Analysis

Here are the elements that will help you with your analysis of the article “Wild at heart: how one woman and her husband live out in the woods” by Stefanie Marsh. 

The rhetorical situation is that the text is an article written by journalist Stefanie Marsh and published in The Guardian. The topic of the text is living in the wilderness. The target audience is made up of people who may be interested to know more about alternative lifestyles or people who are dissatisfied with modern life.

An analysis of the article’s composition shows that it can be split into four main parts. The different sections look at topics such as the role of women in this alternative lifestyle, the challenges and benefits of an alternative lifestyle, and Miriam and Peter’s criticism of modern life. 

The style of writing is informal and has a somewhat conversational tone. Linguistic features such as direct quotes help to make the text more engaging for readers.

The main rhetorical device used in the article is rhetorical questions. The text also makes use of metaphors that help make it more appealing. 

Regarding forms of appeal, the text is dominated by ethos and pathos. The forms of appeal are used to emphasize Miriam and Peter’s arguments for living in the woods, and their dissatisfaction with the modern way of living. 

You can find a full analysis on the following pages. 

Further help

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