SUN VAMPIRES - Possible Answers

Who is this piece written for?

The Big Issue is published on behalf of the homeless, seeking to raise funds for those who find themselves in this situation. It is not available through the usual outlets but is sold by vendors, homeless themselves, on the streets of our major cities. The 'target group' for sales is, broadly speaking, seen as those who might be sympathetic to the plight of the homeless: people who are fortunate enough to have homes and jobs, who take an interest in society as a whole rather than in themselves as individuals and who are aware of current issues. Readers are likely to be young, rather than middle-aged, and relatively affluent.

Such readers are likely to have heard of Bros (a teen pop duo of the late 80's) and Peter Andre (popular at the time of publication, but hardly an enduring household name) and might be in the position of being able to spend £399 a year on a suntanning course. They are more likely to respond to the style of writing that uses current colloquial or slang expressions such as "And let's face it", "fork out" and "one hell of a habit" than to a style which they might regard as stuffy and old- fashioned. Although the message is a serious one, the tone is, generally speaking, quite light-hearted - you must never frighten the casual reader because, if the reader were to associate this emotion with The Big Issue, he or she might never buy a copy again, thus defeating the whole purpose of the publication. Understanding your readership is vital in any form of journalism.

What is the writer trying to do or say to the reader?

She leaves us in no doubt here. Sunbeds are dangerous and those who use them are vain and stupid. Those who supply the habit are exploitative.

How does the writer achieve her purpose?

. The message is serious but the tone is generally relatively light-hearted. There are times, though, when the mood changes: the evidence supplied by Jane Horwood is bleak, and that provided by the medical expert is uncompromising. The tension between the gravity of what she has to say and finding a tone of voice which is acceptable to the casual reader is one which must have posed Cayte Williams considerable problems.
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2. The purpose of a headline is to attract the attention of the casual browser. Here Cayte Williams uses the technique of paradox. We are first of all attracted by the use of the ghoulish word, "vampires" - because of our ancient delight in horror stories - but the idea of vampires being associated with the "sun", which is supposed to be fatal to them, is eye-catchingly incongruous. Our curiosity is aroused, and we read on!

3. "Desperate for a sun fix" immediately makes us think of drug addiction, the gravity of which is reinforced by the ...

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