SWA #10: Essay 2 Worksheet

Oswalt's Strategy of Persuasion

In "Wake Up Geek Culture. Time to Die," Patton Oswalt creates his argument through his employment of humor, facts, and personal experience.


I. "I'm not a nerd. I used to be one, back 30 years ago when nerd meant something."

A. Oswalt uses humor to place the audience into a more receptive mood.
1. People respond better to comedy.
2. Comedy is an easy way for audiences to connect with a writer.

B. By beginning his arguement in this way, Oswalt states his argument in a way that is more presentable to an audience.
1. Comedy may make some readers be more open to addressing an argument.

II. "The problem with the Internet, however, is that it lets anyone become otaku about anything instantly. In the '80s, you couldn't get up to speed on an entire genre in a weekend. You had to wait, month to month, for the issues of Watchmen to come out."

A. Oswalt highlights the fact the Internet makes it easier for anyone to access information in an instant.
1. People can do a multitude of things on the internet.
2. The Internet is a fast connection to the outside world that allows people to instantly connect to others.

B. In the '80s, there was more anticipation for information.
1. Things were not as instant, people had to wait and work for things they wanted to discover.
2. Decades ago, things may have been more cherished due to the amount of time people spent waiting on them.

III. "So we each built our own otakuesque  thought-palace, which we crammed with facts and nonsense- only now, the thought-palace was nicely appointed, decorated neatly, the information laid out on deep mahogany shelves or framed in gilt. What once set us, apart, we hoped, would become a loveable quirk."

A. Oswalt believes that by discovering information for himself and on his on time, helped him develop into the person that he is today.
1. Oswalt attributes much of his growth to the time he spent discovering as a child and teenager.

B. His reputation was based upon who he actually was and what he made of himself, not what others perceived of him on the internet.
1. He wishes that one day, his daugher will discover herself through things she learns on her own.

Conclusion: Oswalt feels as if he will effectively influence the audience through the employment of comedy, facts, and personal experience.