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Non-Literary Texts

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

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Non-literary texts

In other words, because a writer has a point of view, this can

affect the way they write something and therefore the

effect they attempt to create in the reader.

In this presentation we are going to look at the ways that an author’s point of view can

affect the meaning of what they write in a non-literary text.

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Sometimes this is obvious. For example, somebody selling a new washing powder is bound to choose words which will make it sound fantastic.

Can you think of other texts where the author might want to influence the reader’s point of view?

Non-literary texts

Refresh your clothes with new Fresh Powder!

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Non-literary texts

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Organizations and pressure groups produce literature to spread information about their cause. They write in such a way as to convince you to support their point of view.

They use slogans intended to arouse your emotions, and try to persuade you with strong words.

Non-literary texts

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Vivisection (experiments on animals) is a controversial topic which some people are opposed to. Some of these people produce leaflets giving their point of view. They may deliberately choose vocabulary to make the reader feel angry or upset.Complete these sentences choosing words to make the reader angry about vivisection.

Then complete the sentences again, this time defending experiments on animals.

Keeping ______ animals in _______ is _______ cruel.Humans gain _______ from the ______ _______of these ________.It is _______ to ________ new ___________ on_________.

Non-literary texts

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Look at the words below and decide which would be most likely to appear in each leaflet.

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As well as the words they select, writers can affect the meaning through the images they choose and the captions (the writing that goes beneath the picture) they add.

What type of picture would you include if you were campaigning against fox hunting?

What caption would you add?

What if you were a member of a hunt?

Non-literary texts

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So, writers have points of view and this affects the types of meaning they wish to convey. With advertisements and pressure groups, of course, everybody knows they are biased. It’s no secret and we take this into account when we are reading their material.

We take it ‘with a pinch of salt.’

Non-literary texts

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We need to be aware of bias when we read other material, too. Take newspapers, for example.

Newspapers tell us the news but although this might seem to be a matter of reporting facts, editors have a point of view on the subject they are covering and this is reflected in the way they choose to report to the reader. Let’s look at an example.

Non-literary texts

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Background to the story.

In 1968 an 11-year-old girl called Mary Bell was sent to prison for the manslaughter of two young children. In her early twenties she was released, given a fresh identity and she began a new life. Twenty years later Gitta Sereny wrote a book about people like Mary Bell, people who had committed terrible crimes. She interviewed Bell for the book and paid her for her time.

The fact that she was paid distressed some of the family of the dead children.

Non-literary texts

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The Sun newspaper covered the story.

Here are some of the things they wrote about her. How do the highlighted words make the reader feel towards Bell?

The headlines refer to ‘Killer’s Seaside Hideout’.

In the main text we read that Bell ‘…conceals her evil past…’

She is ‘…cashing in on her vile crimes.’

Her neighbours don’t realize she was one of the country’s ‘most notorious monsters’.

‘How unsuspecting children are taken past her house…’

She lives in a ‘painted seaside cottage’.

Non-literary texts

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The Sun makes its position very clear.

They have emphasized how terrible the crimes were (‘evil past’, ‘notorious’).

Calling her a ‘monster’ makes her seem less than human. They make her appear as somebody who is on the run (‘Hideout’) when actually she is only avoiding the Press.

They make her sound as if she is still a danger.

They use the term ‘Killer’. It is factually accurate but refers to events of over twenty years before.

Non-literary texts

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The paper has a large photo of her and the caption reads:

Mary Bell shields herself in dark glasses shortly after her release.

What impression do these words make on you?

You may think it suggests that she feels guilty about what she did and cannot look people in the eye.

On the other hand, is it a fact that she was shielding herself? Or is it an opinion written as a fact? How do we know that it wasn’t just a sunny day?

Non-literary texts

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The Guardian newspaper also covered the story. It did not use any emotive words to describe what she did. So, for example, it refers to her ‘crimes’ without any adjectives such as ‘vile’.

It uses a small photo of Bell with the caption:

Mother tried to kill her.

What effect does The Guardian’s caption create in a reader?

Non-literary texts

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The Guardian’s report concentrates on the information revealed in the book about Mary Bell.

The reader learns that she suffered terrible abuse as a child. The paper also reveals that she accepts full responsibility for what she did and does not try to use what happened to her as a child as an excuse for her crime.

It goes on to point out that the writer insisted on paying Mary Bell because she had spent seven months interviewing her and this had meant Bell had had to re-live parts of her childhood which were extremely painful and distressing.

Non-literary texts

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The reader’s understanding of the issues surrounding the matter would be influenced by the paper they happened to read.

The Sun has its point of view and uses emotive language to create an impression.

The Guardian has a different perspective. It doesn’t use emotive vocabulary but includes information about what was contained in the book to present Bell in a more sympathetic light.

Non-literary texts

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Activities

Select two newspapers and compare their coverage of an issue in the news. Try to find papers which take different points of view on the issue. Your teacher will be able to advise you on suitable choices of newspaper.

Write two leaflets on the same controversial subject. Modify your language, content, pictures and presentation to create different effects for each side of the argument. Then write a commentary explaining the reasoning behind your choice of language and your design.

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To sum up

Writers are able to employ techniques such as choice of language and selection of content to create the impression they wish.

Provided it is truthful there is nothing wrong with this but careful readers need to be aware that somebody may be trying to manipulate them.

It is best to obtain a range of opinions before making up our minds for ourselves!