Rhetorical Precis
Daniel Matsumoto
Mr. Widness
AP Language 7th Period
April 1st, 2013
Rhetorical Précis – “The Organization Kid”
In "The Organization Kid", an article published in The Atlantic Monthly in April of 2001, David Brooks discusses the willing conformism and social subservience of the educational elite and reinforces his points through usage of a heavily pathos-based timeline, quotes, textual examples and statistics. Brooks’ examples are both well structured and particularly effective. He compartmentalizes his arguments, shows instances of change over time and directly and effectively targets the emotions of his audience. Brooks’ masterful usage of tactics and strategies such as this makes the narrative quite effective in terms of emphasizing his main goal: drawing attention to the growing trend of willing subservience amongst the educational elite. Brooks’ statement is indeed quite relevant in reference to major issues in ever-changing modern society.
Vocabulary * Prudential – Involving or showing care and forethought, typically in business. * Sacrosanct – Regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with. * Meritocratic – Government or the holding of power by people selected on the basis of their ability. * Nihilism – The rejection of all religious and moral principals, often in the belief that life is meaningless. * Ganglia – A structure containing a number of nerve cell bodies, typically linked by synapses, and often forming a swelling on a nerve fiber. *
Tone
* Critical * Analytic * Factual * Condemnatory
Rhetorical Strategies * Hyperbole – “soul crushing” * Asyndeton – “there are pesticides on our fruit, cigarettes in the school yards, rocks near the bike paths, kidnappers in the woods.” * Alliteration – “Baby Boomers” * Personification – “the argument speaks” * Simile – “like flies to a light”
Discussion Questions * Clarification – Why does the author draw different
Mr. Widness
AP Language 7th Period
April 1st, 2013
Rhetorical Précis – “The Organization Kid”
In "The Organization Kid", an article published in The Atlantic Monthly in April of 2001, David Brooks discusses the willing conformism and social subservience of the educational elite and reinforces his points through usage of a heavily pathos-based timeline, quotes, textual examples and statistics. Brooks’ examples are both well structured and particularly effective. He compartmentalizes his arguments, shows instances of change over time and directly and effectively targets the emotions of his audience. Brooks’ masterful usage of tactics and strategies such as this makes the narrative quite effective in terms of emphasizing his main goal: drawing attention to the growing trend of willing subservience amongst the educational elite. Brooks’ statement is indeed quite relevant in reference to major issues in ever-changing modern society.
Vocabulary * Prudential – Involving or showing care and forethought, typically in business. * Sacrosanct – Regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with. * Meritocratic – Government or the holding of power by people selected on the basis of their ability. * Nihilism – The rejection of all religious and moral principals, often in the belief that life is meaningless. * Ganglia – A structure containing a number of nerve cell bodies, typically linked by synapses, and often forming a swelling on a nerve fiber. *
Tone
* Critical * Analytic * Factual * Condemnatory
Rhetorical Strategies * Hyperbole – “soul crushing” * Asyndeton – “there are pesticides on our fruit, cigarettes in the school yards, rocks near the bike paths, kidnappers in the woods.” * Alliteration – “Baby Boomers” * Personification – “the argument speaks” * Simile – “like flies to a light”
Discussion Questions * Clarification – Why does the author draw different