Paper 1 - 6
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Text type: Opinion column
For who: in the city, rural, a bit to the left; less conservative audience than in Taxes, but yet still conservative; intended for the audience that would be surprised by the content.
Subject:
Visuals:
“Dallas Morning News” is an old logo with a sanserif font that makes it more credible for an older audience. It creates or evokes a sense of credibility by making the logo a gothic print.
The image shows that everyone has equal rights and we should treat them the same way, but they are still different. The reason for the opinion column to start with this picture is to illustrate that different kinds of people must be treated equally. The audience should agree with it. An illustration of the topic that she is going to discuss: people are different, but they still have the same rights. The purpose of the text is to persuade someone with a slightly different opinion.
Afterwards, she shows pictures of herself. She is graduating. They both face forward. It also shows the difference in skin colour. And she is a girl, while his brother is a male, who might be perceived as more dangerous in a “racist society”. Her medals and the graduating fact show that she is a model student. Therefore, if they are siblings, they are expected to act the same and have a similar level of intelligence. She has a very good relationship and never thought of racism. Also, ribbons around her neck demonstrate her achievements. Hannah, in the photo, is a role model for her brother, and at the same time, she makes her brother be perceived differently.
Structure:
The subheading follows the eye-catching heading. The heading is provocative, and the subheading is descriptive or informative, a summary or general idea of an article.
Fairly short sentences and paragraphs.
No opening paragraph.
The text is structured around the idea that her brother’s skin tone is beautiful while it is different from the rest of the world. It was shocking to her to find out that other people think differently, and through the first two sentences, she introduces the topic.
She also jacks opposes her experience vs her brother’s experience.
Afterwards, she talks about the background and information in the article.
Comparison to the bronze skin refers to her main point. She demonstrates that racism is not an automatic reaction because it is fine in her family.
Language:
The heading is relatively controversial.
Simple language
Contractions
Relatively formal language. It makes it respectful.
“Horribly offensive”
Short paragraphs
She adds an adjective or an adverb to make her point more specific, precise and
She uses a lot of emotional words.
“Genuine desire to understand differences” - alliteration
She shifts the vocabulary when she talks about how she is treated and how her brother is treated. She uses her personal experience and her brother's experience
Her audience is people in taxes that think racism does not exist. She tries to project more objectivity. Hence, she goes from personal experience to a more broad and general observation.
Up to “my lighter skin” is her personal experience.
“Complexion” instead of “skin colour” to not categorise people by skin tone. This term is used to show individual differences.
Metaphor “shield”
“Son is scrutinised by security” - alliteration.
A metaphor for picking the shorter side of the drawing. Idiomatic expression
References to other racial accidents are highlighted in bold, which focuses attention.
She shortens the sentence and simplifies the vocabulary when she talks about her.
“So much more” - alliteration.
General Notes:
It’s a local newspaper from Dallas, a slave state so we can assume the audience.
It looks persuasive, but not because people who read articles agree. The use of persuasive features is to have more substantial justification for their claims in case of an argument.
It’s probably for the audience that thinks or assumes that there is no slavery in America.
Do not use “cripple” as a reference to a person. Every other context is fine