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Sherry used a story about her son’s English teacher, who used the threat of failing to force him to study hard. Sherry appeals to readers’ emotions and common values to lend credibility to her argument. Suggesting that failure can be a positive learning tool, she challenges traditional teaching methods and encourages readers to do the same by manipulating their emotions.
In the first paragraph, Sherry (1991) uses the phrases “meaningless diplomas” and “graduates are semiliterate”. These words are used in the opening sentence to elicit a negative emotional response from readers, creating a sense of frustration and disappointment that students can graduate without having gained basic literacy skills (Martel et al., 2020). Right after that, it is written that “they have been cheated by our educational system” (Sherry, 1991). Thus, she not only attempted to instill a sense of injustice in the chosen education, but she also exploited a universal human value: the desire to have access to knowledge.
In the third paragraph, the author makes a double use of pathos: firstly, Sherry (1991) evaluates the experience at school as an “unpleasant experience,” awakening people’s memories of school years. After that, in the tenth paragraph, it is suggested that flunking is “a positive teaching tool,” opposing the traditional system of education and the one proposed by her (Sherry, 1991). Sherry (1991) uses the phrase “trump card of failure” to elicit a sense of urgency from readers. The phrase suggests that failure is a powerful motivator and that it can be used to get students’ attention. This could make readers more likely to support the author’s call for stricter grading policies.
In her article, Sherry argues that the education system fails to teach basic literacy skills. It appeals to a sense of justice, envy, fear for the future, and frustration while also emphasizing the shared values of readers. There are several of them: the desire to learn, to succeed in life, and to give our children the best we can. She uses these tools to support her call for a rigorous assessment policy. Overall, Sherry’s article encourages readers to rethink the overall education system, and she tries to do it by tapping into readers’ emotions.
Reference list
Martel, C., Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2020). Reliance on emotion promotes belief in fake news. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 5(1), 5-7. Web.
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