Darnell Gardner

Enhanced by a strong word choice and a careful arrangement of ideas, Darnell Gardner delivered a powerfully honest essay displaying not only his pride in the city of Detroit, but also his disappointment in Kwame Kilpatrick. He dismissed the ridiculing comments made by his classmates, and used his intellect to produce an effective essay. His impressive usage of many rhetorical devices, especially description and point of view, caused one commenter on the Detroit Free Press website to say, “Darnell has a future!” Another commenter even compared him to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Darnell boldly displayed his love and worry for his city through many powerful phrases. At the very beginning of his essay, Darnell showed his intellect with the words ‘an ethical and contractual obligation.’ When Kwame entered office, he agreed to a contract, whether he knew it or not, to listen to the concerns of the people. By describing in that manner, Gardner made it clear that listening to the people of Detroit is not Kilpatrick’s option, it is his obligation as the leader of a deteriorating city. Darnell showed an obvious passion and concern for Detroit. He wrote, “...something reminds me every day of how low this city has fallen.” Growing up, he first experienced a beautiful city, but as time went on, Detroit began to sink lower and lower. Every single day, Gardner is reminded that the city he fights so hard to uphold becomes harder to defend each and every time Kwame makes the national news.
Gardner’s choice to use first person point of view gave the essay what it needed to affect readers. If Kwame Kilpatrick read this in the Detroit Free Press, he would see that this article was not simply a work of the media in another attempt to ‘attack’ him and his family. He would see that this essay came straight from the heart and mind of a young man who possesses a genuine concern for his city. Darnell provided an inside look at the real Detroit, despite the efforts being made to improve the city. His first person view of the students in his high school should cause Kwame to feel guilty. “In fact, one of my peers asked me to proofread one of his essays, and I nearly began to sob halfway through it,” Darnell wrote. That one simple quote provided a real example from a student in a Detroit high school. The lack of educated people coming out of Detroit is not simply an exaggeration. Darnell’s intelligence cannot be found among many students in his high school, even if it is one of the top schools in Detroit. The first person point of view also displayed Darnell’s bravery and willingness to openly share his strong opinion, even if his peers ridicule him. He was not afraid to put himself into the essay.
In conclusion, publicly sharing such a strong opinion on a controversial issue can result in teasing and even violence. Darnell Gardner disregarded the comments of his classmates. He exercised his right to share his opinion in a peaceful manner, which showed his maturity and dedication to improving the city he loves.