In Carol Dweck’s book Mindset, she uses rhetorical tools to help connect with her readers on a deeper level. Dweck touches her readers using ethos, pathos, and logos. By doing this she reaches everyone on a level where they can comprehend and connect with. Her message states that growth mindsets can lead us to greatness.
In the section “Is Artistic Ability a Gift?” (p. 67) she uses ethos when she states “just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn’t mean that others can’t do it . . . with training” (Dweck, 2006, p. 70). She connects with everyone who has ever wanted to develop a skill but thought they couldn’t because they weren’t blessed with it. Many people feel this way with sports or with artistic abilities. Many people believe that these skills cannot be developed; you’re born with them, or you aren’t. Some of the best athletes, musicians, and other artisans had to learn their skills. Talent and ability only get you so far.
“Racing to prove themselves over and over . . . they’re often running in place, amassing countless affirmations, but not necessarily ending up where they want to be” (Dweck, 2006, p. 45). In this quote Dweck shows her credibility. Everyone knows what it’s like to face trials every day and feeling like there is no way to get over them. She connects with her readers by displaying that she has been in these situations before, and she knows how it feels to be fighting what feels like a losing battle.
Dweck uses ethos to establish a connection to everyone in their childhood particularly in the “Bullies and Victims. . .” (p. 165) section. “Starting in grade school some kids are victimized . . . it could be for their timid personality, how they look, what their background is, or how smart they are . . .” (Dweck, 2006, p. 165). Stating this Dweck suggests that we all have aspects that take on emotional toll. Emotional tolls can change our mindsets, she talks about the Columbine shooting, stating that the shooters had been bullies for years. These student didn’t start going to school with the idea of murdering their classmates and teachers in the years to come. The emotional toll of bullying over the years changed their mindsets.
Dweck not only uses ethos in the statement, but also pathos. For many people the Columbine shooting strikes an emotional chord. By striking this chord, Dweck touches many individuals’ hearts. Parents send their children to school to be safe and to grow, but for some children can only grow so much because of bullying, focus issues, or not being challenged. Being bullied is something that everyone has dealt with, wither in small doses or being a constant victim of a ruthless bully. We all have felt the sting of the words of others. Joking or not the words still hurt and will stick with us through time.
“If failure means you lack competence or potential—that you are a failure—where do you go from there?” (Dweck, 2006, p. 35). Dweck is a powerful writer, and using pathos in this statement gives her more power. She knows what it’s like to feel like you’re not good enough and connects with her readers using that knowledge. We all have failed at something and felt like we shouldn’t continue down that path. She relates this to the story of Michael Jordan. If he would have given up when he didn’t make the high school basketball team, where would he be now? Failures just mean that we need to work harder. Practice makes perfect.
Dweck touches her reader’s emotions using pathos in her statement “when people believe their basic qualities can be developed, failures may still hurt, but failures don’t define them. And if abilities can be expanded . . . then there are still many paths to success” (Dweck, 2006, p. 39). When Thomas Edison was inventing the lightbulb he didn’t quit after his first failure, he continued until he got it right. He knew that the ability to create the light bulb had to be developed. He continued to thrive and not let his failures bring him down. “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work” –Thomas Edison
In her quote, “mindsets are just beliefs. They’re powerful beliefs, but they’re just something in your mind, and you can change your mind,” (Dweck, 2006, p. 16) she speaks to our reason using logos. Our minds our powerful tools, they control every function of our bodies, but they are controlled by our beliefs. Our minds can be changed when our beliefs are changed. Some changes are easier than others. Dweck understands that changing our minds can be hard, but it’s as simple as that; changing our mindsets is just changing our minds, and we control when our minds are changed.
We all have/have had the mindset of “why would I risk turning from a success into a failure? From a winner to a loser?” (Dweck, 2006, p. 33). It’s a good question. Why would we take something we are good at and possibly make it something we are bad at? We all know people who are amazing athletes, musicians, artists, dancers, and etc. that don’t display their talent or ability. Dweck uses these people as an example. What if they are good alone, but once they get put in a performance setting they aren’t as good as someone else. Failure is fear for most, if not all, of us. It’s the things that we are good at that help us steer clear of failure.
Dweck points out the difference between ability and a mindset when she asks her readers “was it Mozart’s musical ability or the fact that he worked till his hands were deformed?” (Dweck, 2006, p. 63). Ability can only get you so far. It’s what your mindset allows after ability ends. People don’t become amazing at what they do solely because of talent, they became amazing because even though they had to struggle, and work hard to progress, it was worth it. You don’t have to have that natural ability to be amazing, it all comes with your mindset.
Carol Dweck is a powerful writer because she knows how to use rhetorical tools effectively, and using ethos, pathos, and logos she can connect with every one of her readers on a deeper level. She touches their minds and hearts leaving the impact that skills and abilities are only part of the things that lead us to success; the other part is our mindsets.
