soapstone ANALYSIS - Tone
"Imagining President Christie" by Gail Collins in The New York Times
Speaker – Published columnist for the New York Times, Gail Collins. Young, personable, adorable (thus relatable). Seemingly intelligent but humorous at the same time. Modern. Understands society and America as a whole.
Occasion – This article analyzes the “bridgegate” scandal involving 2016 presidential candidate and current New Jersey governor Chris Christie who supposedly caused a three-day traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge that connects New Jersey to New York City. This incident (or “traffic-jam scandal”) caused Collins and many angry citizens to question Christie’s credibility and what America would turn into if he wins the election in 2016.
Audience – Collins's directs her writing towards intelligent, informed adults and not the average teenager. The author assumes the reader holds previous knowledge on the "bridgegate" scandal and discusses the incident's impacts rather than details of the event. I personally had to look at other sources to fully understand this article's context.
Purpose – Gail Collins wrote "Imagining Chris Christie" to encourage readers to analyze cause and effect, or more specifically, how Christie's actions foreshadow his future as potential president. The message behind this article is that everything is not as it seems. Christie was before a beloved governor, but now the public sees that there may be a dark side. Collins subtly inspires readers to look beyond political facade and become analytical citizens.
Subject – This article discusses the credibility and future of Chris Christie after the "bridgegate" scandal. Collins is envisioning America with Christie at the helm and how this incident might foreshadow America's future.
***Tone – Gail Collins implements a casual and sarcastic tone in her writing to highlight her point while keeping the reader interested by creating a humorous relationship. Collins opens the article by referring to this incident as a "traffic-jam scandal." This humorous description of a current event immediately hooks readers in. Consistent use of casual words such as "definitely," "really," "totally," "actual," and "exactly" comfort the reader with knowledge that this columnist is an average person. Additional reference to personal characteristics such as Christie's personal trainer provide a fresh perspective on a political event. Collins frequently adds breaks between her ideas to emphasize points and allow the reader to think extensively about the main idea. For example, Collins quotes an insult made by Christie then inserts a swift one-word paragraph: "Ouch." After this dramatic pause, Collins continues to analyze "the governor's talkathon," but with more personal opinion than before. Short bursts of information with frequent breaks creates a conversational flow, which furthers the extent of Collins's casual tone. Collins ends the article with a call to action by directly asking the reader for their opinion. This consistent casual tone develops a relationship between the reader and the columnist.
Speaker – Published columnist for the New York Times, Gail Collins. Young, personable, adorable (thus relatable). Seemingly intelligent but humorous at the same time. Modern. Understands society and America as a whole.
Occasion – This article analyzes the “bridgegate” scandal involving 2016 presidential candidate and current New Jersey governor Chris Christie who supposedly caused a three-day traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge that connects New Jersey to New York City. This incident (or “traffic-jam scandal”) caused Collins and many angry citizens to question Christie’s credibility and what America would turn into if he wins the election in 2016.
Audience – Collins's directs her writing towards intelligent, informed adults and not the average teenager. The author assumes the reader holds previous knowledge on the "bridgegate" scandal and discusses the incident's impacts rather than details of the event. I personally had to look at other sources to fully understand this article's context.
Purpose – Gail Collins wrote "Imagining Chris Christie" to encourage readers to analyze cause and effect, or more specifically, how Christie's actions foreshadow his future as potential president. The message behind this article is that everything is not as it seems. Christie was before a beloved governor, but now the public sees that there may be a dark side. Collins subtly inspires readers to look beyond political facade and become analytical citizens.
Subject – This article discusses the credibility and future of Chris Christie after the "bridgegate" scandal. Collins is envisioning America with Christie at the helm and how this incident might foreshadow America's future.
***Tone – Gail Collins implements a casual and sarcastic tone in her writing to highlight her point while keeping the reader interested by creating a humorous relationship. Collins opens the article by referring to this incident as a "traffic-jam scandal." This humorous description of a current event immediately hooks readers in. Consistent use of casual words such as "definitely," "really," "totally," "actual," and "exactly" comfort the reader with knowledge that this columnist is an average person. Additional reference to personal characteristics such as Christie's personal trainer provide a fresh perspective on a political event. Collins frequently adds breaks between her ideas to emphasize points and allow the reader to think extensively about the main idea. For example, Collins quotes an insult made by Christie then inserts a swift one-word paragraph: "Ouch." After this dramatic pause, Collins continues to analyze "the governor's talkathon," but with more personal opinion than before. Short bursts of information with frequent breaks creates a conversational flow, which furthers the extent of Collins's casual tone. Collins ends the article with a call to action by directly asking the reader for their opinion. This consistent casual tone develops a relationship between the reader and the columnist.