Analysis

This analysis of Meghan Markle’s article “I’m More Than An ‘Other’” is inspired by the rhetorical pentagram model. Below you will find a short overview of the main points in our analysis.

The main topics of the speech are the challenges that Meghan Markle faced as a biracial woman who had to create an identity independent from race. Note that Markle also touches on broader subjects such as interracial families’ status in society, prejudice and racism in America and in Hollywood, how Hollywood shapes society, and the importance of being surrounded by people who see beyond race.

The writer of the article is Meghan Markle, who played a leading role in the popular American TV series Suits at the time when the article was written. The reader of the article refers to the potential readers of the text and the writer’s target audience, which generally consists of the American public.

The writer engages the reader by using various language tools and rhetorical devices such as metaphors and direct references, and appeals to the audience’s emotions, trust, and reason to achieve her intentions.

The circumstances of the article refer to Meghan Markle’s life in general, as well as the events she references in her article – the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the events in Ferguson and Baltimore, and the abolition of slavery in the US, for example.

The writer’s intentions are to inform the audience about the experience and challenges of being a biracial person, to expose racism, and to provide inspiration for others who might struggle with their identity. These intentions are connected to the circumstances and the topics of the speech, and they are achieved by using certain language tools.

You can read the full analysis of the speech in the next pages.

Further help

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