Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?

Introduction

The article highlights the importance of education in changing society, but the author is concerned with the current American education system. Therefore, the readings focus on highlighting some of the basic strategies that students must apply so that they can emerge successful in college and their later lives after studies.

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Summary

The article is an address by the author to students on their first day in college. First, the reading notes that it takes the whole village to educate a child, but that is no longer the situation in the United States. Therefore, the main argument from the article is that college students should ensure that they remain focused on their first day when they join the school to emerge successful (Edmundson, para. 2). Whereas education is essential, the author doubts that American college is on the right track, and that is because they choose the future in the present time. Arguably, most students engage in drug abuse and clubbing instead of concentration on their studies, thus the reason why there are limited chances to excel in the future. Subsequently, the reading closes with the author sharing his experience when he joined college, and the applied tactics that ensured the achievement of good grades and success later in life.

Rhetorical Analysis

First, the details in the reading are realistic since there is a highlight on drug abuse which is unethical amongst students. Notably, the author notes that it is common to come across instances where students fail to concentrate on their studies, but they choose to engage in alcoholism which affects their academic life. Arguably, that is one of the reasons why it is realistic for the writer to argue about the American education system since it will make irresponsible students in the job market. It is only ethical for learners to concentrate on their studies as expected when they are joining college, as choosing drugs over education limits their chance of emerging successful after four years of study (Edmundson, para. 3). Second, the reading has various logical highlights that prove that the education system in the United States is wanting. Arguably, it is true that most students live in the future instead of focusing on the present, and that is through engaging in activities that they admire from their favorite celebrities. For instance, it is impossible that the education system will emerge as the best when students choose to go out clubbing instead of concentrating on their academics. Third, the writer also raises emotions in the reading when he shares information about the first day when he went to college. I believe that the information in the passage is reliable for students since he mentions that his father sacrificed to take him to school although the father never had such an experience.

Conclusion

There are various reasons why I believe that the article was well articulated and the provided information is reliable. The reader will first find the article information since most of the details are logical, and the best example is about students failing their college examinations since they concentrate on other irrelevant things. Moreover, the reading also has emotional elements that make it reasonable, and the best case is where it is indicated that the author's father sacrificed to take him to school, thus the reason why he chooses to work hard and emerge victorious.

Work Cited

Edmundson, Mark. Who are You and What are you doing Here? 2 August 2011. 31 March 2019.