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Chaarismatic Writing Style Of The New Boy Network By Malcolm Gladwell

Decent Essays

Analysis of “The New Boy Network” “The New Boy Network” is an example of author Malcolm Gladwell’s charismatic writing style which makes seemingly drab subjects vividly interesting to a wide variety of readers. In this essay, he explores the complex nature of job interviews and how first impressions impact relationships. Gladwell argues that first impressions make an immediate impact on people, even if they do not represent the entire person to inform his audience to avoid relying solely on first impressions. He convinces the reader of this using personal anecdotes which relate the subject to readers and structures the writing, expert opinions which lend credibility to his argument, and utilizing an informal tone which engages the reader. Gladwell weaves an anecdote about a Harvard computer science student named Nolan Myers throughout the essay which help the reader relate to diverse topics and creates structure throughout the essay. Gladwell describes Myers as being handsome, charismatic, and easy-going, however he cannot explain exactly why he is so gripped with him (5). This description of both his physical appearance and his personality relates the reader to Gladwell, and in turn, shapes the reader’s impression of Myers. The reader’s first impression of Myers is critical to Gladwell’s argument because it makes the reader reflect on the fact that although he or she has never met Nolan Myers, the reader already likes him. This vividly illustrates the point that first impressions are impactful in relationships. These details also allow Gladwell to transition into discussing other people’s opinions of Myers. This creates a smooth, easy-to-follow transition for the reader while hooking him or her with a personal story as opposed to a more academic tone. Another way that Gladwell utilizes the anecdote about Nolan Myers is to show how a first impression then impacts the meaning of everything else that that person says. One example of this is during Gladwell’s interview with Myers. He says that he is not afraid of failure because he is confident that with time, he can learn many things. Gladwell then reflects that because he like Myers, the answer was confident. However, had he not liked Myers already, the

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