Against School? Yeah man! Yeah!

Against School
By John Taylor Gatto

In the story "Against School"Gatto is the communicator while the reader is the audience. Gatto dilivered his message about why our school system is unnecesary, even detremental. John Gatto used a lot of ethos rhetoric as well as logos and pathos in bringing to life and reality a topic mentioned very little in the educational environment. Gatto let readers understand that he has a lot of knowledge to offer because he has 30 years of experience. He also uses pathos in the form of boredom. Towards the end of his debate, with logos, he logically connects his thoughts.
The first example of retoric is seen in the first sentence. Gatto establishes the fact that he has spent thirty years as a teacher, in the best schools and the worst schools. He also speaks for all the other teachers he has come across in his career, not to mention the students. This is a false appeal to authority as well as inviting others to jump on the bandwagon.
Another logical falicy found in Gatto's writting is used through the rhetoric of pathos. The first emotion Gatto points at, is the lack of emotion. Boredom is used by Gatta to describe school. Because of examples he saw in the school systems, he hastily generalizes that every student and teacher suffered from the symptoms of boredom.
The last step for Gatto to complete the triangle of rhetoric was the use of logos. Even logos was applied through Gattos explanation for the true cause of school. His six functions about the true purpose of school may be true. They also may have been true. The question that begs to be asked is are they still true. Or is false analogy involved?
From reading Gattos story "Against school" there can be seen examples of how rhetoric is used and can be applied in good and bad. From reading "Against School" much is taught. There are questions answered and interests sparked.




I Just Wanna Be Average
Mike Rose
In the story "I Just Wanna Be Average" Rose is the communicator and his message relates to how to cope with our weaknesses as well as others. Logical fallacies can be seen throughout his story. Even in the title, the phrase "I just wanna be average" is an invitation to jump onto the bandwagon. The story increases Rose's invitations.
Rose describes teachers and his life using terms familiar to him and others in his situation, "He ran the dozens like a metric halfback,...". This style of writing invites others with that background to participate and become a part of his invitation (to agree with his message). This invitation can be seen as an invitation to jump on the bandwagon.