My Sons on Death Row

This study guide will help you analyse the text “My Sons on Death Row” by Kevin O’Sullivan. The text is found in The Lift, p. 170. We will show you examples of elements in the text that will be relevant for your analysis. In these notes, we will focus on the summary, structure, sender, receiver, theme and message, characteristics of the text, and we will help you put the text in perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: “My Sons on Death Row”
Author: Kevin O’Sullivan
Published in: Mirror Woman
Date of Publication: 1991
Genre: Article

Kevin O’Sullivan (b. 1960) is currently the editor of The Irish Times newspaper. He is a journalist who has worked with various British and Irish media outlets. The article "My Sons on Death Row" was published in Mirror Woman, a The Daily Mirror supplement.

Topic of the text

The main topic of the text is the debate around capital punishment in the US. The journalist presents the story of a mother whose two sons are both on Death Row for separate crimes. In the US, the death penalty is still enforced in 31 states.

Further help

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