The article “Hidden Intellectualism” by Gerald Graff is adapted from his 2003 book “Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind.” In the article, Graff criticizes the approach schools take to teaching literature. He disagrees with the statement that students with “street smarts” are not able to apply their knowledge in school. It thus displays the idea that the use of different methods at school will allow students to succeed in their writing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The point of the article is that “street smarts” should not be overlooked because in many cases they can offer more life skills than education. provided at school. Graff suggests that by allowing students to express their passions in their schoolwork, students will naturally become more interested in literature and more eager to develop themselves. Graff uses basic techniques to make his article easy to follow while still being effective and convincing. Graff begins his essay by instantly allowing the reader to identify with the subject. It makes us realize that we all know people who may not do well in school, but admire the skills and knowledge they've learned outside of the classroom. Plus, it reminds us of literature that most of us had to read in school, like Plato, Shakespeare, and nuclear fission, and then compares them to topics that most people enjoy more, like fashion and sports. Graff most likely wrote this article in response to his teenage years and the struggles he faced growing up, believing he was anti-intellectual simply because his writing skills did not shine in the topics he was expected to write about. write at school. Strategically, Graff uses some facts from the past and offers some of his own experiences applying pathos to validate his augmentation. This approach provides the article with a pleasing balance of different information, making it easier to persuade the reader. Mentioning the marriage between the playwright Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe after the latter's divorce from the famous sportsman Joe DiMaggio proved that even sixty years ago, the division between intellectuals and non-intellectuals was still important. Additionally, Graff captures the reader's attention and engages them in a more operational way by using events from his adolescence and connecting them to modern struggles that students currently face. Growing up, Graff was torn between being a proud A+ student and being tougher than the other boys. Even in modern society, children in school feel pressured to succeed academically, but inevitably feel held back because they can be beaten if they are too smart. Graff seems more personal and opinionated, which makes it much easier to connect with his argument and allows the audience to become emotionally connected and more likely to identify with his side of the debate. To conclude his article, Graff cites Ned Laff to present a more visual example: “The challenge is not simply to tap into students' non-academic interests, but to get them to see those interests through academic eyes. » Keep in mind: This is only a sample. Get a custom article now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay Graff could improve his article by including more facts and statistics to.