Every race, colour, nation and religion on earth

This study guide will help you analyse the article “Every race, colour, nation and religion on earth” by Leo Benedictus. We will show you examples of elements in the text that will be relevant for your analysis. In these notes, we will focus on main topics, the writer, readers, language, and modes of persuasion. We will also give you an idea of Benedictus’ intention with the article.

Presentation of the text

Title: “Every race, colour, nation and religion on earth” (2005)
Sender: Leo Benedictus
Genre: Article

Leo Benedictus is a contemporary British novelist. He is also a freelance feature writer for British newspaper The Guardian. The article “Every race, colour, nation and religion on earth” was first published in The Guardian in January 2005.

Excerpt

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Pathos

Through pathos, the writer appeals to emotions, trying to stir or instil a certain feeling in the audience to achieve a desired reaction.

Benedictus tries to encourage readers to feel more positively towards immigrants and to examine their own feelings, drawing attention to how immigrants are usually negatively or falsely portrayed in the media:

Lurid falsehoods, it seems, are still the best way of getting Londoners to take any interest in the qat-chewing, dog-eating, drug-running family of terrorists next door. Somehow, it is only when foreigners are problematic that we want to read about them.

This statement may draw sympathy from the readers who become aware of the misrepresentation of immigrants. Similarly, the article may also instil sympathy by portraying the things immigrants have in common with native Londoners: “they work hard, love their kids and move to the suburbs when they can afford it”.