gladwell

1.

Chapter 1-3

Gladwell tells the reader that success is based on opportunity and experience rather than truly being good at something.
Extended Metaphor: “the tallest oak in the forest is the tallest not just because it grew from the hardiest acorn; it it’s the tallest because no other trees blocked its sunlight, the soil around it was deep and rich, no rabbit chewed through its bark as a sapling, and no lumberjack cut it down before it matured.”
Rhetorical question: “…they had performed live an estimated twelve hundred times. Do you know how extraordinary that is?”

As a result of this metaphor, Gladwell connects the tree to occurrences we have in the real world. They help readers visualize the connection between trees and real life events. The Rhetorical question is meant not to be answered, but to get the reader thinking about how important the amount of times the Beatles played live was.
2.

Chapter 4-6
Gladwell argues that there are many other factors playing in order to reach success rather than wisdom. Such as family history, when someone was born, and where someone was born.
Rhetorical Question: “And how did he get there?”
Ethos:
“In Skadden, the legal historian Lincoln Caplan describes that early world of takeovers”
Again, Gladwell uses a rhetorical question to emphasize the importance of Langan’s method of transportation.
Throughout the entire book, Gladwell makes references to many sources which makes himself credible.
3.

Chapter 7-9
Gladwell talks about how somebodies cultural background can have a big effect on that persons assertiveness, determination, and advantage.
Logos: “Virtually all of the advantage that wealthy students have over poor students is the result of differences in the way privileged kids learn while they are not in school.”

Simile: “It’s as if he were to say in a restaurant, ‘Yes, I’ll have some more coffee and, ah, I’m choking on a chicken bone.’”
The logical appeal in rhetoric is used to give evidence to the reader; it gives the reader a clear understanding of the argument, such as the statistics proving that wealthy students get more learning during summer than lower income students. Similes are used to compare two things in a direct way; it helps the reader realize the tone of the pilot’s words in his emergency.