Letter To Daniel

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• Leerjaar 5

Letter to Daniel 

by

Fergal Keane (1997)

https:

The letter by Fergal Keane to his new-born son was broadcast on the BBC radio program, 'From Our Own Correspondent.' As a BBC correspondent, Keane has reported from various international crises areas including Northern Ireland, Southern Africa, and Asia. His reporting has been honoured with an Amnesty International Press Award, and an Order of British Empire Award for services to journalism. His recent book on Rwanda, Season of Blood, won the George Orwell Prize for political writing.

'After the genocide in Rwanda, I went thorough a very, very bad period of dreams and nightmares.' 

(F. Keane)

AUDIENCE

The piece is addressed to ' My Dear Son' and the narrative technique is that of a letter, speaking, at all times, directly to Daniel - yet it was broadcast to the nation on a BBC radio programme. Discuss the following statements about the audience for the letter, decide which one you agree with most. 

A. The letter isn't really aimed at his son.

B. The letter form is a device to get the attention of the general public.

C. The letter is aimed both at his son and the general public. 

Letter to Daniel: close reading

1. Why does the writer have to learn 'one handed typing'? (l. 2-3)

2. What does the writer mean in his use of 'days have melted into night'? (l. 6)

3. Keane compares his new life to a long sentence – why is this appropriate given his occupation and how does he develop the idea? (l. 6-9)

4. How does the writer emphasise the distance from 'home' in the last sentence of par.4?(l.24)

5. How does the story about Nyarubeye act as a prelude to what he will go on to discuss in the next paragraph?
(l. 59)

6. Keane says 'I will tell you when you are older' . What tense is used in the next four paragraphs? Why do you think he tells this now rather than when Daniel is older? (l. 66-67)

7. Keane finishes off in a positive and optimistic fashion. How does he achieve this? What does he write in the final paragraph to suggest optimism? (l. 94-100)

What is Keane's main purpose for writing this letter?

Letter to Daniel

Fergal Keane wrote his letter in order to:

A. express his feelings of pride and joy at having a new-born son;

B. express wonder and delight at how his life has changed as a result of becoming a father;

C. reflect on the world his newborn son has entered;

D. use the letter as a sort of 'time-capsule' for his son to open and read when he reaches maturity;

E. raise awareness for despondency and anxiety in which a lot of children live; 

E. express his regret about never having known his own father ...

Letter To Daniel: the tone and mood

The author of the letter, Fergal Keane, conveys several emotions in his letter. The feelings, which he expresses, change their intensity as well as their character. What emotions does Keane reveal in his letter? 

What emotions does Keane reveal in his letter?

Letter to Daniel: emotions

horror                                       despondency                   criticism

anquish                                    fulfillness

depression                             sufffering

helplessness                         distress

expectation                           appreciation

despair                                     gratitude

regret                                         remorse

Letter To Daniel: textual features

How does F. Keane convey the meaning in his letter; which textual features help him shape his meaning? What is the efect of these textual features?

personification                                                             polysyndeton                                  

metaphor                                                                        rhetorical appeals (pathos,            imagery                                                                            ethos, logos)                      compound sentences                                              power of three

adjectives ending with '-less' suffix                   oxymoron

alliteration                                                                       power of three   

Learner portfolio: conceptual understanding

Communication: does the letter represent an act of communication? What does the letter communicate? 

Creativity: does the letter represent creativity? How?

Learner portfolio: global issues

Identity and community: does the text explore the aspects of human rights, peace and conflict? 

Art and creativity: does the text explore aspects of inspiration and beauty?

Beliefs and values: does the text explore the values and beliefs nurtured in particular societies?