God and Jerk: College Competition
http://www.racheltoor.com/Godandjerk.html-
God and Jerk
So I thought’d it be interesting to critique the use of language of my author (who critiques another author Deresiewicz), primarily because it was awesomly funny. Calling a liberal, well known, ivy-leaguer “plumber averse” was “awesome” (Nicoleism). And, after brushing into Ivy Students and feeling their sparkly glory reign down upon me, I thought Toor’s article provided an interesting view on the elite. She starts off her article highlighting her intended audience underneath the headline of her article, “parents and students take note: a controversial article misses the point”. This is awesomely unique because it shows that Toor’s main point isn’t to criticize Deresiewicz’s article or point out her own shortcomings of the ivy-bound. Instead, Toor’s message is meant to show people my age that we shouldn’t stereotype Ivy League schools at all because there are so many different types of people. The message also is a breather to high school students. College certainly does not define who you are: it is an experience. So my question for you guys: What does college mean to you? What do you think about college competition?
Toor uses the stereotypes and clichés about the ivy leagues to her own advantage in her article. She begins with Deresiewicz’s stereotype in her own article, that the Ivy League alumni have trouble identifying with those with less of an education, like a plumber. She inverts Deresiewicz’s stereotype calling him “plumber averse” and explains that he stops “just shy of complaining about but cracks”. This reveals that Deresiewicz projected a self-made archetype for the so-called “Jerk” at Yale”. Toor doesn’t stop there though. She reveals Deresiewicz’s assumption of the elite being “package people” or those blessed with perfect life until she got to know and understand them. I certainly wish I had the perfect life. My question to you guys? How much do you want that perfect package life? Certainly, watching on Gossip Girls is awesomely entertaining for me (Nicoleism). But a lot of times in our highschool hallways, the ethnic minorities are either laughed at or awed at for their work ethic; is it something worth noting? Moreover, is it something we should be noting at all? Toor, however, concluded that students of any family have their own problems that they have to deal with. It seems as though life doesn’t give anyone a break. She uses a cliché phrase to illustrate that to cliché Ivy students, the world isn’t always their “pearl studded oyster”.
Past clichés, Toor continues to emphasize the differences of all of those trying to get a college education. She uses a hyphen to emphasize two main points in her article. Toor says, “I try not to make assumption about them that lead me to view – at teach – them in limiting ways” and that she “resented the kids who’s parents bought their way in, until I got to know them”. She also asks a lot of questions in the article, hoping to open up the reader’s eyes. In an interview with a Yale student, Toor reports back that the Yale student actually learned more from the non-professional staff at Yale, including the lunch ladies. She asks, “What if parents understood that the people who teach their children disdain them and what they assume to be their values – whether the sons of plumbers of the daughters of the captains of industry?” Again, Toor provides scope to the college experience. She points out that what we learn from in college isn’t always in the classroom. Instead, we gain life experience from those around us. It goes back to the idea college is apart of an overall experience. I’m not saying we should go spend time with our lunch ladies at the high school, but there is certainly something to be said about who can be a mentor. How does this change your opinion on higher education? Who is a mentor in your life? Why? Do you really think the professors at yale, who consider themselves God, are jerks?
Posted in: on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at at 8:32 AM 1 comments