Letter to Daniel: Despatches from the Heart (BBC)

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StructureStructure – lists most dangerous – lists most dangerous places he has been to emphasise places he has been to emphasise the risks he once tookthe risks he once took The colony is no more. The baby has grown into a boy and he now has a lovely younger sister. And I have greying hair and no longer roam the war zones of the world. This much - at least- has changed.

Daniel, these memories explain some of the fierce protectiveness I feel for you, the occasional moments of blind terror when I imagine anything happening to you. But there is something more, a story from long ago that I will tell you face to face, father to son, when you are older. Quote/EvidenceQuote/Evidence Focus of AnalysisFocus of Analysis Analysis/EvaluationAnalysis/Evaluation““You You are asleep are asleep cradledcradled in my in my left arm and I am learning the left arm and I am learning the art of one-handed typing.”art of one-handed typing.”his newborn son was broadcast on the his newborn son was broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 programme, ‘From our BBC Radio 4 programme, ‘From our own Correspondent’. own Correspondent’. Holistic Learning: Our unit covers every aspect of Keane’s essay, fostering a well-rounded understanding. The writer also helps to convey emotion and feelings throughout the letter by using an appropriate tone. I can see that Keane uses a personal tone at first as he uses words such as “you” and “I” repeatedly. This emphasises the sincerity of his letter and helps to convey his thoughts and emotions. However his tone changes to a more formal one when he begins to describe the disasters and darkness that he has faced as a reporter. He contrasts his child’s actions with these disasters and I can see this through the writer’s wordchoice. He describes his son with gentle and innocent images such as “sleeping face” “sigh” “gurgle” “glory” “prizes” and “praise”. Keane indicates how badly they Keane indicates how badly they wanted a child and how much this wanted a child and how much this was on their minds.was on their minds. The big idea in Letter to Daniel is about the writer writing a letter for when he grows up. He is very proud of his son and wants to protect him. He is writing this letter with Daniel cradled in his left arm. This story describes a person; the person is Daniel. Also the writer expresses their own thoughts and

general public.general public.3.3. The letter is aimed both at his son and the general The letter is aimed both at his son and the general This world will be a place of persecution for God’s people, getting worse and worse rather than better and better (chs. 2; 7). The Lord will judge the kingdoms of this world and bring them to an end, replacing them with his own kingdom that will never end. This kingdom will be ruled by “one like a son of man” who comes “with the clouds,” a figure who combines human and divine traits ( 7:13). The setting also has a significant role to play in triggering an emotional response from the reader in the opening paragraphs. Keane creates a peaceful and tranquil setting in the opening paragraphs through his word choice. He says " there is a soft quiet in our apartment". This highlights the calm silence of his apartment and also emphasises theHis book on Rwanda, His book on Rwanda, Season of Season of BloodBlood, won the George Orwell Prize , won the George Orwell Prize for political writing.for political writing.

The repetition of the word “a” makes me realise that the writer is being very vague in the story and is distancing himself from emotion. The fact that he tells the story anonymously seemed to have a much bigger impact on me when I realised it was about his own mother and about his own father being an alcoholic. However he shows no anger towards his father as he knows it was not his fault; I am I am painedpained, perhaps , perhaps hauntedhaunted is is a better word, by the memory … a better word, by the memory … of each suffering child I have of each suffering child I have come across.’come across.’ What feeling does Keane have 1. What feeling does Keane have for his son and the future?for his son and the future?

Potential

Keane goes on to describe how a woman and her three young children had been beaten to death in a churchyard in Rwanda. He says, "The children had died holding on to their mother". This emphasises how important the relationship between parent and child is. It also relates to Keans experience as a father and how he says, " Daniel, these memories explain some of the fierce protectiveness I feel for you". This highlights the feelings Keane has towards his son and suggests to the reader he would do anything to protect him.

God rules over all of these conflicts and events, he limits the damage they do, and he has a precise timetable for the end of his people’s persecutions. At that time he will finally intervene to cleanse and deliver his people (ch. 12). Elevate your classes understanding of Keane’s powerful non-fiction prose essay, “Letter to Daniel,” with our comprehensive unit of work!

Where Is Daniel Craig?

Why does the writer have to learn “one1. Why does the writer have to learn “onehanded typing”?handed typing”?2. The writer’s aim in this paragraph is to2. The writer’s aim in this paragraph is tocreate a tone of calm and tranquillity – what create a tone of calm and tranquillity – what does the word “cradled” suggest to you?does the word “cradled” suggest to you? However, audience and purpose in non-fiction will vary However, audience and purpose in non-fiction will vary and are extremely important. and are extremely important. The letter writers shared stories of their lives. They were the kind of letters only a programme like From Our Own Correspondent could inspire. It begins 35 years ago in a big city on a January morning with snow on the ground and a woman walking to hospital to have her first baby. She is in her early twenties and the city is still strange to her, bigger and noisier than the easy streets and gentle hills of her distant home. She's walking because there is no money and everything of value has been pawned to pay for the alcohol to which her husband has become addicted.