A critical analysis of a magazine article Essay

Gail Porter is a popular British female celebrity. She has recently made it public knowledge that she has been diagnosed with alopecia. Alopecia is a condition that affects men and women, resulting in drastic hair loss. The magazine the article was taken from is called â€Å"Closer†. This magazine has a wide target audience of British women of many ages. The article is presented as a personal description of her condition and its effects by Porter herself. The writer has appealed to the target audience in a good way, because the article is aimed at different audiences. It could firstly be aimed at women who have an interest in Gail Porter, due to the fact that she is a famous TV presenter, secondly it could be aimed at readers who have suffered from alopecia themselves, or know someone who has suffered from the condition. Thirdly the article could be aimed at young women, who are interested in celebrity gossip. The purpose of the text is that the writer is trying to inform readers about Porter’s condition, and also to entertain the audience, because the article could be known as celebrity gossip. There is a good use of pragmatics throughout the text. See more: how to write a good critical analysis essay Pragmatics is the social context of communication. Some readers may think the article is subtle, while others may disagree and think it has a hidden agenda. For example Gail has suffered from a terrible condition, if she were to inform readers about her trauma, she would not say, â€Å"Before I went out – to the launch of my new programme, Dead Famous Live†, this implies the article does have a hidden agenda because she is secretly trying to promote her new programme. The article is in first person; therefore the audience is influenced into reading it straight away, because they feel they are reading the words of Gail herself. Pronouns have been used, which is very effective because this technique draws the reader into the article further. Emotive language has also been used, making the reader feel pity for her. This terminology draws readers into the text further, because they want to know more about how Gail is coping, therefore they will also take in the facts that Gail has launched an launched a new programme, has been to America, has recently had a baby, gone through a divorce and also has a new boyfriend. All of these facts appeal to different audiences, which is what, makes the article so effective. The structure of the text appeals to the target audience very well. In bold writing and quotations, it reads, â€Å"I was scared I’d be judged†. This appeals to the audiences emotions drawing them into the article. It also reads on the top of the page â€Å"Up close and personal†; this involves women because they feel they are actually getting up close and personal with Porter. The side story also appeals to the target audience because Carly Morrell is 22 years of age, therefore the side story appeals to a younger audience. I think overall the article is very appealing; women who read this article can be influenced into feeling pity for the TV presenter. This is easily done as the article comes across as subtle, however if readers were to read in between the lines they will realize the article in fact has a hidden agenda. If I were to read this article generally, therefore not analyzing it, I think I would also have been influenced by it and what it says.