Summary Of What Are You Doing Here By Mark Edmundson

The author of “Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?” Mark Edmundson, is a distinguished English professor at the University of Virginia. Professor Edmundson received a B.A from Bennington College in 1974, then in 1985, earned his Ph.D. from Yale University (possibly from the department of English). This article focuses on how a typical university functions from the administration, to the professors and most importantly the students. Edmundson goes on even further to question what the student thinks she knows about education and gives his own philosophical take on it. Edmundson successfully establishes the true meaning of University education through his own experiences and the help of philosophical influence.

Edmundson’s audience for

The author begins his essay by congratulating the students and welcoming them to college. He quickly progresses into informing them that they have been lied to. The whole essay from then on is Edmundson explaining why university education is the way it is today and how one can overcome this and truly rise to the top. As suggested earlier, the author’s purpose is to inform, persuade and encourage in a sense. Edmundson emphasizes, “To get an education, you are probably going to have to fight against the institution that you find yourself in, no matter how prestigious it might be”(Edmundson 115). He informs the audience that most of the professors are there for their own personal gain through research or whatever it may be. As an opinion coming from an actual professor it might be safe to conclude that he is correct but when all is said and done it is still his opinion; there are no sources to support his reasoning. The encouraging bit of his purpose comes towards the end of the essay when he talks about self-reliance and daring to question professors, even challenging them. To sum up his whole purpose he ends it all with challenging the students to find out who they really are, to get a real education and live happy; on their standards, not by the terms that the school or society gives

Also in the midst of all this, his bias is clearly shown. Edmundson does not even try to cover it. He lets it be known that he is biased against the manner in which American Universities operate. His bias, however, can be tied in with pathos. This can be a hidden strategy in his writing. By being biased, and providing personal details of why he believes in going against the grain; Edmundson connects with the audience on a personal level. He stirs up emotions and he is relentless right until the last word in his