Abstract
In his essay, “Blue Collar Brilliance,” author Mike Rose explains how he watched different types of service workers in the field, then comes to the conclusion that each of them possesses a very unique set of skills that takes a lot of intelligence to master. He challenges the view that the intelligence of people who work blue-collar jobs is lower than those who do not. Many people in the current society are under the belief that service jobs hold low value because it has been pressed into their minds that anyone can work them. Rose communicates the issues by observing his mother at the diner where she works and explaining to the readers how intelligent she actually is.
Keywords: blue-collar, menial labor, intelligence An Analysis
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He illustrates his experiences in the diner where his other worked as a waitress serving coffee and food. His mother is portrayed INSERT QUOTE. He describes how she memorized who had ordered what dish and how she became the best at deciphering the body language and emotional needs of the diners and her co-workers. Rose also observes his uncle who worked at the General Motors factory in the production line. INSERT QUOTE. He showed the same amount of intelligence that was required of supervisors in the painting line. Readers are led to assume that the job a person works does not measure how smart they are. In today’s society, many people can not afford an education after high school but that does not mean that they are not as intelligent as a doctor or lawyer if they could afford the schooling. Not everyone has the funds to acquire degrees and titles and some just do not have the desire to continue their education. While many believe that a higher education is a worthwhile pursuit, it is also not the best route for many people. Attending college does not lead to a happy and fulfilling lifestyle for some