In Too Much Pressure, author Colleen Wenke writes about the pressures of school and explores the reasons why students cheat. The piece is written from Wenke’s point of view, and includes her personal experiences as a student, as seen by her use of personal pronouns. The author wrote this passage to call attention to the cheating epidemic that is occurring throughout schools everywhere, due to students feeling too much pressure. Her tone is formal as this is a serious article. The speaker tries to make students believe that while many students feel like cheating is the only way out; it is a problem that needs to be addressed order to keep an honest world. This passage is intended for everyone- students feeling the pressure to cheat, parents not teaching their children higher morals, and teachers’ not recognizing what is happening right in front of their eyes. The audience is students and parents of students who are in high pressure environments at school, since they can connect to this the most. The author writes multiple rhetorical devices, including, but not limited to anecdotes, cause and effect, and personification . An example of an anecdote in the story is when the writer discusses how her teacher would call the students who copied homework off of each other in the morning “cafeteria scholars”. The anecdotes add ethos, since it shows the author as living through and knowing these experiences. The author employs cause and effect throughout the whole story when she discusses how those who cheat often become dishonest business leaders later on. The writer adds figurative language such as personification with lines such as “morals take a back seat too much you earn…” and employs pathos with lines such as “I would study for hours and pull B’s. They (the cheaters) would pull A’s.” When this is said, it creates a feeling in the minds of those who don’t cheat of “hey, this isn’t fair.”Logos is added when she refers to writer Robin Stansbury’s research about cheating and how cheaters act.
It is easy to agree with the author. She speaks the truth and definitely establishes her ethos as she was once a High School student herself who experienced cheating. It is not a good sign if today’s dishonest cheaters become tomorrow’s leaders. I see cheating every day, and I think that a lot of students do not actually believe that copying homework and assignments classifies as cheating. The author also has a good point that students are under too much pressure. With all the pressure to have extracurricular activities and great grades, students often take the easy way out just to survive. Students like me need to find a balance. This is a pretty timeless piece since the pressure only seems to increase as each generation grows up. The author makes that case very well.
Wenke, Colleen. Fresh Ink- Too Much Pressure. 1998. Print.
The link below has to do with a recent scandal in Atlanta over cheating. This time, the teachers felt the pressure and assisted students in cheating in order to increase students test scores and potentially their pay raise.
It is easy to agree with the author. She speaks the truth and definitely establishes her ethos as she was once a High School student herself who experienced cheating. It is not a good sign if today’s dishonest cheaters become tomorrow’s leaders. I see cheating every day, and I think that a lot of students do not actually believe that copying homework and assignments classifies as cheating. The author also has a good point that students are under too much pressure. With all the pressure to have extracurricular activities and great grades, students often take the easy way out just to survive. Students like me need to find a balance. This is a pretty timeless piece since the pressure only seems to increase as each generation grows up. The author makes that case very well.
Wenke, Colleen. Fresh Ink- Too Much Pressure. 1998. Print.
The link below has to do with a recent scandal in Atlanta over cheating. This time, the teachers felt the pressure and assisted students in cheating in order to increase students test scores and potentially their pay raise.