Structure

The text “The United States of BOO!” by Michael Moore is a satirical essay in which the author analyses terrorism and fear in the United States. An essay is a short piece of writing that usually focuses on a single topic.

Title

Reading the text, we realize that the title is an allusion to Americans’ irrational fear of terrorism: “Boy, those terrorists sure are busy! Explosive model airplanes! Satin Gas! Forest Fires! Lions! Tigers! Bears! The bogeyman is coming to get me!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! (p. 171, ll. 16-18)

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Introduction

The introduction of the essay is a direct address to readers, which outlines that the topic of the essay is terrorism in America. Ironic and exaggerated, the introduction suggests that the author realizes that irrational fear is hard to control:

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Main Body

The main body presents the writer’s arguments for his views. First, the author proceeds by giving readers fact-based evidence to suggest that terrorism is not the big threat that everyone assumes it to be: “In the year 2000, your chance as an American of being killed in a terrorist attack was exactly zero.” (p. 168, ll. 9-10);

Even in the tragic year of 2001, your chance as an American of dying in an act of terrorism in this country was 1 in 100,000. In 2001 you had a greater chance of dying from the flu or pneumonia (1 in 4,500)… (p. 168, ll. 13-17)

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Conclusion

The conclusion of the essay focuses on the authorities’ responsibility for increasing and exploiting these fears. The writer concludes that irrational fear has become a tool for the selfish interests of the political and the business classes:

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