In his critical article, William Golding contends that there are three grades of thinking and that “nine-tenths of the population” does not engage in the higher grades. He supports his contention by weaving in baroque syntax, featuring demiurgic imagery, and touting audacious diction. Golding’s purpose is to explain the grades of thinking by characterizing all three in order to urge the audience to think more critically in the higher grades. He embraces a cavillous tone (“conversion of the world to my way of thinking might be difficult,”) that reaches out to educated travelers and readers of the Holiday.
Appendix:
1. Rhetorical Strategy: Syntax
Example(s):
a. “No, I didn’t think, wasn’t thinking, couldn’t think—I was simply waiting in anguish
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for the interview to stop” (para. 11). b. “But these grade-one thinkers were few and far between” (para. 36). c. “Now you are expecting me to describe how I saw the folly of my ways and came back to the warm nest, where prejudices are so often called loyalties, where pointless actions are hallowed into custom repetition, where we are content to say we think when all we do is feel” (para. 46). Link to Argument: A varied sentence structure provides credibility to Golding as it demonstrates his writing expertise while also connecting to the reader’s drive for higher grade thinking.
Sentences where conjunctions are excluded make the flow of the writing more urgent and aggressive. This allows the reader to connect with Golding because the reader can also be frustrated with thinking which leads to a change in their thinking process. Cumulative sentences provide information after a stated idea. After these extra details, Golding uses the conjunction “but” to contradict what he initially proclaimed. The reader is able to feel confident in Golding’s writing because of the holistic view he provides and actions will be more likely taken towards higher grade …show more content…
thinking. Rhetorical Strategy: Imagery Example(s): a. “cows will graze all the same way on the side of a hill” (para. 29). b. “they all came tumbling down like so many rotten apples off a tree” (para. 43). c. “sunk in his desperate thought, where there were shadows before him—and at his back, I would put the leopard, crouched and ready to spring” (para. 48). Link to Argument: The imagery painted in the reader’s mind serves as a visual aid that allows for better understanding in regards to Golding’s ideas about thinking.
By using examples like repetitious cows and rotten apples, which the reader interprets as negative and dull, Golding emphasizes why thinking grades three and two are easier and not as acclaimed nor challenging as grade one. Grade one thinkers are active in their pursuit of information even when the future is uncertain; nature drives them forward. With this information, the reader gains insight to the highest thinking grade which propels them forward with their thoughts.
2. Rhetorical Strategy: Diction
Example(s):
a. “clairvoyance” (para. 27). Intuitive knowledge
b. “intolerant contempt and an incautious mockery” (para. 29). Feeling negative, insultive
c. “portentous” (para. 34). Ominously significant or indicative
Link to Argument: Powerful word choice gives the reader passion for Golding’s purpose because of how the words stir at their drive for improvement. At young ages, people have the ability to be intuitive about the thoughts of others even if those thoughts are only grade three. Golding emphasizes that understanding the importance of valuing all thought, no matter the initial negative regards, because grade one thinking takes time to come to fruition. The reader knows something but not everything; however, Golding gets them to believe in the power of their own thoughts if an effort is made to upgrade
them.
In her article, “The Case Against GRADES”, Alfie Kohn discusses the grading system and its faults. She opens her argument with information from an older psychological study that proves the negative impact of the current grading system, and she reinforces this with the proof that “no” research has contradicted this statement. Also, she gives many key reasons including: “Motivation”, “Achievement”, “Quantification”, and “Curriculum”. Kohn supports these topics with other reasearch for why the system is failing the students. She asserts that, “… the absence of grading is a necessary condition for promoting deep thinking and a desire to engage in it.” As support, she offers other solutions and then debunks them by proving that they would not solve
The journey begins at the heart of the matter, with a street smart kid failing in school. This is done to establish some common ground with his intended audience, educators. Since Graff is an educator himself, an English professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago, he understands the frustrations of having a student “who is so intelligent about so many things in life [and yet] seems unable to apply that intelligence to academic work” (380). Furthermore, Graff blames schools for not utilizing street smarts as a tool to help improve academics; mainly due to an assumption that some subjects are more inherently intellectual than others. Graff then logically points out a lack of connection “between any text or subject and the educational depth and weight of the discussion it can generate” (381). He exemplifies this point by suggesting that any real intellectual could provoke thoughtful questions from any subject, while a buffoon can render the most robust subjects bland. Thus, he is effectively using logic and emotion to imply that educators should be able to approach any subject critically, even non-traditional subjects, lest they risk being labeled a buffoon.
