Mike Rose

I Just Wanna Be Average

Mike Rose

Summary:

Mike Rose argues that society, more often than not, overlooks the potential of students. He displays when stating "students will float to the mark you set" (220).

Analysis:

Ethos:

Mike Rose earns his credibility throughout the essay because he talks about his own experience of being accidently placed in a "vocational program" during high school (218). Instead of putting up a fight to try to get out of the program, he made the best of his situation. Rose develops his narrative by comparing and contrasting different teachers to show their ability, or lack of, to motivate struggling students, "But mostly the teachers had no idea of how to engage the imaginations of us kids who were scuttling along at the bottom of the pond" (220). Rose illustrates the personalities of some of his teachers, like Brother Dill, who was unenthusiastic about his job and the capability of his students, "occasionally he would lose control and shake or smack us" (218). He explains that teachers didn't teach them to succeed, but instead they taught the bare minimum for them to get by.

Pathos:

While Rose's essay speaks to students, it also encourages administrators and teachers to review their practice. He displays his voice to the students by trying to make the reader relate to Dave, Ted, or Ken and recognize that they are not alone. The purpose of Ken's statement, "I just wanna be average," is to touch on the stereotypes of certain students based on the classes they take, and some of the flaws within the school system. Rose uses vivid language to express the attitudes of students in vocational programs, "F---- this bull----" (222). Rose shows