Marc Estridge

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Name Prof Name Class Date Interpretive Essay Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities. In Malcolm Gladwells book Outliers: The Story of Success, he discusses multiple methods of gaining success and how they are achieved. Success can be gained depending on many different aspects. Each different way is just as important as the next, and all are thoroughly discussed in the text.

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Comment [AP1]: Can you come up with a more creative title?

Comment [AP2]: Give proper in-text citation

Comment [AP3]: I like that you begin with a quotation, but I know all of the things detailed in this paragraph, so what value does it have? Im not getting a sense of what your thesis is.

One of the very first methods that Gladwell discusses, is definitely one in which he goes into depth with. The concept of determination and practice is one of, if not the most important aspect of becoming successful. Chapter 3 is almost completely about this idea of determination and the main portion talks about the 10,000 hour rule. This rule shows the importance of time put into an activity. Gladwell says that in order to indefinitely become successful, an extreme amount of time must be put into something to become good enough at it to achieve success. It is said to take about 10 years to put in 10,000 hours of practice which is how long it took many successful individuals to achieve there greatness, such as Mozart. This rule is the concept that apparently made those such as Bill Gates and the Beatles to gain their success. The point in this rule is to show the importance of practice and time consumption. Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good. Success can not just be easily gained, it takes years of practice and perseverance to become truly great at a task.
Comment [AP4]: This is all summary.

2 Marc Estridge In the chapter directly following the one above, Gladwell goes onto discuss what I myself consider to be the most important and most interesting concept. The idea that individual intelligence is not nearly enough to become success. The most intelligent people, such as Bill Langen discussed in this chapter said to have one of the all time highest IQs, are almost unable to gain success without other aspects dealing with personality. In this chapter, the main idea is that it takes a sense of personability and empathy on top of overall intelligence in order to become successful. From personal experiences I have learned that being able to relate to others and hold a quality conversation can be a huge part of working ones way up the ladder of success. Intelligence is important, but intelligence is not always viewed as book smarts, a lot of times it takes common sense intelligence and being able to read others.

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Comment [AP5]: This isnt a word. But I get what youre saying, so I think it is okay. But be weary about making up words in an academic paper.

Comment [AP6]: I really like how you are now inserting your analysis. Can you discuss this further. Maybe putting this idea into a specific context? Like the importance of networking? Is networking something you like to do or are comfortable with? Im just spitballing.

The next concept is the one that Gladwell seems to spend the most time on discussing. Almost the entire last half of the book is used to explain the effect that culture of origin has on becoming successful. The first example is the story of attorney Joseph Flom, and the idea that his jewishJewish origin was a big part in achieving success due to the cultures focus on hard work. His firm struggled because most would not hire a jewishJewish attorney, so he decided to take the cases that most would not, and through this he made a name for himself and achieved success. Throughout the next few chapters, Gladwell goes into detail on several cultures that helped people become successful due to the ideas and concepts that the culture focuses its learnings on. This idea that culture gives individuals different attributes that are important for success is a very interesting and not so often recognized concept. People often view success as being good at something or being able to work hard, but culture is not something most people would consider to be an aspect of success. However, Gladwell helps the reader understand its importance and that success is not always gained in the way most people think it is. This is a

Marc Estridge

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concept that I directly agree with, because depending on where people are from, shapes the person they become. Different cultures raise their citizens in different ways, such as the south being raised to understand the concept of honor, and those in Asian cultures, specifically workers on rice paddies as discussed in the book, being raised to understand the idea of hard work in what seems to be minuscule to others. Who we are cannot be separated from where we're from.
Comment [AP7]: This is a concept that Id like to see you specifically deal with and discuss here. do you buy into this and what larger implications might this idea have?

Finally, the concept that involves ones individual status, and family status. Unfortunately, this is a very important concept in success, unfortunate because it is not something that an individual can change. Gladwell talks about how a lot of times, it is easier to become successful if ones family is successful. In order to gain success, often times you have to know the right people, have the right connections, those who will guide you and help you gain excellence. In a family that is originally successful, it is much more convenient because they have the resources needed to become successful. They also often understand what it takes to become great, and can help pass down the ideas of how to become successful through the generations. Gladwell says in his book that we are prisoners of our ethnic history which serves as a very bold statement, but is one that I definitely agree with. This does not necessarily mean we are stuck for good, but our background definitely serves as a basis to how successful we are able to become. Not to say no one has ever broken out of their ethnic history, it has been done plenty of time. With that said, one of the most truthful sayings is it is not necessarily WHAT you know, but often WHO you know.

Gladwell wrote this book to help readers understand what it takes to become someone who is successful. Those who can obtain success, he considers to be OUTLIERS, those who stand out. This idea of standing out is the most important aspect of success. However, it is not

4 Marc Estridge success in money that Gladwell primarily discusses. Although this is a form of success, it can also come in the state of happiness, or importance. The ideas discussed in this essay are the primary aspects of becoming successful, though they are not the only ones. Gladwell does not intend to tell you how to become successful, but more or less helps one understand how others have gained their success. He leaves it to the reader to decide which they believe can work, and which ones will not.

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Marc,

I think you introduce some really interesting ideas here and you seem to be just on the verge of diving into a really interesting and worthwhile conversation. Im just not sure what your thesis is. This essay seems largely dependent on summary of the text. Gladwell, I think, is deliberately raising more questions than he is answering. So, what about those unanswered questions? If you have a thesis here, I think it is simply that you agree with Gladwell. I think you need a more substantial thesis that simply, I agree. Who do you think this book was written for? What does Gladwell mean by success? What, specifically, parts of the book do you think relate to you and your personal quest for success? Again, I really want you to engage the conversation a little more.