Intention

The article “My Best Friend Died by Suicide. I Wish I Had Seen the Warning Signs” by Daniel Magruder mainly aims to inform and to express criticism. Magruder informs readers about the realities of war and about how soldiers deal with emotional trauma, teaching readers about the warning signs of PTSD. He also expresses his critical view of the lack of support in the US when it comes to taking care of veterans. Towards the end of the article, Magruder also aims to persuade when he talks about the changes that need to be made in the military.

Indhold

Informing on the realities of the military and the symptoms of PTSD
Express criticism of the lack of support for soldiers suffering from PTSD
Persuading readers of the importance of support for soldiers suffering from PTSD
Assessment: Does the sender succeed?

Informing on the realities of the military and the symptoms of PTSD

In his article, Magruder aims to inform readers about the tough realities of the military and war. Magruder talks about the harsh training of soldiers (ll. 28-33), but also of the difficulty they experience when dealing with their emotions and trauma: “But no one was teaching us how to cope with ...