Analysis

The rhetorical situation is that the article “3 Things Amy Cooper Did In Central Park To Damage Her Reputation And Career” was written by Terina Allen, an African-American woman. The article is a reaction to the Central Park birdwatching incident between Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper.

When it comes to structure, the article has a clear introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Allen separates the body of her article into three numbered sections that describe the main issues with the case. Her analysis also illustrates more general aspects of racial discrimination in the US.

The style of writing is mostly formal, as Allen uses many complex words and sentences. A few informal features give the article a more personal note and help Allen express her anger and frustration. 

Some of the rhetorical devices used by Allen are references (both historical and current), direct address, and rhetorical questions. She uses these devices to convince readers that the Central Park incident is not unique and that more efforts are needed to fight racism in the US. 

The forms of appeal used in the article are mainly logos and pathos. Allen appeals to pathos to draw attention to the widely spread racism in the US. Allen appeals to logos when she associates the case of Cooper v. Cooper with other similar cases, and when she presents facts to support her claims. 

You can read a full analysis of the text in the following pages. 

Further help

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