Analysis Of ' Denzel Washington 's ' The Best Actor Of All Time ' Right '

In order to deliver a successful speech, there are countless qualities that must be present to reach both the emotional and logical sense within a crowd. Through the use of rhetorical strategies and by remaining credible, a speaker or an author can connect with their audience; getting them involved with their writing. In May of 2011, a man by the name of Denzel Washington used multiple rhetorical strategies to deliver a graduation speech at the University of Pennsylvania. While revealing all of the difficult times that he had gone through while in college and discovering what career he wanted to pursue, he inspired millions of people, leaving a profound effect upon the world. Now, with millions of fans, Washington is a famous actor that has starred in numerous movies such as Courage Under Fire, Crimson Tide, and Malcolm X. Washington, along with the authors: Aristotle, Peter Elbow, and Donald Murray, and many others, have made a big difference in the world, simply by using rhetorical strategies.

However, the most typical type of portrayal that can be seen in modern television is the one that includes black actors to portray black characters without prejudices or ideas about their “otherness.” As suggested in the study by Parks and Kumar (2003), it is normal for the modern television to contain images of black bodies in the same contexts as the white ones (p. 423). Instead of pointing to his blackness, the authors of the Criminal Minds have included Derek Morgan as an ordinary character into the team of behavioral profilers who do the same job. The only distinction of Derek Morgan from other members of the team is his ethnicity. Therefore, this type of stereotyping should be discussed along with the other efforts of the TV series creators to include a black role model, a “good guy” into the

Throughout all of his writing, he talks about race and the desire of equality and how being segregated affected him as a human being. While he was in college, he was one of three black students in the school so he became really aware of the racism and discrimination. The current president stated "I noticed that there was nobody like me in the Sears, Roebuck Christmas catalog. . .and that Santa was a white man. I went into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror with all my senses and limbs seemingly intact, looking as I had always looked, and wondered if something was wrong with me" (Barack Obama). Because of the difference in color and the stigma against black people, he would wonder what was wrong with him and that later is one of his main issues that he addresses in his political

The film Malcolm X was released in 1992. In the movie, Malcolm X is portrayed by Denzel Washington. It is a biographical drama that depicts the life and legacy of African American civil rights leader, Malcolm X. One theme that I found to be very evident throughout this film is evolution. To evolve means to gradually go through a major change. This film effectively captures Malcolm X evolving from a troubled teen with a rough childhood into one of the most influential and powerful leaders of all time.

As Denzel Washington stands before the graduates of Dillard University at their commencement ceremony, he saw an opportunity to encourage them of future success through his “Make a Difference” speech. To appeal to his audience, he uses logos when he introduces tips on success. He said to “Remember that just because you’re doing a lot more doesn’t mean you’re getting a lot more done. Don’t confuse movement with progress” (Washington). This then helps the audience clearly understand how to begin this mission to success. As his use of logos was meant to provide instructions, he applies ethos to obtain credibility when he states that he was once “flunking out of college. I had a 1.7 grade point average. I hope none of you can relate. I had a 1.7 grade point average” (Washington). The speaker wants to be a relatable example to all the graduates that he is standing before. Throughout this speech, Washington efficiently utilizes diction, tone, and repetition to appeal to the graduates and encourage them to dream.

“At the time of my last meeting with Paramount Pictures in January 1990, a well-known, highly respected white director wanted very much to direct the film. [...] I accept that he is a very fine film director. But he is not black. He is not a product of black American culture—a culture that was honed out of the black experience and fired in the kiln of slavery and survival—and he does not share the

George Washington had early influences as a child.  His childhood wasn’t easy, his mother passed away when he was eleven years, then later on his father passes away also.  The

While the 1970’s and 80’s marked a decline in movies featuring black actors and a lack of black directors, the mid 1980’s through the 1990’s invited a new generation of filmmakers and rappers, engaging with the “New Jack” image, transforming the Ghettos of yesteryears into the hood of today. A major director that emerged during this time was Spike Lee. According to Paula Massood’s book titled, Black City Cinema, African American Urban Experiences in Film, “…Lee not only transformed African American city spaces and black filmmaking practices, he also changed American filmmaking as a whole.” Lee is perhaps one of the most influential film makers of the time, likely of all time. He thrusted black Brooklyn into light, shifting away from the popularity of Harlem. By putting complex characters into an urban space that is not only defined by poverty, drugs, and crime, it suggests the community is more than the black city it once was, it is instead a complex cityscape. Despite them being addressed to an African American audience, Lee’s film attract a mixed audience. Spike lee’s Do the Right Thing painted a different image of the African American community, “The construction of the African American city as community differs from more mainstream examples of the represents black city spaces from the rime period, such as Colors…, which presented its African American and Mexican American communities through the eyes of white LAPD officers.”

Failure is an obstacle, everyone during their life must face and come to accept. But, what really is failure? I see failure as when you try to achieve at something, but do not succeed in doing so. A person who has faced many letdowns in his life is Denzel Washington; as he talks about failures in his 2011 University of Pennsylvania Commencement Address. During his speech, uses of rhetoric can be heard all throughout his words. Making the message he is trying to say to the graduating students that still have their lives in front of them, just so much more robust. Washington’s use of all three kinds of rhetoric throughout his speech about defeat and how to change your thoughts to overcome them.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek” Barack Obama. The question is always asked does the media reflect the reality of society, or does society try and imitate the reality shown by the media? There are a number of stereotypes associated with African Americans in our society such as African American men are athletes, rappers, criminals, deviant, streetwise, uneducated, and unemployed just to name a few. African Americans in the media have changed through the years. The history of African Americans on TV or minorities in general is hampered by the racial conflicts and segregation that are embedded in American society. Historically, black actors have been grouped stereotypically and assigned to comedy. This has often been traced to the genre of black minstrelsy that was popular in the early 20th century.

In Spike Lee 's Do the Right Thing, the story takes places in 1989, another year in the long struggle for equality for African-Americans. The film portrays the racial tensions between locals of the neighborhood and an Italian-American family in the majority Black and Hispanic neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) in Brooklyn, New York. Spike Lee shows us what a day in the life of the Brooklyn neighborhood consists of and throughout the movie he portrays several different aspects of a modern urban neighborhood, using the many unique personalities of the characters in the movie.

actually address the historical legacy of slavery, Lin Manuel Miranda’s casting brought light to the misrepresentation of non-whites in media and history. Throughout history, minority races, specifically African-Americans and Hispanics, are often whitewashed into stereotypical themes; thug life, segregation, or the “bad guy”.

Blow when he says, “ It is in these subtleties that black folks are forever forced to box with shadows, forever forced to recognize their otherness and their inability to simply blend.”

In conclusion, what is seen in Spike Lee's Malcolm X is a break from the traditional cinema of its time which was a film of historical fact, biography and political commentary with the intended effect of raising social consciousness. Lee pushed the limits and dared to create controversy and shock viewers. Furthermore, Denzel Washington portrayal of a much wounded young boy who evolves into a very powerful speaker and political figure is outstanding and helped shaped the movie into an incredible historical depiction of Malcolm X’s life.

The film grants audiences to gestate their understanding of the movie and the manner experiences antiquated regarding racial violence and prejudice. The ineptitude of history implies to the intellectual chattels that chronicles and culture can have on all progeny. Malcolm Little would ultimately revolutionize into his worst adversary, that entangled with the decisions he would subsequently make. Malcolm's philosophic mentality and provocation with death was indicative to his life. The remarkable depiction in the film pronounced the indubitable fortitude and essence of the audience.