "Golden Globe Award Acceptance Speech" (Speech)
Now we'll look at and discuss Oprah Winfrey's "Golden Globe Award Acceptance Speech" from January of 2018. We won't all agree on these analyses, by the way; however, most students find Oprah's speech inspiring. However you may feel about it personally, though, it had a global impact. The speech, on national and global television, drew attention to the #MeToo Movement, which had started years earlier but was still relatively unknown. Oprah's speech popularized the movement and drew global attention to women's rights in a short speech that lasts less than 10 minutes. That she could have such a monumental impact warrants some attention to see how she manages to do this.
Context Matters
Thinking of our rhetorical analysis questions, Oprah is a celebrity and has ethos. Lots of it. As I'm sure you know, she is respected for being honest and compassionate among many other things. She is the first Black woman to have received the award she is accepting.
Also, the context in which this speech was given is important to keep in mind. It occurred in January 2018, about a month after the major sexual harassment scandals had been revealed in Hollywood. And remember the Golden Globe Awards is a Hollywood event! Also, President Trump had recently been elected and it was revealed during his campaign that he had made sexist comments objectifying women on video.
All of these factors and more matter here. Oprah is aware of the context in which she speaks, of the audience to whom she speaks, and of the history that she is a part of as the first Black woman to receive the award.
With Oprah, as you may know from her talk show interviews, audience awareness is key. She is acutely aware of her audience and what they want or need to hear. She establishes trust. She is humble despite being a multi-billionaire. She respects the past. She commands respect. And she uses all of these contextual elements to capitalize on this moment and make a powerful impact on her audience.
Task
After watching the video (beneath the questions), post a response to the following questions. Then comment on two other student posts with a comment or a question.
A. What are two or three memorable parts of Oprah's speech?
B. Why do you think Oprah begins her speech with the anecdote that she starts off with?
C. What do you think her point was about journalism and the press?
D. Why do you think she lists all of the different jobs that also deal with sexual harassment and rape in the workplace?
E. How does Oprah connect what is happening today with the Civil Rights movement of the past?
F. Where else does she link past and present (and future)? Why does she do this?
G. What makes the anecdote about Recy Taylor so powerful?
H. What are some rhetorical devices you observed in her speech?
I. Why do you think she ends with the message that she ends with? What makes it work?
J. Are there any flaws or omission in the speech that you notice?