Rhetorical Analysis

Words: 549
Pages: 3

Fail Standing Up In his motivational speech to the graduates Denzel Washington uses Metaphor, Pathos, and Ethos to say to the graduates to never give up when they fail in something. Denzel Washington uses metaphor to tell graduates that if they believe in something, they shouldn’t give up. In “Fall Forward” Washington states, “and when you fall throughout life, remember this: fall forward” (Washington #6). The author’s use of metaphor serves to illustrate the idea that the word “falling” is being compared to failure. He uses this comparison to teach people that they shouldn’t give up, but keep trying until they achieve their goal. Secondly, Washington establishes Metaphor by saying “Your life will never be a straight path” (Washington #4). …show more content…
Denzel Washington uses pathos to tell the students that they should follow their goals and never stop believing they can’t do it. In “Fall Forward,” Washington states, “I don’t want to fall back on anything except my faith.” (Washington #1). The writer employs pathos to explain to the audience that trusting yourself is the most reliable thing to trust. Also, Washington establishes Pathos by saying “You will be suckered at something”. There’s no doubt about it.” (Washington #2). This evidence demonstrates that when you first try something new, don’t be afraid that you are not going to be good at it. Because of course you’re going to do bad at it, but you should be proud of yourself that you are doing something that you haven’t done before. In the end, the audience will feel confident about trying something new when they graduate. And they will not be nervous or shy about giving it a try. They will feel assured knowing that when they in fact fail, they should fall forward. Finally, Denzel Washington uses Ethos to give hope to the graduates that they should stick to what they believe in and not let anyone back them off their