The article "Hidden Intellectualism" by Gerald Graff is adapted from his 2003 book "Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind." In the article Graff criticizes the approach that schools adopt towards the teaching of literature. He disagrees that students with “street smarts” are unable to apply their knowledge in school. As a result, it shows the idea that using different methods in school will allow students to be successful in writing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The point of the article is that “street smarts” should not be overlooked because in many cases it can offer more life skills than the education provided in school. Graff suggests that by allowing students to express their passions in schoolwork, students will naturally become more interested in literature and more eager to thrive. Graff uses basic techniques to make his article easy to follow while remaining effectively persuasive. Graff begins his essay by immediately allowing the reader to relate to the topic. It makes us realize that we all know people who may do poorly in school but who admire the skills and knowledge they have acquired outside of the classroom. It also reminds us of literature that most of us had to read in school, such as Plato, Shakespeare, and nuclear fission, and then compares them to topics that most people enjoy more, such as fashion and sports. Graff most likely wrote this article as a response to his adolescence and the difficulties he faced growing up thinking he was anti-intellectual simply because his writing skills didn't shine among the topics he was supposed to write about in school. Strategically, Graff uses some facts from the past and offers some of his experiences applying pathos to validate his empowerment. This approach provides the article with a nice balance of different information, which makes it easier to persuade the reader. Mentioning the marriage between playwright Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe after the divorce of famous athlete Joe DiMaggio was effective in demonstrating that even sixty years ago the divide between intellectuals and non-intellectuals was still evident. Furthermore, Graff captures the reader's attention and engages them in a more operational way by using events from his adolescence and connecting them to the modern struggles that students currently face. Growing up, Graff was torn between being a proud A+ student and proving himself to be tougher than the other kids. Even in modern society, children at school feel pressure to perform well academically, but inevitably feel held back due to the fact that they might be beaten if they are too intelligent. Graff appears more personal and opinionated, which makes it much easier to connect with his argument and allows the audience to become emotionally connected and more inclined to relate to his side of the debate. To conclude his article, Graff cites Ned Laff as a way to present a more visual example: “The challenge is not simply to exploit students' non-academic interests, but to get them to see those interests through academic eyes.” just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Graff could improve his article by including more facts and statistics to increase credibility and convey that his essay is well funded and.