Steve Jobs Commencement Speech Worksheet

Eng. 10

Name: Ethan Dang

Date:

Bell Work: How have your experiences and choices shaped your life? Do you have a
story that you could share with a young person that would help them understand that
choices in life have an influence on what happens to you? Write 4-6 sentences.
My experiences with life are rather limited in my limited lifespan, the event that changed my
perception on life was my standing up to my “oppressor” within the first daycare facility I was at.
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Directions: Watch the commencement speech by Steve Jobs. As you watch, complete
questions 1-4 in complete sentences.

1. Summarize Jobs’ first story.

Steve Job’s first story, where he dropped out of college. His biological mother put him
up for adoption, only to refuse his adoptive parents. He dropped out of college to
allow his parents to not struggle with the costs of college. He took classes that
seemed useless at the time but helped him later down the path of life.

2. Summarize Job’s second story.

He got fired from his own company, he felt like he failed his fellow entrepreneur. His
departure from Apple turned out to be for the best, and his passion was what had
saved him. He didn’t settle till he found the one, so why should I?

3. Summarize Jobs’ third story.

He lived his life on the edge, believing that every day was near his last. His close
encounter with death was what filled him with the audacity he has today. Living life as
YOU want not how others, since you only have one life. Never be complacent…

4. What are some rhetorical devices Jobs uses in his speech?

(Rhetorical question, ethos, pathos, logos, repetition, parallel structure, allusion)
Pathos: Story about Cancer and brush with death/dropping out of college. Ethos:
Using the fact that he owns Pixar and Apple.
Collaboration: With a partner, discuss the following questions and complete questions
5-7 in complete sentences.

5. How does Jobs establish his authority?

By showing his power and wealth, by stating that he owned Apple and Pixar.

6. How does Jobs use pathos (or emotion) in his speech?

Pathos is used to garner feelings of sympathy during his story of his origins and his
near death due to cancer.

7. What logical appeal did Jobs use?

His status as one of the most influential men on earth is used to show how valid/weight
his statements should have on the audience.

EXIT TICKET: On your own, write a response to the following prompt. Be sure to use
in textual evidence for full credit!

Would you consider Steve Jobs’ commencement speech successful? Was he effective
in persuading his audience? Use at least two (2) pieces of evidence from the speech to
support your claim.

Yes, I do believe his speech was successful in persuading his audience to his beliefs.
The audience was a major evidence of how impactful his speech was, the audience was
silent and respectful, with quite a few of them seeming quite awed by the expressions
on their faces. The other thing was the language of the last story, the one about Job’s
brush with death. His words held a weight to them that simply made everyone listen,
the silence and solemn expression was what really made me realize how charismatic
Job’s was.