Intention

Overall intention

“The Righteous Anger of the Parkland Shooting’s Teen Survivors” by Robison Meyer focuses on teens’ political activism in the age of social media and on issues related to gun control.

The writer’s overall intention with the article is to draw attention to the fact that today’s teens are maturing faster as a result of political issues that cause tragedies such as gun ownership rules and to suggest the potential political power of teens. This overall intention can be divided into several parts.

Praising the survivors of Parkland shooting

Part of Meyer’s intention is to praise the teen survivors of Parkland shooting and their political maturity in light of the events. To achieve this intention, the writer uses ethos, presenting the teens as credible, knowledgeable young adults: “Those students understand that they live in a country that they have very little power to change – a country where, several times a year, a school for children becomes a charnel house.” (ll. 54-55);“…teenagers knew the contours of the gun debate so well that they were rebutting NRA talking points just after emerging from their safe zones.” (ll. 58-59)

Showing readers their tweets and talking about them in caring an...