GROUP+THREE

Here is your article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101831449

Group Members: Cara:

Kelsey Genre: "The Beatles Live On" was written as a personal essay, but was later read on National Public Radio. Both versions are identical in content and therefore targeted at a similar audience, although it is probably read online by a slightly younger following.

John Audience: In this essay, the author tells stories that almost everyone can relate too. She talked about listening to the Beatles with her family. Whether or not it was the Beatles, most families have some form of music that they all listen to together. She also talks about how music can be comforting to people in tough times. She brings up stories such as a missing pet and the death of her father. Everyone has experienced some form of loss, so she is giving the audience something they can relate to.

Eldon Pointing out a problem (her lost dog) is needed because 95% of the time a conflict is needed to make a story compelling. It doesn't take much convincing for the audience to agree there is a problem - a 12-year-old girl who has lost her pet appeals pretty well to one's pathos. On the other hand, not much detail is needed - we don't need to know the breed of dog, for instance, to sympathize. The format is very typical of a web or print article, with a column of normal font and size and room for pictures that accentuate the text, and that's fine. It does its job and doesn't draw too much attention to the visual nature of the words.

Maureen Purpose: The author's aim is to share a personal story showing how Beatles music has positively affected her: it gave her peace after her dog went missing, and after her father passed away. She tries to persuade, through sharing her personal experiences, that the Beatles' music is still alive and influences people. Why would anyone bother reading her article? Because it's about one of the greatest music groups of all time (even from a twelve-year-old's perspective). She doesn't "inform" us about who the Beatles are since she assumes that we already know.

Autumn