Analysis: Parents' attitudes to childhood freedom
In this part of the exam set, you are asked to write a short analytical essay about “What Kind Of Parent Are You? The Debate Over ‘Free-Range’ Children”. You must focus on the parents’ attitudes to childhood freedom. You are also required to use the terms genre, receiver, argument, intention.
When you analyze the radio material, you should take into account both the content and form.
In terms of content, you should note that the material presents two different views on childhood freedom.
Katie Arnold argues for giving children freedom gradually, teaching them how to be independent, and for realizing that – as a parent – you cannot guarantee their absolute safety. She also acknowledges that parents today are more concerned about their children because the sense of community is not as strong as in the past.
Denene Millner illustrates an opposing attitude on childhood freedom. She is more focused on the fact that neighborhoods and the general environment are more dangerous now than in the past, and that there are too many risky variables to give children too much freedom.
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Genre
“What Kind Of Parent Are You? The Debate Over ‘Free-Range’ Children” is a radio debate. The anchor, Rachel Martin, moderates the discussion in a balanced manner and leaves it to the two sides to actually present their views on the topic of childhood freedom.
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Receiver
When discussing about the receiver of an article, a radio or televised debate, you should pay attention to the medium of conveying the message and to its content.
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Argument
By argument, we refer to the way arguments are presented in a debate; to how those in the debate support them.
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Intention
When you discuss intention in connection to “What Kind Of Parent Are You? The Debate Over ‘Free-Range’ Children”, you should consider the intention of the anchor (and implicitly of the producers of the radio program) but also the intentions of the two women invited to discuss the issue of childhood freedom.
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