Throughout “Outliers”, Gladwell is constantly appealing to the readers emotion through his positive and playful writing personality.
In chapter four, a man named Robert Oppenheimer is introduced to the reader as the physicist that headed the American effort to develop the infamous nuclear bomb in World War II. Considered to be a genius at an early age, Oppenheimer went to Harvard and then Cambridge University to obtain his doctorate in physics. During these years, it is said that his life long struggled with depression peaked. Out of spite, “Oppenheimer took some chemicals from the [Harvard] laboratory and [attempted to] poison his very own tutor.”- Patrick Blackett. Thankfully, Patrick found out before anything could occur and reported the incident to the university. As a result, the university “agreed [to have] Robert put on probation and have regular sessions with a psychiatrist…” As Gladwell goes on to talk about Roberts life, he makes note that the man auditioning for one of the most significant jobs of the twentieth century “had all kinds of communist friends… didn’t know anything about equipment… and [c]ouldn’t run a hamburger stand.” Gladwell also makes sure to add that “Oh… he tried to kill his tutor [in graduate school]” as a conclusion to Oppenheimer’s resume. This conclusion really emphasized the appalling life details of a generally applauded man in the United States history, allowing the reader to have a laugh of disbelief.
Another example of Gladwell’s use of pathos took place in chapter 7, while discussing the lack of communication between the ATC and the co-pilot. Instead of the co-pilot fully acknowledging the ATC of the planes dangerously low level of fuel, he simply says “We’re running out of fuel.”, a very normal thing to happen when a plane is reaching its destination. In response, Gladwell compares his vague comment to being at a restaurant and saying “Yes, I’ll have more coffee and ah, I’m chocking on a chicken bone.”. This comment helps to lighten up the mood while also helping the reader understand how passively the co-pilot treated this state of emergency as a whole.
A final moment occurred towards the very end of he book in the epilogue. At this point, Gladwell is taking the time to personally thank his grandmother for giving his mom the opportunity to receive an education during a time of economic, political and social hardships in Jamaica. He describes outliers as “products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy.” For “in the end, [an outlier] is not an outlier at all.” This allowed the reader to greater understand that outliers are still humans, the only difference is that they were given the opportunity to receive help, practice and eventually grow skilled at their subject. It reinforced the idea that we all are in some way, shape or form, outliers.
In chapter four, a man named Robert Oppenheimer is introduced to the reader as the physicist that headed the American effort to develop the infamous nuclear bomb in World War II. Considered to be a genius at an early age, Oppenheimer went to Harvard and then Cambridge University to obtain his doctorate in physics. During these years, it is said that his life long struggled with depression peaked. Out of spite, “Oppenheimer took some chemicals from the [Harvard] laboratory and [attempted to] poison his very own tutor.”- Patrick Blackett. Thankfully, Patrick found out before anything could occur and reported the incident to the university. As a result, the university “agreed [to have] Robert put on probation and have regular sessions with a psychiatrist…” As Gladwell goes on to talk about Roberts life, he makes note that the man auditioning for one of the most significant jobs of the twentieth century “had all kinds of communist friends… didn’t know anything about equipment… and [c]ouldn’t run a hamburger stand.” Gladwell also makes sure to add that “Oh… he tried to kill his tutor [in graduate school]” as a conclusion to Oppenheimer’s resume. This conclusion really emphasized the appalling life details of a generally applauded man in the United States history, allowing the reader to have a laugh of disbelief.
Another example of Gladwell’s use of pathos took place in chapter 7, while discussing the lack of communication between the ATC and the co-pilot. Instead of the co-pilot fully acknowledging the ATC of the planes dangerously low level of fuel, he simply says “We’re running out of fuel.”, a very normal thing to happen when a plane is reaching its destination. In response, Gladwell compares his vague comment to being at a restaurant and saying “Yes, I’ll have more coffee and ah, I’m chocking on a chicken bone.”. This comment helps to lighten up the mood while also helping the reader understand how passively the co-pilot treated this state of emergency as a whole.
A final moment occurred towards the very end of he book in the epilogue. At this point, Gladwell is taking the time to personally thank his grandmother for giving his mom the opportunity to receive an education during a time of economic, political and social hardships in Jamaica. He describes outliers as “products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy.” For “in the end, [an outlier] is not an outlier at all.” This allowed the reader to greater understand that outliers are still humans, the only difference is that they were given the opportunity to receive help, practice and eventually grow skilled at their subject. It reinforced the idea that we all are in some way, shape or form, outliers.