In the section “Is Artistic Ability a Gift?” (p. 67) she uses ethos when she states “just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn’t mean that others can’t do it . . . with training” (Dweck, 2006, p. 70). She connects with everyone who has ever wanted to develop a skill but thought they couldn’t because they weren’t blessed with it. Many people feel this way with sports or with artistic abilities. Many people believe that these skills cannot be developed; you’re born with them, or you aren’t. Some of the best athletes, musicians, and other artisans had to learn their skills. Talent and ability only get you so far.
“Racing to prove themselves over and over . . . they’re often running in place, amassing countless affirmations, but not necessarily ending up where they want to be” (Dweck, 2006, p. 45). In this quote Dweck shows her credibility. Everyone knows what it’s like to face trials every day and feeling like there is no way to get over them. She connects with her readers by displaying that she has been in these situations before, and she knows how it feels to be fighting what feels like a losing battle.
Dweck uses ethos to establish a connection to everyone in their childhood particularly in the “Bullies and Victims. . .” (p. 165) section. “Starting in grade school some kids are victimized . . . it could be for their timid personality, how they look, what their background is, or how smart they are . . .” (Dweck, 2006, p. 165). Stating this Dweck suggests that we all have aspects that take on emotional toll. Emotional tolls can change our mindsets, she talks about the Columbine shooting, stating that the shooters had been bullies for years. These student didn’t start going to school with the idea of murdering their classmates and teachers in the years to come. The emotional toll of bullying over the years changed their mindsets.
Dweck not only uses ethos in the statement, but also pathos. For many people the Columbine shooting strikes an emotional chord. By striking this chord, Dweck touches many individuals’ hearts. Parents send their children to school to be safe and to grow, but for some children can only grow so much because of bullying, focus issues, or not being challenged. Being bullied is something that everyone has dealt with, wither in small doses or being a constant victim of a ruthless bully. We all have felt the sting of the words of others. Joking or not the words still hurt and will stick with us through time.
“If failure means you lack competence or potential—that you are a failure—where do you go from there?” (Dweck, 2006, p. 35). Dweck is a powerful writer, and using pathos in this statement gives her more power. She knows what it’s like to feel like you’re not good enough and connects with her readers using that knowledge. We all have failed at something and felt like we shouldn’t continue down that path. She relates this to the story of Michael Jordan. If he would have given up when he didn’t make the high school basketball team, where would he be now? Failures just mean that we need to work harder. Practice makes perfect.
Dweck touches her reader’s emotions using pathos in her statement “when people believe their basic qualities can be developed, failures may still hurt, but failures don’t define them. And if abilities can be expanded . . . then there are still many paths to success” (Dweck, 2006, p. 39). When Thomas Edison was inventing the lightbulb he didn’t quit after his first failure, he continued until he got it right. He knew that the ability to create the light bulb had to be developed. He continued to thrive and not let his failures bring him down. “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work” –Thomas Edison
In her quote, “mindsets are just beliefs. They’re powerful beliefs, but they’re just something in your mind, and you can change your mind,” (Dweck, 2006, p. 16) she speaks to our reason using logos. Our minds our powerful tools, they control every function of our bodies, but they are controlled by our beliefs. Our minds can be changed when our beliefs are changed. Some changes are easier than others. Dweck understands that changing our minds can be hard, but it’s as simple as that; changing our mindsets is just changing our minds, and we control when our minds are changed.
We all have/have had the mindset of “why would I risk turning from a success into a failure? From a winner to a loser?” (Dweck, 2006, p. 33). It’s a good question. Why would we take something we are good at and possibly make it something we are bad at? We all know people who are amazing athletes, musicians, artists, dancers, and etc. that don’t display their talent or ability. Dweck uses these people as an example. What if they are good alone, but once they get put in a performance setting they aren’t as good as someone else. Failure is fear for most, if not all, of us. It’s the things that we are good at that help us steer clear of failure.
Dweck points out the difference between ability and a mindset when she asks her readers “was it Mozart’s musical ability or the fact that he worked till his hands were deformed?” (Dweck, 2006, p. 63). Ability can only get you so far. It’s what your mindset allows after ability ends. People don’t become amazing at what they do solely because of talent, they became amazing because even though they had to struggle, and work hard to progress, it was worth it. You don’t have to have that natural ability to be amazing, it all comes with your mindset.
Carol Dweck is a powerful writer because she knows how to use rhetorical tools effectively, and using ethos, pathos, and logos she can connect with every one of her readers on a deeper level. She touches their minds and hearts leaving the impact that skills and abilities are only part of the things that lead us to success; the other part is our mindsets.
Link to buy Carol dwecks book Mindset |