Rhetorical Analysis Of Who Are You Do Here Edmundson

Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here? Is an academic style magazine article by Mark Edmundson published in Oxford America. In this piece Edmundson uses ethos, logos, and pathos to convince parents to encourage their students to follow their dreams, as well as to convince students to discover themselves during their college career. He effectively achieves his purpose through his use of credible sources (ethos), appeals to morals and values (logos), and personal experiences (pathos).
Edmundson’s first approach towards achieving his purpose is the use of many credible sources. This is important because by addressing other credible sources to parents and students, it shows them that he is credible. He starts by discussing Sigmund Freud saying

that Freud has something to say about everything and in that way if he was to solidify what he believed he would have to “talk his way past Freud” (27). This is effective because Freud is well-known by the educated; therefore, it shows his audience that he is not only well educated, but must know what he is talking about if he can argue one of the great minds of history. In the eyes of parents, it makes it easier to trust a well-educated man about their own child’s education, and it adds greatly to Edmundson’s credibility.
Edmundson continues by using Ralph Emerson as a source; he says, “Emerson most centrally preaches the gospel of self-reliance and that is what I have tried most to take from him.”(26). It is effective to use Emerson this way because he shows parents how he has learned from Emerson and become self-reliant, which is something every parent strives for their student. It also adds to the credibility that he is not citing just anyone, but purposely cites successful psychologists. This is because success is an attribute to look up to, but they also know how people act and think. Edmundson highlights this when he talks about how Emerson suggests that one’s parents might not be aware of who one truly is, mainly because that individual might not know themselves (25). This is important because parents are likely to listen to Emerson, who spent his life studying human behavior, rather than Edmundson. Therefore, he can use Emerson to get his point across to the audience effectively.
Another credible source Edmundson discusses is Schopenhauer, this is one of the ways we know that the parents are part of his audience because although he wrote directly to the students, he cites Schopenhauer whom most students will have no knowledge about. Edmundson doesn’t just mention Schopenhauer, but instead presents his idea that you should question what your family has to say about you. Edmundson builds off of these ideas saying that you should also value what they have to say (24). This is effective because it shows parents that he has his own ideas about what is important.
Edmund’s next strategy is to appeal to morals and values.

This is effective because when it comes to their kids, parents get emotional. Whether that is positive or negative usually stems from their beliefs, but by showing parents that what he believes can build off what they believe, he will be able to convince them that he is trustworthy. The parents and students will be able to trust what he says and know that it will benefit them, along with following their moral code. This also does a good job of emphasizing the negatives that can occur if they do not follow his advice. He begins his article with congratulatory speech because he knows that parents view graduating as extremely important. He says, “You’re to be commended, and not just you but the parents, grandparents…” (18) By doing so he puts them on a pedestal and shows that he values the same achievement, along with how success comes with penalties. Edmundson warns, “If you do not undertake it [The journey of finding yourself at college], you risk leading a life of desperation.” (24). He enhances this idea by saying that if you do not listen to him, you should “get a TV for every room, buy yourself a lifetime supply of your favorite quaff, [and] crank up the porn channel…” (30), He does this to effectively scare students and parents into thinking that even if you get a good job if it is not something you will enjoy that you will be

miserable.
Edmundson’s final tactic is to use personal experiences to achieve his purpose. Bringing in personal experiences is effective because it makes Edmundson more relatable to the parents and students. He illuminates the fact that like anyone he has learned from his mistakes, this makes him seem more on the same level so the students feel if he can still come out on top so can they. He first describes in detail how his father told him he was only allowed to take classes he was interested in because that’s the point of college, to discover yourself (19). This is effective because we think of father figures as being wise as well as respect that relationship and so students and parents can relate to this and be more willing to accept what he has to say. It is also the first place where he plants the idea to parent to follow his father’s lead to sit their student down and encourage them to follow their dreams. Edmundson then goes on to relay a moment when he felt threatened by a student but when he brought his concern to the authorities they just they “laughed lightly” and let the student off the hook. This is important to the piece because its shows parents how the school will no longer take care of your child the way they used to, and how students need to learn to take care of themselves. This will achieve the purpose by getting parents to sit down and discuss self-reliance and self-discovery with their students.
Edmundson was very effective at conveying to students to find oneself during college and to parents to encourage their students to do what they love not just what will make them money. In order to achieve this he used a large amount of successful rhetorical choices by using credible sources, appeals to morals and values, and personal experiences.

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