shannon mathews vs madeline mcann (unfinished)

Find examples of language used in each of the pieces to describe the parents of both children. How does this language differ? What are the messages and values on social class? (10 marks)

From the first article I can see that the family of the missing child is middle class. This can be a factor in the reason why the article does not attack the family as much as in the second article. An example of this is in the first article where it says "The mother of missing toddler Madeleine McCann is so traumatised by the kidnap of her daughter that shE

cannot bear to be parted from her two-year-old twins at night." This puts no faults on the parents when the story proves otherwise as the story shows that the parents left the child on her own and went out to party with friends.

This shows irresponsibility

as they are in a foreign country at night leaving a child on her own and the

article supports the parents and try to make the audience feel sorry for the

family whereas the second article starts off saying "Detectives

investigating the alleged abduction of Shannon Matthews have been granted more

time to question her mother on suspicion of perverting the course of

justice."  Instead of saying how

the mother seems traumatised they instantly accuse her of preventing the cause of justice and accuse her of abducting her own child which we later find out to be true however I believe that because this family in the second article is working class and mostly middle class own the media they look down upon the working class often viewing them as inferior and less important. Even though

the second article was proven right the point still stands as no fault was put

on the parents in the first article when it was their fault and all the blame

went toward the parent of the second article instantly