Most if not all of the speech is daily conversation type of language which allows the audience to fully digest everything he is saying with little room for confusion or assumption. STYLE- As an oral speech to college graduates, the language used is mature yet not overly complex to the point where the audience is unable to comprehend each sentence. Similarly, the conclusion lightly reminds the audience of all the points covered throughout the long speech and ends with an inspirational takeaway. The introduction does a great job of not only hooking the audience but setting up the rest of the speech in a brief way. The 6 sections chronologically follow one another, starting with the process of coming up with ideas which is later transitioned to facing the issues that come with success and the value of mistakes along the path of success. Stories and passionate body language and tone allow Gaiman to touch the hearts of the students as they feel personally close with the speaker by hearing about his own personal life.ĪRRANGEMENT- The speech is broken up into 8 parts: a quick introduction, 6 body sections that cover a series of different topics, and an inspiring conclusion. Pathos plays a huge part in this speech because the whole purpose is to be inspiring since it is a graduation ceremony. These pieces of wisdom were derived from his own experiences which he uses short personal anecdotes to support. He covers the importance of constantly striving to progress toward your goal and that mistakes are not meant to hold you back but to push you harder and further. He tells his audience to go beyond the limits of what people tell you you can do, making your own rules and creating outside of what is believed to be possible.

INVENTION- Gaiman’s speech mostly focuses on his advice to be happy, be successful, and live true to yourself. Gaiman had few constraints, only limited to topics and language appropriate for a graduation. By sharing his mistakes and successes, Gaiman hoped to inspire and advise this generation so they’d live a successful and happy life. He wanted them to learn a lesson from his words that he wish he had learned before beginning his career.

Directed to the graduating class, Gaiman wanted to give them advice and speak on his own life as these students were headed into the real world and workforce. Neil Gaiman, an author most famous for his comic The Sandman and novel, Coraline, gave this speech, “Make Good Art”, at the 2012 graduation ceremony at The University of the Arts.

Neil gaiman speech make good art