Ian Birrell Article

• Five main techniques

  1 - triadic structure

  2 - direct address

  3 - extended metaphor

  4 - un-educated lexis / vague language
• Purpose?

  To raise awareness / persuade / inform
• Audience?

  Readers of the 'Independent'

  Left stance

  Educated / adult

  Fans of Birrel

  Those interested in rights of disabled / marginalised groups and current affairs
• Context?

  Weekly communist left - leaning newspaper the 'I'

  Contributing editor of The Mail

  Foreign correspondent

  Campaigner for autism and those with learning difficulties

  His daughter has profound learning difficulties.
• Voice?

  Bitter / passionate

  Direct, blunt and challenging

  Mocking

  Uneducated
• It could be argued that in an attempt to raise awareness of the exclusion of the disabled as a marginalised group: Birrel subconsciously infantilizes the disabled and places himself as a saviour, as well as creates a uneducated and argumentative.
• It can be read as Birrel using other marginalized groups as a scapegoat: irony in 'used as a political football'