The Development of a Genre: Commencement Addresses Delivered by Popular Cultural Icons

Abstract

This study examines the genre of commencement rhetoric and utilizes current literature of commencement addresses delivered by traditional speakers in conjunction with an analysis of speeches from pop culture icons to establish the defining characteristics of the genre. These characteristics are: 1) acknowledging the graduates, 2) creating identification, 3) presenting the world, and 4) instilling hope.