Louis Menand, the author of the article, Live and Learn: Why we have college (2011), is very informative- about the type of students there is. In this article, Menand’s went into depth about America's educational system by utilizing the three theories. The first theory is the meritocratic version, and it involves sorting, using test to discover who is the smartest and most intelligent and leaves you with your final grade like your GPA. Theory two explains the democratic method of doing things and learning materials based on the field you want to study. Lastly, the vocational theory explains that college is as scapegoats, where the students can learn what they need to enter an early vacation. Menand's claim on the dying question was theory two, where he sees that students should go into a field that will financially reward you. In this article, logos, pathos, and ethos will be discussed to see if Menand’s had a logical standpoint if he had established credibility and whether or not it was effective.
Without a doubt, Logos has to be well in the essay because Menand shows logic reason and evidence supporting the theories. Menand indicates that there is a higher demand for education in America, and that speaks to approach one. Taking one test does not confirm whether or not that person is most intelligent. Being open-minded and quick thinkers are some measurements of a smart person, according to Menand.
Which brings us to why there is a higher demand for education, Menand states that in America there is six percent of Americans in college, whereas in other countries like Great Brain and France there is only three percent.
Ethos is a literary device that represents the credibility of the writer or speaker. Menand shows reliability throughout the article, starting with him being a professor at an Ivy League school. Menand taught at Harvard University for nine years, and his principal field of academic interest is 19th and 20th-century American cultural history. Menand is best known for his book “The Metaphysical Club (2001),” which talks about the human history of the 19th and 20th centuries. “He has been a Contributing Editor of The New York Review of Books since 1994” (Pulitzer.1). Menand also published in The New Yorker and has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1994. Not only was he certified to be a publisher, but he also was honored by Barack Obama for the National Humanities award in 2016. Furthermore, Menand was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize for history, the 2002 Francis Parkman Prize, and The Heartland Prize for Non-Fiction for his book The Metaphysical Club (year) To finish, Menand published a plethora of essays on the prominent figures in American History.
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Nevertheless, Menand astounding credulity hence all his awards, led him to demonstrate Pathos. Pathos is the appeal to emotions in ways where the reader can relate and understand that can sway the reader. The feeling built into the essay is a worry. In theory one, “You worry that, with so many Americans going to college, the bachelor's degrees is losing its meaning.”(Yorker. 6). The emotion built was worrisome because the average theory one person sees that their talent is going to waste because so many people are doing the same thing, which makes them less valuable. For theory two, students fear, and worry was incorporated into the essay because some are worried that the competition in getting into their pristine college is warping their education sense. There is also fear that some can't pay for their college education, seeing as an Ivy League college is two times more expensive than public college (New Yorker, 7).
On the other hand, Theory one and theory two are perfect for college students preferred for the business side, but what about the non-liberal art students, those students can be more accustomed to theory three. Theory three is where advanced economies demanded set skills for their students, and since college is where you can learn what you need to get your degree and enter an early vacation. Theory three fails to provide a broad intelligence test (theory 1) or an enrichment (theory 2) because those theories are not compatible with today's jobs. Menands suggest that colleges today are now operating in teaching for today's career, but they are not doing an excellent job of keeping them.
In essence, Menands theory one explains that “College is, essentially, a four-year intelligence test. Students have to demonstrate intellectual ability over time and across a range of subjects. If they’re sloppy or inflexible or obnoxious—no matter how smart they might be in the I.Q. sense—those negatives will get picked up in their grades.”(New Yorker 2). Meaning that schools are more focused on standardized testing and G.P.A’s. For example, Ivy League schools have a set curriculum and are tested to determine who is the smartest. In which it doesn’t matter if you understand the work, all that matters is the numbers.
“College exposes future citizens to material that enlightens and empowers them, whatever careers they end up choosing(New Yorker 3). In performing this function, college also specializes, for example, it takes people with disparities and struggling backgrounds and brings them into the line of higher education, Menand was never questioned about his teaching until he went from teaching at an Ivy League school to a public school thus making him a theory two believer because of the different backgrounds.
In the final analysis, Menands a theory two-person gives in great detail on how theory one and theory two are applied to the education system, and he also provides a summary about theory three and how there is a theory for all students. Menands was effective in bringing forth this information to his audience because he gave great explanations and had evidence to back up his claims. Menand's strengths were captivating the audience by bringing in his past and interactions with his students and stating his credibility to us. His weakness was, he could have in better detail explain why he chose to be a theory two-person and explain how he came to be. As a result, Menand’s article was a perfect blend of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos because he gives logic, credibility, and emotion in his work.
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