Brain Candy Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis

Ever studied so hard for a standardized test and still not pass? Overwhelmed by reality because you failed a test? This has been an ongoing discussion because not everyone will pass standardized tests. Just because a person does not pass a standardized test does, not mean that they are dumb. Pop culture plays a big role in people's everyday lives and that is how some people learn better than others. Pop culture has also been an ongoing discussion and has been said that pop culture is making Americans dumb. However, in “Brain Candy’’ (Gladwell),Malcolm Gladwell successfully uses rhetorical appeals to prove his point that pop culture is making people smarter.

In “Brain Candy’’, Gladwell first uses the appeal of emotion to prove his point. Gladwell appeals through emotions by using figurative language. Gladwell stated that “To watch an episode of “Dallas’’ today is to be stunned by its glacial pace.”(“Brain Candy”). This term brings to mind boredom of old shows associated with watching glacier. The audience can connect to this because a glacier falls at a very slow pace and as watching this show it would be very boring. Gladwell also stated “A single episode of “The Sopranos’’, might follow five narrative threads, involving characters who weave in and out.’’(“Brain Candy”). This brings to mind associating complexity with modern television.

Second, Gladwell uses the appeal of logos to prove his point. Gladwell uses statistics to show that he has logic information. Gladwell quoted “Steven Johnson Proposes that what is making us smarter is precisely what we thought was making us dumber: pop culture.” (“Brain Candy”). Again, everyone learns differently and some children may pick up on good habits playing a video game than reading information out of a book. Newer games that children play do promote violence, but that does not mean that all games are bad. Bad games that promote violence can devastate a child’s mind. It is important that parents buy games that help with their child's education. Gladwell also stated a statics “James Flynn But if you took out recalibration, I.Q. scores show a steady upward trajectory, rising…)(“Brain Candy”). The appeal is logic because it evokes a response from the audience and it has a reasoning that concern the study of I.Q. tests.

The last appeal Gladwell uses to prove his point