Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Jim Brockel
Mrs. Lohmeyer
5 September 2017
In his essay, Hidden Intellectualism, Gerald Graff challenges the idea that
intellectualism can only come from being book smart. He argues this point by telling
his personal story, citing relevant pop culture material, and criticizing schools for missing
not only making learning more interesting, but also making teaching easier.
Graff begins by addressing that schools are missing opportunities to get kids
excited to read and learn. Schools fail, in Graffs opinion, to first draw students into
encourage them to do so first on subjects that interest them rather than interest us (Graff
265). By using these more student-relevant materials the kids will get more involved,
Following his critique of the educational model, Graff addresses his challenges to
be book smart. In offering up his own adolescence he draws in readers with his own
personal struggles. Though he read, he did not read what is considered by most to be
intellectual material. In his youth he loved reading sports magazines, articles, and novels
(Graff 265). He notes that societal ideals, focusing on the physical toughness of a man as
part of his draw toward the anti-intellectual pursuits (Graff 266). Yet, with further
Jim Brockel 2
analysis a realization that, though these types of materials were not considered by those
Graff often mentions his love of sports throughout the essay. He read every sports
magazine he could get his hands on. After many years of reading, it struck him that these
sports articles and arguments brought forth just as much, or more intellectual thought
than what he gained from Shakespeares plays (Graff 266). He attributes this to the
discussed with this topic (Graff 266). Based on this idea, Graff points out that though a
student cannot dig deep into Mills On Liberty, because they find the subject matter to be
incredibly dull, the same student could write a sharply argued, sociologically acute
analysis of a popular magazine, thus improving their critical thinking skills while
Graff believes that this hidden intellectualism is found throughout the world in
places deemed to be less sophisticated. With his personal experiences that led him to be
the intellect he is today, he is convinced other childrens eyes can be opened to the
knowledge that is there for the taking. As teachers become more aware of what is
interesting to students, advancements will be made in the classroom to help the overall
experience. Without individual interests and points of view we would not live as diverse,
Works Cited
Graff, Gerald. Hidden Intellectualism. They Say I Say With Readings. Ed. Cathy
Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company,
Inc., 2014. 264-71. Print.