Waking Up And Taking Charge Summary

The article “ Waking Up and Taking Charge” by Anya Kamenetz is a passage from her book “ Generation Debt: Why Now is a Terrible Time to be Young” which was published in December 2006.The passage talks about taking a stand against student debt and how college becomes more and more out of reach each year. Student debt as a whole, not only college loans but also credit card debt for young adults. “Just sign on the dotted line as an eighteen year old and you don't know what you're getting into” she mentions in the article. Throughout the passage she talks about how vocal activists and activists in general can make a change and she takes that stand a lot though this passage. It seems like she's trying to persuade the audience into taking control

She then immediately follows up with a way to fix it and demand respect. Shes trying to connect with the audience and shows that she has been in the same place, that she can relate. You can see that she has done her research, she uses plenty of statistics to give you a visual of what she is talking about as well as quoting people from organizations and giving them the appropriate credit. She mentions in 2005 at yale, her alma mater, 15 students sat in the admissions office until they were removed by police. These individuals were demanding changes to the financial aid policy. What those student did actually changed the policy and made it easier for families to afford college without heavy loans. This showed others that activists can make a difference, something she presses on in this

She goes through and talks about student loan and how most college students are in debt and that they can be helped but also needs to be something they do for themselves.

This is also using pathos. Anya is appealing to the audience's emotions, she is trying to make them feel pity to side with her and hoping that they realize that they can take a stance and make a difference, but is also taking a statistical stance on it to prove the effects that can be done if others take charge.

Anya is also using Logos to appeal to the audience's logic. She Shows everything that can be done to help reduce or stop student debt. Showing that activists can help make an actual change. She uses organizations that are activists and all their accomplishments. She shows what other countries are doing as well such as canada and their success in helping young people. She does this in hopes that the audience will have a “Click” moment , as she uses in the passage, and will realize that they can actually make a difference and take charge of their own