She explains how her son was just pushed through school. “Our youngest, a world-class charmer, did litter to develop his intellectual talent but always got by” (559). He got through school by being a good kid, he was quiet and didn’t get in trouble. This was how he made it to his senior year until Mrs. Stifter’s English class. Her son sat in the back of the room talking to his friends; and when Mary told her to just move him “believing the embarrassment would get him to settle down” (559) Mrs. Stifter just told her “I don’t move seniors I flunk them” (559). This opened Mary’s eyes that her son would have to actually apply himself to pass. He wouldn’t be handed a passing grade. After the meeting with her son teacher, she told her son if you don’t try you will fail, making him actually apply himself. This made Mary understand that Failure is a form of positive teaching tool. Only because her son had to work for it and, now he actually came out of high school with a form of
Pollan’s article provides a solid base to the conversation, defining what to do in order to eat healthy. Holding this concept of eating healthy, Joe Pinsker in “Why So Many Rich Kids Come to Enjoy the Taste of Healthier Foods” enters into the conversation and questions the connection of difference in families’ income and how healthy children eat (129-132). He argues that how much families earn largely affect how healthy children eat — income is one of the most important factors preventing people from eating healthy (129-132). In his article, Pinsker utilizes a study done by Caitlin Daniel to illustrate that level of income does affect children’s diet (130). In Daniel’s research, among 75 Boston-area parents, those rich families value children’s healthy diet more than food wasted when children refused to accept those healthier but
In education, critical thinking is a student’s ability to analyze and evaluate an issue to a certain specificity in order to form a conclusion. Intelligence places limitations on self-growth but adaptability provides insurance for instances when experience have no effect because “you can count on your ability to learn, and nowhere is that more important than when what you’ve learned in the past no longer suffices for the future” (67). Teaching goes beyond reinforcing intelligence; it is also a mechanism for developing critical thinking skills. Experience and memory has its limitations in fostering systematic thinking but the addition of adaptability gives an individual the drive to go beyond their reach. Students have relatively few experiences that affect their education but has humans they have the basic need to evolve. This comes through when prior experiences can no longer influence a student’s educational progress. There comes a time when it is necessary for a scholar to think past their boundaries. Adaptability makes this possible because it allows an individual to change their mindset so that it will fit their circumstance. As a basic, human necessity, adaptation does not need to develop but a person must be placed in an environment where their adjustability can grow. Sacks discusses the memoir of Zoltan Torey, a man who was advised to take a conventional approach to blindness therapy by maneuvering his focus to an “auditory mode of adjustment” (332). Yet, rather than limit his options, Torey “had moved in the opposite direction, resolving to develop instead his inner eye, his power of visual imagery” (332). If he had been unsuccessful in his attempt, Torey would not only have lost his ability to see, but he also would have lost any chance of developing his auditory sense as a form of compensation. Placed in a situation with limited options, Torey redefined his
This novel can easily be compared to the topics I’ve learned about in class. Topics covered in the classroom are the importance of thinking critically about things in day-to-day life. Levitt’s and Dubner’s book is an excellent example of the things that can be produced from thinking critically about the world around us. Being a critical thinker aids people in making intelligent and educated decisions.
Looking back at my rhetorical analysis in writing 150, to sum it up, it was horrendous. It became exceedingly obvious that I had skipped the prewriting step. Forgoing this step caused choppy sentences, multiple grammatical errors, and horrendous flow. The rough draft ended up looking like a collection of jumbled up words. The first attempted felt so bad, I started over entirely. After the review in class, I used the examples to focus my ideas and build off what other people had done. For example, the review helped me to clarify my knowledge and use of Kairos. Once done, it was peer reviewed by my group again. All the other group members commented that I had good ideas, but bad flow and grammatical errors. After revising their respective points and
To describe Critical Thinking (CT) as a “Higher-order skill” is to put it mildly. After spending twelve hours reading this week’s assigned articles and a great deal more on the subject of CT, I still feel like a first-grader being asked to solve a calculus equation. To paraphrase Tim van Gelder, learning CT skills is hard and a life-time journey. It is not enough to know the concepts, the student must actively practice CT themselves to improve their understanding (2004). I first became a critical thinker in third grade, after moving to London. As an American child, I had been taught that important history began in 1776, a history measured in hundreds of years. In England I saw a history measured in thousands of years and was taught the opposing
Paul, R. and Elder, L., (2008). The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking-Concepts and Tools, 5th. Ed., Foundation for Critical Thinking Press: Dillon Beach, CA
Traditional theories of intelligence do not account for the ambiguity of classes such as philosophy or for the wide range of interests a child can have. For example, contemporary theories such as Sternberg’s Theory of Intelligence and Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences both account for more than the general intelligence accounted for in traditional intelligence theories. According to Robert Sternberg’s Successful (Triarchic) Theory of Intelligence, are Hector’s difficulties in philosophy indicative of future difficulties in the business world? According to Sternberg’s Theory of Intelligence, Hector’s difficulty in philosophy will not negatively affect his future. Sternberg would instead focus on elements of successful intelligence like Hector’s involvement and contribution as an individual, as opposed to relying on intelligence measured by tests.
22) in order to use critical thinking. The difficulty that I faced is definitely solvable. With this insightful guideline, I will become a critical thinker. Preparation is the foundation of success; it reflects on my characteristics and work ethics as a student. It also clears the road block in my mind to become a better critical thinker and is beneficial in the future. After reading the short section on what critical thinking involves, I feel that I am already a different critical thinker. I immediately began to analyze and seek additional information that would help me succeed on writing this paper assignment. Most importantly, I learned the closet meaning of critical thinking and what I need to do to become a better critical thinker.
This early definition of critical thinking was crucial to the development and survival of scholars and philosophers of that time. In comparison, Paul and Elder (2002:119-122) direct students toward developing intellectual standards that include self-evaluation and avoiding prejudice while constantly questioning importance and relevance with everything being read, studied and listened to. Xander Hamilton-Reeves (2009 online) offers a more simplistic definition of ‘filtering information in ...
Brown, M. &. (2000). Critical thinking: Asking the right questions. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Peason Custom Publishing.
Browne, M., Keeley, S., McCall Jr., M. & Kaplan, R. (1998) Readings in Critical Thinking, New Jersey: Pearson Custom Publishing.
Lipman, M. (1995). Critical thinking - what can it be? In A. Ornstein & L. Behar (Eds.) Contemporary issues in curriculum,pp. 145-152.