Summary Of Java Man By Malcolm Gladwell

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In “Java Man,” Malcolm Gladwell insists upon the importance and reliance that humans have on caffeine, and he states that “there is no drug quite as effortlessly adaptable as caffeine” (248). He highlights the significance of caffeine by revealing the history and using claims from popular advertisements such as Coca-Cola, historical figures like Paul Erdös, and scientific facts of how caffeine effectively works in humans’ bodies. Not only does Gladwell shares historical context, he also conveys a humorous tone and uses compelling evidence. By showing the significance of caffeine, Gladwell dates back to the eighteenth century to show how caffeine has affected people throughout history. First, the author uses a Coca-Cola advertisement from the …show more content…

The author effectively uses logos to persuade the audience that caffeine is effectual by using a legendary mathematician, Paul Erdös, from the twentieth century. In order to keep himself awake, Erdös used “strong espresso and caffeine tablets.” (252) However, a friend bet Erdös that he would not be able to live without caffeine for a month. Erdös successfully won the bet, but “he found himself incapable of doing any serious work” (252). With this being said, the author includes this in his essay because he wants to show that it is possible to go without caffeine, but people consume caffeinated drinks in order to feel awake, alert, and focused. In addition, Gladwell includes scientific information about how caffeine works in humans’ bodies. He does this to show that caffeine has a healthy and safe effect on one’s body, and because of this, “caffeine is such a wonderful stimulant” (250). Therefore, Gladwell effectively incorporates historical figures and scientific knowledge in his essay in order to give strong evidence, and it would be difficult for people to argue against why caffeine has a beneficial impact on