04/11/2017
Media Analysis by Parita Desai
From the New York Times, Patrick Kingsley writes two stories that highlight the experiences of two Syrians living in Turkey. One is of a man working as a smuggler, and the other, of a 15 year old boy who spends his days picking vegetables in a field. The two stories are presented in a narrative/feature style, putting the reader right where the story is taking place. The first article, which focuses on a man named Abu Mohammed, provides some informational context to the migration crisis, and is less sympathetic in regards to the character’s personal situation. Kingsley writes, “Like many smugglers, Abu Mohammed saw himself as the one honest broker among a crow of liars- acknowledging the wider moral problems within his industry, but skirting his own personal agency.” The writer describes Mohamed’s mental state, depicting the more personal aspects and effects of displacement. He also illustrates the uncertainty the future holds for many migrants by ending the article with a question that is left with a vague and open-ended answer by the main character.
On the other hand, the second article is written with much more emotional candor. Kingsley openly depicts how he feel when he realizes the migrant worker he is observing is child. “Head down, smothered in a baggy green jumpsuit, he could be man or woman, child or adult.” “Until, suddenly, he looks up- and I see his face.” Kingsley also expresses the child-like manners of the boy, providing descriptive detail on his frank statements and body language. The article includes pictures and videos of the boy. The first two show him hard at work, picking and washing vegetables during the day, when he should be going to school. The last picture is of the boy hunched over a deck of cards, playing a game of Uno with his younger brothers.
The third article, with the headline “Suspected gas attack in Syria reportedly kills dozens,” from CNN follows a more traditional approach, reporting the death toll of the attack within the first sentence. The sources are mainly activists, who describe the scene at the time of the attack, and doctors, who were working at the local hospital to aid victims. Unlike the first two stories, this article is solely based on events as they were described by individuals at the scene of the attack. Each fact or statement, such as when the gas rockets hit the town or the symptoms citizens felt from the nerve agent, is backed by a source. The article relies on the quotes of those interviewed for emotion, and is typical of a CNN story.
First two articles by Patrick Kingsley: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/world/europe/turkey-human-trafficking-refugee-crisis.html?rref=collection%2Fseriescollection%2Fstate-of-emergency
Third article by Kareem Khadder, Schams Elwazer, Elizabeth Roberts, Eyad Kourdi and Tamara Qiblawi: http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/04/middleeast/idlib-syria-attack/index.html
Since 2015, migration between Turkey and Greece has fallen sharply, and a smuggler says he has left the business. Homeless in Turkey, a Syrian refugee boy must continue to roam for work.
