Analysis

Here you can get an overview of our analysis of Andrea Levy’s article “This is my England”.

The rhetorical situation shows us that the article was published in British newspaper The Guardian in 2000 by Andrea Levy, who is an English-born writer of Jamaican descent. Her target audience could be the white people who still consider her a foreigner instead of English, any other people living in England who are also targets of racism and prejudice, or simply people who are interested in topics such as national and cultural identity, multiculturality, or racism in England.

The article has a circular composition, since it begins and ends with two anecdotes, one negative and the other positive, which highlight perceptions about national identity and the contrast between prejudice and open-mindedness. Through this structure, Levy defends her right to be considered English and proves the complexities of cultural and national identity.

The style of language is mainly informal, helping Levy to come across as approachable and relatable. The sentence structure sometimes makes the article feel similar to a conversation. The choice of words conveys in detail the sender’s experience with national identity.

Levy uses various rhetorical devices in her article. Most of all, she uses direct address and rhetorical questions, to prompt the readers to fully consider the points she is trying to make.

Regarding forms of appeal, the article is dominated by ethos and pathos. Levy builds ethos to show that she has the experience and background to talk about identity, and that she has the right to identify herself as English. Pathos is used when Levy mentions her mixed attitude towards England, which is both her home and a place where she is made to feel she does not belong.

You can read a more detailed analysis in the following sections. 

Further help

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