This is my simple version of the Analysis of the Text "Warning by Terry McCarthy.

In this essay, I will be presenting the text called “Warning” written by Terry McCarthy, and show you my analysis and interpretation of said text. Described in broad strokes, this is a text about a school shooting in the town of Santee, committed by the kid, Charles Andy Williams. I am going to tackle this with a focus on the lack of documentation and the journalist and her relation to the text.
-
The article primarily focuses on the background and previous events that led up to the tragedy, but we do get a brief description of the events at Santana High March 5, 2001. At 9:20 a.m., Andy took out a .22 caliber revolver and shot into a bathroom and a courtyard. He kept firing and reloading for 6 minutes, and 30 rounds were discharged before the local sheriff’s deputies cornered Andy Williams in the boys bathroom, where he finally handed over his gun.
-
The article plants its focus on Williams’ background, friends and general environment. Terry McCarthy interviewed Williams’ associates, and found that his schoolmates bullied him. It is indicated that the bullying and taunting could be a major cause behind the shooting, and it probably also is. An example of the bullying is mentioned in the article, where Williams was burned with the heated metal from a lighter. He moved to Santee less than 2 years earlier with his father, while his mother stayed in Maryland, where his previous home is located. His new home in Santee is described as “a dank stucco apartment”. Other discoveries made by Time includes a bad relationship between Williams and his parents, his mother rarely saw him, and his father neglected him. The articles claim, that his father neglected him, by not being there for him, is supported by a statement from the 15 year-old Shaun Turk.
The communication situation is pretty much straightforward; Time and Terry McCarthy wrote the text to the American people, and in particular the citizens of Santee. The text is most probably called “Warning” for a reason, and maybe this text is written with focus on Andy so that other tragedies like this one can be prevented by preparation.
-
This article is probably best classified as a human-interest story, which is an article that involves local people and local events. McCarthy primarily appeals to our feelings, a popular communication technique known as pathos. He uses Williams’ sad history and is very subjective; he also uses a lot of loaded words and adjectives, which add weight to the text. This is probably done to wake our empathy for Williams, and McCarthy’s opinion shines through the text and he it does not seem like he wants us to solely blame Williams for the shooting (pathos). It seems Williams’ parents, the children that bullied him, and drugs are McCarthy’s primary concerns, that these might have contributed to Williams’ insane shooting. Since the article is a tragic story the tone is very gloomy and serious throughout the whole text.
-
Terry McCarthy does not seem to be interested in classic journalistic virtues such as objectivity and representing all parties, instead he becomes subjective, and seem to defend Williams. The article is brought 14 days after the event happened, and there aren’t many details about the specifics of the event, such as a specific date or the full name of Charles Andrew Williams (Yes, I did my research). Many of the people interviewed in the article are not properly introduced, and it is not clarified who they are, or what specific relations they have to Andy.