For this assignment, I’m going to have you read a short piece in Gawker by Jenny G. Zhang. Here’s the link: “Everyone Thinks They are the Underdog.” ItLinks to an external site.’s an essay about how we communicate online in a digital age, and about how difficult it is to form identities in new, online spaces. I want you to read it primarily to get a sense of how the writer, Zhang, develops her argument. Your response should clarify your own sense of Zhang’s argument and its purpose. It should be three paragraphs in length. Below I’ll give you some prompts for writing the essay:
Paragraph 1: Explain a little bit about where Zhang is coming from. Maybe lead with an introduction about your own experience of social media, or something that gets the reader into the topic by way of an anecdote (an anecdote is a short story that conveys information relevant to your topic, but that comes from some other source, either your own life, the news or something you’ve heard. When you write an essay, the purpose of an anecdote is kind of like an icebreaker–it lets the reader know about your topic in a way that doesn’t require you to get down to the argument quite yet, but it also lets you show the reader that the topic is relevant by linking it to current events, personal events, etc…). After the intro/anecdote, get into the argument a little more. What is Zhang trying to say and why? Be specific and get analytical with this part of the essay. It’s important that you don’t end up stating the argument as a truism, or something already held to be true by the reader. In order for an argument to be good, it’s got to be a little bit original. Bring out that originality in Zhang’s argument.
Paragraph 2: Assess Zhang’s writing according to Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle. Which of the three forms of rhetoric (ethos, pathos or logos) do you think she uses the most? Give an example or two from her writing and explain. Make sure you let the reader know something about the form of rhetoric, and then explain how Zhang uses it in her writing.
Paragraph 3: Give your own sense of Zhang’s essay. What did you think of it? Which parts of it made the most sense to you, and why? Which parts of it did you struggle with? Which parts didn’t work for you? Give the reader a sense of your own appraisal of Zhang’s writing in the final paragraph. Was her essay effective? Whether you agreed with it or not, did it convey what she wanted it to convey?
