The article Faith and Belief, written by Susan Salter Reynolds for the LA Times, features scientist/author Richard Dawkins and centers around his new book “The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution”. Written using an indirect lead, the article discusses Dawkins’ current activities, focusing on his recent appearance at the Atheist Alliance International Convention that’s held in Burbank, California. Reynolds has a great use of transitions, writing of Dawkins’ current and previous endeavors and then leading into the work he is setting up for the foreseeable future. That work is a book meant for children with the purpose of inspiring them to learn science and question our cemented knowledge of the universe. This transitional use of feature writing lent a positive element to the piece’s overall atmosphere and movement. This was a profile piece that concentrated on the person’s work and how that work impacts society. The article was intended mainly for those acquainted with either Dawkins personally or his particular field of interest. However, the style of the piece allows any reader, whether knowing Dawkins or not, to read and course through the article with ease and enjoyment. Dawkins, who has been hitting the circuit promoting his new book, continues to try and introduce the art of science and scientific theory concerning evolution to the mass public. Dawkins, a very persuasive individual when read and seen on television, wants to reach an audience who is unfamiliar with evolution and how it pertains to the process of humanity. That unfamiliarity is what Dawkins is working to reverse with his words and his theoretic messages. The article sheds light on Dawkins’ previous works “The Selfish Gene” and “The God Delusion”, two works that support his theories on human evolution. The writer reveals Dawkins’ back-story; where he grew up, family connections, his personal view of God, his reaction to fame as an author, along with how he came to be in his particular field of science. Reynolds was able to obtain quotes that allow the reader to become familiarized with Dawkins and what he holds to be true and eminent in his life. The quote that speaks to my mind is "Biological evolution is a slow process," he says, "much slower than cultural evolution. The vast majority of species go extinct, but we are a remarkable species. Given our advances in technology, we have good reason to think we might survive extinction. It's possible that in 10 million years our descendants will still be here." Powerful words that are meant to inspire faith in human evolution through science, a faith that I adhere to and believe in.
As someone who wants to enter the field of journalism I look for unique personal styles of writing and use of language from journalists and Susan Reynolds has a style that I can follow. Though this is a feature article, there are signs of a news story throughout the piece. There are facts about Dawkins, his work, and those affiliated with that work, which are placed and used in just the right areas of the piece to stimulate a continued interest. There is a high use of quotes from Dawkins and hearing the man’s words in the article gives it a creative energy. Writing of Dawkins’ personal history and importance within academia and scientific study, Reynolds presents a clear and concise portrait of the man she covered. This article is a perfect example of a feature piece, one that has encouraged my mind to seek out further articles written by Reynolds, including learning more of Dawkins’ work and theory on human evolution. From that I’d say this article met its goal of reaching the reader on both a personal and an intellectual level.
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