Analysis

Here are the elements that will help you with your analysis of Cazzie David’s article “Going Cold Turkey”.

The rhetorical situation is that the speaker is Cazzie David, a columnist who writes for AIR MAIL. The article explores David’s experience of only using a flip phone for a week. David also leans into millennial stereotypes when she describes herself as a typical smartphone user of her generation. Her article might target people who feel addicted to their smartphones, but the humorous tone of the text makes it reach a wider audience.

In terms of structure, the article can be split into three parts that explore David’s time before, during, and after the week-long experiment. Her personal experiences help David make a wider point about the issues in the society she lives in.

David’s style of writing in lines 55-66 is characterised by informal language with many elements of spoken language as well. She also uses language that is more specifically connected to smartphone communication.

Some of the rhetorical devices that David uses are humor and irony. David often uses self-irony, as she frequently makes fun of herself and her phone habits. This helps her make a wider point about society’s general phone use and its problematic effects on people.

When it comes to forms of appeal, David mainly appeals to ethos and pathos. She builds ethos when she portrays herself as a typical smartphone user that millennials might be able to relate to. She appeals to pathos through humor, which helps engage her audience.

You can read a full analysis of the article on the following pages.

Further help

Do you want additional help with analysis of non-fiction? See our general guide to non-fiction analysis.

Excerpt from the Analysis:

Nevertheless, David’s humor and ironic tone make the article entertaining for a wider audience, too. For example, she mocks her generation’s phone addiction in a way that engages her readers: “Honestly, after this experience, I now know that everything in life is waiting. Like how I was waiting for the week to be over so I could wait through the rest of my life on my phone.” (ll. 73-75)

David’s article was published on the website of AIR MAIL, which is a digital magazine launched in 2019. The magazine targets modern-day readers who want to keep track of a variety of issues, like foreign and domestic politics, literature, fashion, and style. David mentions the magazine directly in her article, as she writes in response to an AIR MAIL writing assignment:

It was unclear if AIR MAIL asked me to write about a technology detox as a cover so I could maybe one day be capable of writing about something other than my phone. Regardless, I was grateful, as it’s almost impossible to end any bad habit or addiction if not for a paycheck, sheer force of will, or vanity. (ll. 20-22)

Although she makes fun of herself, David’s article appeals to readers of the same generation, who might identify with her experience.