Rhetorical Analysis of Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar Acceptance Speech 

Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar Acceptance Speech is phenomenal for bringing to the forefront issues that humanity easily ignores, or considers insignificant. While accepting the award for best performer in 'The Joker,' Joaquin used the speech to talk about social justice and the promotion of love as a virtue to steer communities forward. The filmmaker argues that while people ought to be driven ahead by common things that bind them, such as politics, Americans always rush to identify with particular groups in the community, rather than find common ground from where they can associate with others. Standing before the Oscars audience, Phoenix delivered an enthralling speech full of artistic and graphic representation of what he was communicating to the world. This speech broke the internet after it happened and caused a movement of people to become inspired and motivated to make the world a better place. In Joaquin Phoenix’s speech, he spoke about the world’s problems and mentioned how his work ethic was to show that he changed and to speak on a much bigger subject on how he wanted to help the world become a better place. Ultimately, Joaquin views society as one entity that should collectively fight injustices and work towards the destruction of sexism, racism, and other inequalities. Using highly emotive language and artistic wit, Joaquin delves into logical reasoning that tells the audience that rather than scramble for what benefits only them, they should be considerate of the common good.

Joaquin Phoenix begins the acceptance speech with a tone of gratitude, quickly noting that the win does not, in any way, make him better than all the other contestants, who, unfortunately, failed to scoop the award. The opening sentences of this speech set the tone of the entire speech, as he notes that although there are both winners and losers, in this case, they all share the love of film, which binds them. He notes that 'I do not feel elevated above any of my fellow nominees or anyone in this room, because we share the same love – that’s the love of film.” Using highly emotive language, Joaquin reminds the enthralled audience that they have a primary, collective vocation-to use their voices to speak for the voiceless. Although this speech may have been presented as a routine in accepting an academy award, Joaquin speaks to millions of people seated and working outside the award auditorium. The emotion he attaches to the speech tells all of humanity that they all have a role to play in ensuring that where they have the opportunity, they should consider commonality over individuality.

The celebratory, emotive language used is characterized by carefully chosen words that communicate the depth of the issue of social justice, about which Joaquin talks passionately. Wit and intellect are some of the most powerful tools that one can use in delivering a message that laid bare would hurt the feelings of the audience. Joaquin richly uses his intellect to choose the words to communicate what he feels makes the world a discriminative place. Accompanying this language is the evident use of rhetorical appeals such as pathos. He argues that “I think we've become very disconnected from the natural world. Many of us are guilty of an egocentric worldview, and we believe that we're the center of the universe. These words evoke pity and despair, and they are words that he uses to call people to action in embracing commonality and working towards the betterment of the world in which they all live. He likes to use his name and fame for a greater cause. Although he knows how hard he can be to work with, he has stated that he is working on himself and he is doing the best that he can to better himself as a person and to better his work style. By addressing the disparity that exists between people in different cadres of life, Joaquin appeals to the audience that everyone has a role to play in making the world as ideal a place as possible.

Carefully wrapped around the emotive diction is an artistic tone in that only an intelligent person could use in communicating. Joaquin uses graphic contexts to represent the depravity of humankind by comparing how unjust the human race is by giving the example of a cow. He argues that just by inseminating the cow artificially, human beings feel entitled to it and steal the calf, and proceed to use the milk meant for the calf in coffee and cereals. If this is not the most artistically presented logical information, one wonders what is. He alludes to the way an individual in society may help another, and feel entitled to the benefits attached to the help offered. Although there is no use of direct allusions to historical injustices, Joaquin does not shy off from noting that the development of the human condition of selfishness is as a result of the disconnection from the natural world.

Joaquin logically reasons that humanity would benefit better if they shared the resources they have equitably rather than scramble to have the best share while leaving others to share the rest. This logical reasoning reminds the audience of the power that they hold in unity. He argues that “…human beings at our best are so creative and inventive, and we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and the environment. In this statement, Joaquin stresses that human beings, although having displayed selfishness, have not lost all hope. This is a combination of his artistic wit and emotions, which plead with the audience to strive to make a change towards making the world more equitable. By the use of the environment, one would argue that Joaquin believes that given human determination and creativity, they can be able to change all facets of life, for the better.

This speech is also a call to reason, with Joaquin Phoenix painting a picture of how good it would be if human beings stopped scrambling for resources and instead strived to share them equitably. This, Joaquin communities through the use of rhetorical appeals. He posits that although he has been a 'scoundrel' in the past, society and the audience has not left them and they have given him a chance to showcase his potential, a second time. He argues that humanity is at its best when they support each other to rise, not when they scowl on mistakes done. In the conclusion of this phenomenal speech, Joaquin quotes words from his brother's song, which state that there is peace when one runs to the rescue with love.

Everything about Joaquin's Oscar Acceptance speech is used to communicate a more profound message than what the words would superficially mean. As one reads through the otherwise short text transcript, they may not help but admire the wit and emotion that the author attaches to the speech. The admiration arises not only from Joaquin's artistic representation of the issue of social justice but also from the choice of words that define the whole address. Indeed, humanity can only succeed if they use their efforts and endowments to benefit the entire society as opposed to the individual.