Intention

Overall intention

George Blecher’s overall intention with the article “More Than Coffee: New York’s Vanishing Diner Culture” is to convince readers that diners are a cultural institution worth preserving.

George Blecher is successful in achieving his overall intention. Using storytelling created through anecdotes, historical references, facts, the opinion of experts, and emotional language, the writer manages to inspire readers to reflect on how diners mirror American culture and values.

Raise awareness regarding the decline of the New York diners

In certain parts of the article, George Blecher wants to persuade readers that diners are losing popularity in New York and are at risk of disappearing. To achieve this intention, the writer appeals to logos (reader’s reason) by using statistics and examples: “Among the 2016 casualties were the Lyric Diner in Gramercy and the 40-year-old Del Rio in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, while La Parisienne near Columbus Circle and the 53-year-old Market Diner in Hell’s Kitchen closed in 2015.” (ll. 12-14); “There are roughly half as many as there were 20 years ago, according to records from the health department.” (ll. 22-23)

To be even more convincing, Blecher also uses anecdotes (stories with a message) about diners that have closed or turned into something else: “Harvey was known for his Yiddish speaking Puerto Rican countermen and for serving deliciously seasoned chopped mea...