Amanda Healy
Dr Newcomb
ENG170
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Crayola Crayons: a History in the Making
Crayola crayons have spent over a century lending themselves to the creativity and expression of children, as well as any other age group who wants to pick them up. They are 3.5 inch long wax pencils wrapped in paper, and come in assorted colors that have only diversified over the decades. By simply offering the ability to create, Crayola crayons have sparked and fueled the creativity of millions of children through hundreds of billions of crayons. Crayola crayons entered the National Toy Hall of Fame when it was inducted in 1998 (The Strong). Not only are these crayons appealing to children and artists, but they represent a history of art, education, and culture over the past century. Binney and Smith created an industry that inspires and enables children through affordable and available materials. The Strong National Museum of Play not only shows off these crayons, but also a strong rhetorical appeal. Having this toy in the Hall of Fame is a way of establishing ethos before even reading the article, as it is a list of prestigious and verifiably formative toys.
The logos of this article is clear; The Strong uses many statistics about Crayola and their history. Children “use up billions” of Crayola crayons each year (The Strong), but where did it begin? In 1900, paint makers Binney and Smith sought out a replacement for the “poor quality chalk” teachers were using in classrooms, and by 1903 their reimagined grease pencils hit the market in eight colors (The Strong). They cost five cents per box and were a hit with kids, especially as they added more colors in the 20’s, then again in the 60’s, 70’s, and so on; these colors are ones we think of as classic staples, such as “Burnt Sienna” and “Tickle Me Pink” (The Strong). These colors were often developed in accordance with “fashion trends and cultural change” (The Strong). Come the 60’s and 70’s, our entire culture began to produce more colorful and artistic clothing and music, so why not crayons as well? Some colors have retired, but many have been added as well. In addition to retired colors, Crayola has changed names of its colors such as “Flesh” and “Indian Red,” changed to “Peach” and “Chestnut,” respectively (The Strong). Their response to cultural change is admirable, but of course does not alter the past. The Strong’s article continues to develop its rhetorical appeal through pathos, showing how responsive Crayola is to cultural change, from its creation as an educational tool to its cultural responsiveness through the years.
Much stronger than their cultural response is their ability to appeal to children and their creative minds, through a multitude of color options and the fun names that come with them. Blue-black is an interesting color to use, but I am much more drawn to it when reading that it’s called “Outer Space.” Not only does it draw people into the colors, but it also sparks ideas for what to create. The prompt of “Outer Space” could create millions and billions of pieces of childhood art, because from there the child can do whatever they want with all of the colors available to them. The Crayola company has gone on to create all sorts of art materials for children, and its use in schools has continued strongly, even as other companies have popped up to create similar products. The Strong’s article makes a great rhetorical argument through ethos, logos, and pathos for why Crayola crayons have remained as a staple children’s art supply and continued to inspire and empower anyone to be creative.
Work Cited
“Crayola Crayons.” The Strong National Museum of Play, 10 Nov. 2021,
https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/crayola-crayons/.