Jonathan Chung, a computer science major at the City College Of New York, went through many transformative experiences that helped shape his relationship with language, literacy, and computer science. His interest in computer science peaked at a young age when he found himself drawn to the field. In a recent interview with Chung, he revealed that it was only natural he chose this path. This is because he enjoys doing it and he knows that he will be able to make a good living out of it. Despite this, Jonathan discloses that he is open to switching out his major if anything better comes along. Still, he knows that any major or path he chooses will utilize the skills he detailed learning in his essay titled “Speaking Up”.

In his essay, Chung effectively employs the use of Pathos to evoke feelings of familiarity in the readers. He expressed his feelings about giving the speech, his perseverance through an anxiety-inducing situation, the relief he felt after giving the speech, and the skills he gained from the experience. In his essay, Jonathan highlights his persistence and resilience in a tough situation, showcasing his ability to work through tough situations. This skill is especially useful in computer science where he will most likely encounter tasks that will be hard to execute or when he finds a bug that he cannot locate. We also learn that there was a lot of pressure on Jonathan at the time, as this was the first time he had to think about his words and the message he wanted the audience to receive. On top of that, since he was so young, giving a speech in front of his whole grade was one of the first times he was put in such a nerve-racking situation. 

                    By describing how the opportunity to give the speech suddenly sprung on him and how unlucky he felt, he can make the audience empathize with his situation. Despite this, he still took the opportunity and put effort into honing the speech to be as well made as possible.  We are on the journey from crafting the speech, revising it, and giving it to a crowd along with him. By the end, we also feel a sense of relief that it went well. This rhetorical strategy is effective in making the essay feel more personal. It adds relatability and aids in helping the readers connect both with the story and the author. We can understand that although the situation was nerve-inducing, it was also helpful in helping the author develop his communication skills from a young age. It helps us realize the importance of gaining and developing these skills from a young age.

                Jonathan also wishes to convey to the readers the importance of facing your fears in an uncomfortable situation. Doing this gives you a boost of confidence while also teaching skills that prove to be helpful in various circumstances. He also wants to emphasize the benefits of learning and developing your public speaking skills from a young age. Towards the end of his essay, Jonathan mentions that the experience made him learn how to choose his words more carefully. In the interview, he also mentions that writing in a clear, concise, and formal manner will help him a lot in situations where he will have to send emails or text messages for his job. The author’s audience likely consists of those who may have had a similar experience to him where they were chosen to speak in front of a crowd but were very apprehensive about it. His advice to these people is to just go through with it; they will reap the benefits of it almost immediately. For example, someone who is very shy and reserved might feel good that they were able to give a speech, or someone who has a harder time speaking might learn some skills that will help them in the long run. 

              In his essay, Johnathon Chung also asserts that it does not matter the content of the speech he gave, but the way it made him feel afterward. He does this by insisting that the moment may have felt minuscule or even forgettable to some, but to him, it was a moment to remember because it helped improve his speaking skills and gave him a boost of confidence. By supplying the reader with information about the speech he gave to his schoolmates, Chung builds his claims about the importance of teaching children how to present themselves in front of a group at an early age. This also allows him to develop a sense of credibility within his audience, as they witness firsthand Chung’s resilience in the face of an uncomfortable situation. Due to his experience of public speaking at such a young age, he can apply those early life skills to every aspect of his life moving on. His decision to go into computer science directly plays into this because it allows him to enhance his communication skills with his team members. In a field that requires team building and communication, doing that speech not only prepared Jonathan to persevere, but it gave him the necessary skills needed to present ideas and collaborate with teams effectively.

         Jonathan’s story serves as motivation for anyone, especially those who have fears of public speaking. He acknowledges the struggles that come with public speaking but also looks to highlight the benefits of it. By preserving through the speech, Jonathan not only gained public speaking skills, but he was also able to simultaneously work on his confidence, resilience, and communication skills. These are skills that can apply to anyone regardless of the path they choose to take.