The text takes the format of a letter from a new father to his newly born son. Keane uses this to reflect on his life experience as not only a new father but also a war correspondent. It also reflects on the horrors of child suffering he has witnessed, his relationship with his alcoholic father and how fatherhood clearly changes his outlook on life. Throughout the letter Keane uses repetition. He says, " We had wanted you, and waited for you, imagined you and dreamed about you". Repetition of the word "you" reinforces the personal aspect of the letter and it also highlights Keanes feelings of joy and pride towards his son. This This gloriousglorious dawn sky makes dawn sky makes me think we’ll call you Son of me think we’ll call you Son of the Eastern Star.”the Eastern Star.” God humbles the proud and raises up the humble. Even the hearts of the greatest kings are under his control (chs. 4; 5). Emphasises pain and suffering in Emphasises pain and suffering in the world. Helps explain the world. Helps explain protectiveness of his son protectiveness of his son

In-Depth Exploration: Our unit delves deep into the themes of Keane’s “Letter to Daniel,” offering profound insights into the text’s core concepts. Daniel, these memories explain some of the fierce protectiveness I feel for you, the occasional moments of blind terror when I imagine anything happening to you. But there is something more, a story from long ago that I will tell you face to face, father to son, when you are older.

The word choice of “coming” gives me the idea that he has waited and wanted for him, and now that he has finally arrived his whole world has been turned upside down. He looks on things differently now and Daniel has caused him to re-evaluate the risks he has taken as a reporter. I feel that the writer’s use of imagery to convey information helps me to understand his thoughts and emotions throughout the letter. The writers aim is to create a tone of The writers aim is to create a tone of calm and tranquillity. His baby is calm and tranquillity. His baby is comfortable and safe comfortable and safe God is sovereign over the course of history, even over those who rebel against him and seek to destroy his people (ch. 8).

Letters to Daniel tells McCorkle’s story over a fifteen-year period, framed with letters to her favorite actor Daniel Craig. The film begins in 1999, as McCorkle (Megan Jones) and her best friend Missy (Virginia Beld) take a chance and move to Texas to pursue filmmaking. In a way, the beginning of the film is an interesting take on a coming-of-age story, with Amy and Missy learning how to become financially independent and dealing with being away from home for the first time. source: Healing Hands EntertainmentIt begins thirty five years ago in a big city on a January morning with snow on the ground and a woman walking to hospital to have her first baby. She is in her early twenties and the city is still strange to her, bigger and noisier than the easy streets and gentle hills of her distant home. She's walking because there is no money and everything of value has been pawned to pay for the alcohol to which her husband has become addicted. On the way, a taxi driver notices her sitting, exhausted and cold, in the doorway of a shop and he takes her to hospital for free. Later that day, she gives birth to a baby boy and, just as you are to me, he is the best thing she has ever seen. Her husband comes that night and weeps with joy when he sees his son. He is truly happy. Hungover, broke, but in his own way happy, for they were both young and in love with each other and their son. What tone is created in the 1. What tone is created in the apartmentapartment2. What has the birth of his son 2. What has the birth of his son brought Keane?brought Keane?1. What does the writer mean in his 1. What does the writer mean in his use of “days have melted into night”?use of “days have melted into night”? There are three sections to the letter, each with its own mood and tone. The There are three sections to the letter, each with its own mood and tone. The opening section (paragraphs 1–5) is full of hope and joy at the birth of this opening section (paragraphs 1–5) is full of hope and joy at the birth of this precious son. precious son. Letter To Daniel, published in 1996, is a wonderful, paradoxically lyrical journey through thirty-five short snapshots of the human capacity for folly and bestiality in its desperate need (for most of us) to define an identity, not in terms of our own individuality, but as members of some sect, whether that be an actual sect (as was the case for Asahara’s self-style Path of Supreme Truth in Tokyo) or as an allegiance to some religion, race, colour, national flag, military banner, Big Idea or simply defined by wealth. In the meantime, believers must be patient and faithful in a hostile world, looking to the Lord alone for deliverance ( 11:33–35).

This I feel is one of the most moving sentences in the story and helps me to recognise Keane’s universal message of the love bond between parent and child. Daniel has given Keane an understanding of his own father, and at the very end of the letter he describes his son as “the sound of hope” and uses wordchoice such has “innoncence” and “freshness” to show the stark contrast between his child’s innocence and the darkness that he previously described. I feel that Keane’s choice of theme throughout the letter is very important in conveying his emotions at this time as it shows how important his son is to him. Letter to Daniel’ is a Letter to Daniel’ is a non-fiction textnon-fiction text and in non- and in non-fiction we would normally expect authors fiction we would normally expect authors to write as to write as themselvesthemselves – rather than to adopt a different persona. – rather than to adopt a different persona. There is one last memory of There is one last memory of Rwanda … beaten to death.’Rwanda … beaten to death.’ MetaphorMetaphorWord choice – effect of Word choice – effect of “occasional” and of “occasional” and of “moments”.“moments”. Surely FOOC - as we correspondents call it - was the place to talk about our experience of other people's lives and countries, not to reflect on our own.DiscussDiscuss the following statements about the audience the following statements about the audience for the letter, decide which one you agree with most for the letter, decide which one you agree with most and be prepared to report your conclusions.and be prepared to report your conclusions. Holistic Learning: Our unit covers every aspect of Keane’s essay, fostering a well-rounded understanding. This shows that since Daniel was born, Keane has been learning to cope with new things. However by describing the task as an “art” the writer shows that he doesn’t mind this new way of living. He further describes the idea that Daniel has changed the way he lives by explaining that; The producer of the programme thought he knew better. He called again. "Give it a try at least," he said. Becoming a parent is a universal experience. "Just write it from the point of view of a foreign correspondent." By the final stage of the letter Keane reflects on the birth of his son and the tone changes again to one of optimism and hope. Keane reflects on all aspects of his life to date and begins to not only accept but also forgive his father in spite of his faults. He says, "I thought of your grandfather". This highlights that Keane has forgiven him as he is talking about him as if he is still one of the family.