Introduction
The book “Everything’s an Argument with Readings” was edited for the forth time by Keith Waters and published in December 2006. The authors of this rhetoric book are Andrea Lunsford, John Ruszkiewicz and Keith Walters. The main idea brought out to students in this book is that there must be an argument about everything. The arguments arise as a result of different ways of viewing things by different individuals. As the saying goes, “ones man’s meat is another man’s poison” so people have different views (Inness, 52).
In evaluating an essay, a website or any other work, there are some things that must be considered. The author or authors and publisher of the work must be considered. We have to know whether the writer is qualified to do the writing in that field. We also look at the theme of the work and how evidence has been used in the source. It is also important to look at the relevance of the work to the study that has been conducted. In evaluating a work, we look at the timeliness and the credibility of the work (Inness, 68).
This book is very useful to students as it helps them to know that their environment is full of arguments and thus they ought to make their own arguments. The aim of this discussion is to evaluate the essay, “Evictions at Sorority Raise Issue of Bias” by Sam Dillon (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters 135).
Discussion
The essay “Evictions at Sorority Raise Issue of Bias” by Sam Dillon is written in a simple language and in the correct procedure that makes it a suitable source of information regarding the topic. The writer also uses evidence in his writing making the book a well-researched source of information. The writer also brings out both opposing and proposing points that make the argument progress. The essay is relevant to the topic and the purpose of the essay is brought out well.
In the essay, the argument is about the data of a survey by a psychology professor at DePauw University. In the survey, the daughters of Delta Zeta were categorized into two groups, the daddy’s little princesses and the off-beat hippies meaning the chubby girls and the slender girls. 35 members of DePauw were interviewed on their dedication to recruitment (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters 34).
After the interview, 23 of the girls were told to vacate the sorority house. It was found that all the girls told to vacate were overweight and they were black. It was also found that the same girls were from Korea or Vietnam. The rest of the twelve girls who remained in house were slender and they were light skinned. The twelve girls were popular and social to the men in the fraternity too. Unfortunately, six of the twelve remaining girls opted to quit due to pressure and the unfair treatment (Inness, 82).
These biased evictions resulted into many arguments that brought about deeper feelings to some (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters 13). Ms. Holloway, a senior who had withdrawn from the department, was very bitter about this and pointed out the process was unfair because it meant that the overweight were not needed. The overweight were being rendered useless as Holloway puts it in her argument. Many people were annoyed by the argument.
Despite the many who were opposing this, some people were seen to propose the same. Some people said that the university was private and therefore they were free to decide what to do without consulting the government or any other department concerned with the same. Some observers also argued that the chubby girls were known to be stupid and thick. This was a stereotype that could have advocated for the evictions.
This meant that chubby girls could not qualify to be in Universities and they therefore had to be evicted. Some proposers of the evictions said that University was only to keep beautiful and slender girls who could party and not the chubby girls. As many people grew angry because of this, the ones who supported it were seen to be at the front. This turned to a serious argument that involved many Greeks (Inness, 27).
Many of those who opposed this argued that Universities were places of learning and not for socialization and beauty. They said that the girls should have been helped to regain their body sizes and not to expel them from the University. This could also mean that the chubby people will be evicted from the country if the government does not take the necessary actions.
Some could not accept this and they said that private Universities were to make their own rules and the chubby girls should join the public Universities. This was also understood by some to mean that the chubby were not allowed to be wealthy. When they are denied education, then it means they have to struggle to get their daily living. In addition, people are supposed to use their brains at work and not their body sizes. Thus, people are employed according to their level of education and not the size of their bodies.
The president opposed this and he wrote a two page letter condemning the action. He said that this was against the laws of the nation and all people were supposed to be accorded same and fair treatment. At this point, the Dean of the University Cynthia Babington received many calls from parents and stakeholders condemning the evictions. The girls who remained in hostage were also very annoyed and Joanna Kieschnick, one of those remained, said that she could not stay and watch this happen (Inness, 82).
Conclusion
It can be inferred from the evaluation of this essay that this piece of writing is a good and reliable source. First, the author is qualified personnel making him worthy to do the writing. The author is also using evidence to prove his points, both the opposing and the proposing arguments. In any kind of argument, evidence must be included.
The dean and other parties included in the essay by Sam Dillon make the essay well-researched. In arguing, the opposers and the proposers are giving reasons for the direction they have taken in the argument. The survey and the data got from it is also a reliable source of evidence as it can be proved. This could have been thought to be a small issue but due to the arguments, it became big to a point were the president had to intervene and state his position. It is therefore vey clear that everything is an argument.
Works Cited
Inness, Sherrie. American women and ethnic food. New York: University of Massachusetts Press, 2001.
Lunsford, Andrea, Ruszkiewicz, John and Walters, Keith. Everything’s an argument with readings. 4Edn. New Jersey: Paperback, 2006.