Literary Analysis: Gerald Graff
In the discourse, “Hidden Intellectualism,” Gerald Graff reflects on a captivating argument between being streetwise and being book-wise. The author clarifies that schools’ and colleges’ system may be faulty for not linking street smarts and channel them into good academic work. This is an indicator of the gaps in the system (Graff, 264). This disconnect is due to failure to see street-smart intellect—the query on why education is text and subject-based and what it means to educated arises. To be truly educated, an individual ought to be well rounded in both life-tests and academic intelligence. The author further elaborates that real intellectuals use all knowledge to their advantage by turning any subject into intelligence, and on the flipside, imbecility will drain the same out of the richest subject.
To change these intellectual attitudes, students should read intellectually challenging writers like George Orwell to acquire intellectual identities in their areas of interest. Graff cites his own experience whereas an adolescent; he was more inclined towards sports rather than academics. He read a lot of sports magazines; typically, as a teenager, he was judged as uncultured (Graff, 265). He was always torn between being physically tough and being verbal. Toughness acquired for teens legitimacy. The community defined then settled for the next thing by being inarticulate by carefully hiding telltale marks of literacy by using correct grammar and pronunciation (Graff, 266). This perception has, however, transformed on the knowledge that his inclination towards sports, as opposed to school work, is a defined intellectualism in itself. Educated life is associated with narrowness and exclusivity of texts and subjects deemed inherently substantial and academic (Graff, 267). The discourse supports the idea of developing accomplished students who can get a wide variety of opportunities. This is by advancing in extra-curricular, schooling, and careers.
The author gives an example of Marilyn Monroe’s marriage to a basketballer. After divorcing a playwright due to demeaning book intellectualism (Graff, 267). At this juncture, the writer brings out the conflicted position where he didn’t like intellectualism though he was unwittingly training for it. He recognized the tremendous underlying role in the sports’ analysis that he participated in transformed them into their category of intellectualism. They all practiced this before they even subscribed to it. From these discussions on toughness and reading sports materials, the fundamentals of intellectualism were founded in the youngsters. This developed in the making of an argument, weighing different kinds of evidence, generalizations, and summaries of ideas sharpened skills. These begot the writer in him today. Over time it has become clear that sports were more compelling and intellectual than school. Sports involvess more arguments, debates, and problem analysis (Graff, 268). Book smarts were less accomplished than street smarts in these times’ culture as the latter satisfies an intellectual thirst much more than the school culture.
From several arguments, Analysis Street smart is definitely a better trait than book eloquence in our current society. even though street smart is seen as if they have no intellectual though they serve to take care of the needs of a society .street smarts are more inclined to work with people than the books smarts who prefer working alone, emanating from the culture of doing exams alone (Graff, 268).in the school environment scoring is not by team work rather the vast amount of information that one has read. Then grading takes places in a very induvial. It clearly depictured by the high levels of competition to acquire the grades yet in real world people skills are essential to work with different personalities. High levels of (Graff, 269). A great example is when in a sports arena the street smart people know how to bond with the people who are not family or friends without any ties. The once who focus in academic performance are seen to have no interest in sports therefore resulting into less bonds created with people from different back grounds. Due to the lack of drama and conflict required in the sports environs to share idealism, and bond. The disparity between academic performance and sports performance is clearly outlined by most academic who try to show that sports can hider someone from performing well in the academic. Therefore advocating for one to choose clearly on path. An exemplary example is when choosing topic to educated the academics students they rarely tell them to write on the topics that are close to the learners .more so on their favorite cars, and hobbies’ they would rather give them a topic on Shakespeare or Plato. Most of them find out about, the disparity between the student’s interests and the degree they choose the ultimate guide for the teachers should be to make the students to see their non-academic interest through academic eyes .this is a clear indication that street smart is not the only way a student should view the world as it not holistic. The major role street smart plays is to counteract boredom, and crate alignment. especially in their interests for example in clothing, cars, fashion and sports. Creating an avenue for them to analytical and reflect on the world around them in cultural perspective (Graff, 270). Institutions of learning should show learners hoe to take nonacademic interest and study them academically. Especially to enhance their liberty by the integration of class units with sports, music and fashion topics. Street smart, and books smart traits are very essential in learning institutions and should be integrated into the schools programs. In the publication it clearly show the essence of using both them and the greater goal achieved when one uses the street smart incorporated with book smart. Based on the passions the student has in arts, fashion and sports. The integration of street wise and book wise can revolutionize the world to levels that will make significant changes in the way this are today. Due to the use of academic smart to street smart without separating the two intelligence. Therefore preparing the learners to tackle the reality of life that’s need the corporation of both. More so when graduates have to solve the hustle of job finding they can use their academic skills to complement the street needs to generate income.