Snickers is widely known as one of the most popular chocolate candy bar brands in the world. Beyond its sweet taste, Snickers also plays an important symbolic role for the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). For the GRE Analytical Writing section, test takers are often presented with two writing tasks – one argumentative essay and one issue essay. These essays serve as a way for grad schools to evaluate applicant’s critical thinking and communication skills. Over the years, Snickers candies have become symbolically associated with specific essay types on the GRE.
The Argument Task: “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry”
When faced with the argument essay, many GRE test preppers think of the famous Snickers tagline – “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” This task presents test takers with a clearly defined issue and perspective on that issue. They are then instructed to evaluate the argument’s strengths and weaknesses. The argument will often contain ambiguous, illogical, or unsupported reasoning that needs to be critiqued.
Just as the Snickers commercials depict everyday people suddenly transforming into irrational and hangry versions of themselves when hungry, the argument essay tasks test takers’ ability to remain logically and critically sound when presented with a position that may not be fully rational. Test takers must stay “true to themselves” and evaluate the argument on its merits and flaws, without getting “swept up” in flawed logic, just as eating a Snickers is meant to resolve a hunger-induced change in behavior or mood.
Staying objective, rational, and appropriately critical is key to the argument essay. The metaphor of hunger warping one’s normal constitution aligns well with this task’s aim of having test takers step back and methodically dissect an argument to determine what reasoning is logically sound versus flawed. A successful argument essay keeps “their hunger” – or personal views – from intervening with an impartial analysis, mirroring the message that only a Snickers can restore one’s true self and perspective.
The Issue Task: Finding Common Ground
In contrast, the issue essay presents test takers with a debatable issue or claim and instructs them to consider different perspectives on the issue and determine a position. Unlike the argument essay, there is no predefined stance provided, rather test takers must thoughtfully contemplate multiple viewpoints to arrive at their own reasoned position.
Accordingly, many see parallels between this task and the “Finger-Lickin’ Good” jingle used in some Snickers commercials. This catchy tune emphasizes the product’s deliciousness but also how it brings people together and finds “what satisfies” across differences. Like gathering around to share a Snickers bar, the issue essay calls on test takers to consider diverse perspectives, seek out common ground or agreements between viewpoints, and ultimately settle on a stance that thoughtfully weighs varied interests.
Rather than polarizing viewpoints or just espousing their own view, test takers must emulate the communal spirit of the Snickers jingle and “satisfy” the grad school’s desire to see balanced, nuanced consideration of an issue from multiple sides. Their role is not advocacy, but impartial assessment of an issue’s complexities. As people across backgrounds can find shared enjoyment in a Snickers, the issue essay evaluates whether test takers can synthesize diverse viewpoints and rationales to arrive at a holistic, inclusive position reflective of varied interests, as a well-made Snickers bar pleases universal tastes.
Symbolism and Strategies
As the above analysis shows, Snickers commercial slogans and themes closely parallel the analytical skills and mindsets required for the two GRE essay types. Beyond fun pop culture symbolism, recognizing these connections can also point test preppers towards effective essay strategies.
For the argument essay, focusing analysis on the reasoning mechanisms, ambiguities, and logical soundness/flaws mirroring a restored post-Snickers perspective helps avoid subjective biases. Outlining counterarguments strengthens such impartial evaluation. For the issue essay, test takers can schematically map different viewpoints to ensure holistic consideration, then craft a thesis balancing perspectives, analogous to a Snickers’ mass appeal. Practicing these approaches trains the “rational eater” mindset prized by the tasks.
Overall, while a Snickers may satisfy sweet cravings, the candy bar also comes to mentally signify the dispassionate, multidimensional thinking exhibition the GRE evaluates. Recognizing its commercial motifs can help test takers internalize apt strategic mindsets for crafting strong essays reflecting the depth of thought expected by top graduate programs. Whether intuitively or intentionally, the GRE and Snickers have aligned to symbolize shared ideals of impartial, holistic analysis – keys to analytical success on test day and beyond.