Directions: discuss how Julie Andrews describes the need for...

Directions: discuss how Julie Andrews describes the need for graduates to inspire and change the world. analyze how the speaker uses persuasive elements and specific word choice to strengthen the message of her speech. You should use evidence from the text to support your answer.

The following is an excerpt from English actor, singer and author, Julie Andrews's, 2013 Commencement Speech at the University of Colorado Boulder...

 

I remember saying once to my husband, Blake, on the eve of my return to Broadway after a 35 years absence, "You know, I'm really feeling VERY frightened about this" and I began to tear up. He simply replied, "Darling, did you actually expect to feel anything else?" I remembered—yet again—that fear is a part of life. The trick is to recognize it and then press on anyway. 

In fact, the REAL TRICK is to stop focusing on oneself and start focusing on others. There was a time in my late 20s when I worried all the time what audiences thought ("will they like me?" "am I up to par?, etc.")—and it suddenly dawned on to me that everyone in the audience had paid good money to come see a show they really wanted to see, and possibly, they were there after a day of dealing with a lot of stress. Maybe it was tax time, perhaps someone had a family member who was ill, or had a fight with a loved one—I could think of a hundred scenarios. I realized that I was in a position to brighten their day to make a difference to give them 3 hours of surplus, of transcendence, and hopefully, joy. From that moment on, I began to develop a mindset of giving. I stopped looking inward, I began to grow up and I started looking outward, with an eye toward making a difference wherever and whenever I could.

 

Today, I invite YOU to start looking at life the same way.

There are so many opportunities for giving in this world. Don't engage in random acts of kindness, engage in planned acts of kindness. There are at-risk children who need to be mentored. There are people who go hungry every day, there are those who are infirm and have no one to look after them. Some have experienced a paralyzing loss. Use your knowledge and your heart to stand up for those who can't stand. Speak for those who can't speak. Be a beacon of light, for those whose lives have become dark. Fight the good fight against global warming. Be a part of all that is good and decent. Be an ambassador for the kind of world YOU want to live in.