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In Season 2, Episode 17 of The Office, main character Dwight K. Schrute delivers a moving speech at a paper sales convention. His exceptional delivery, organization, and persuasive appeals made his speech effective.

Early on in the episode, it is discovered that Dwight K. Schrute has an overwhelming fear of public speaking. His coworker, Jim Halpert, helps Shrute overcome these fears by giving him some simple tips. Little does Schrute know, these tips come straight from a speech made by the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. During his speech, Schrute uses extreme hand gestures to communicate his passion to the audience. By banging his fists on the table, he can engage the audience to listen and understand his intense speech. Schrute also uses various vocal techniques to gain the attention of his audience. There is a significant amount of vocal inflection during the majority of his speech. The powerful, commanding tone of his voice showcases how emotional his speech is. The use of pauses and the increase of vocal volume also helps with the effectiveness of his speech. Despite a lack of strong eye contact, Schrute manages to receive a standing ovation by the end of his speech, proving that he has properly impassioned a formerly disinterested audience of salesmen and women.

The organization of Schrutes speech starts with the startling cry of how blood moves the wheels of history. This outlandish remark works well as an introduction because it gains interest from the audience. Schrute then moves on to ask a series of questions throughout the speech, questions that further the presentation of his argument. He ties this subtle interrogation to a chronological format; tying each remark to periods throughout a person’s life. Schrute then ends with a call to action. This is a characteristic of all great speeches. By successfully calling his audience to act on the issue he is presenting, Schrute proves the effectiveness of his speaking abilities.

Dwight Schrute’s speech utilizes persuasive techniques. An appeal to pathos is present through the majority of the presentation. Schrute speaks with emotions. His dramatic vocabulary and metaphors signify his emotional response to his topic. Schrute makes many references to a “neverending fight” that paper salesmen encounter in their industry. He passionately commands his audience to join arms because “together they will prevail.” By comparing the salesmen’s labor rights to the “motherland”, Schrute invokes a feeling of unity amongst his audience. This emotional response shows the usage of Pathos.

Overall, Dwight Schrute’s speech was extremely effective. Schrute’s amazing delivery, organization and effective use of persuasive appeals engage his audience to respond to the call of action he presents in his speech. Schrute was able to unite a divided conference of salesmen and create an atmosphere that promoted comradery.