Final answer:
The author's purpose for writing a text can range from informing to persuading. Understanding the context, techniques, and intended audience can help uncover the author's aim. Themes and textual design also reveal the writer's intentions and message.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author's purpose for writing a text can be to persuade, inform, entertain, describe, or explain something to the reader. To understand what the author wants to achieve, it's essential to consider the context in which they are writing, including the time, space, and place. By examining specific techniques such as tone, theme, or point of view, one can assess whether they are successful in conveying their message. For instance, an author writing in a historical context may aim to provide a factual account or persuade readers based on their own biases.
Authors write for various audiences and intentions, and these will influence their writing style and content. For example, an author who witnessed an event may write to document it factually, while another author may write to persuade readers to adopt a certain viewpoint. This could involve challenging conventional expectations or subverting norms to make a rhetorical point. The credibility of the information should be evaluated to determine if it is factual, opinion-based, or propaganda, and any biases must be recognized.
When analyzing a text, one should also consider the theme and message that the author is trying to convey, as it provides a deeper understanding of the text's purpose. For example, in analyzing Gwendolyn Brooks's poem We Real Cool, the theme of companionship and group identity versus individual identity is expressed through the repetitive use of 'We' at the end of each line, revealing the author's intentions through careful literary design.