CLEARLY-LABELED ASSIGNMENT 3/Ledes

1. When George Orwell, a child during the First World War, looked back on his early life, he confessed that his chief memory was not of all the deaths, but of all the margarine. The butter shortages caused by the Great War meant that margarine switched from being the food of the poor to being a universally used substitute – even for privileged pupils at Eton, such as Orwell.

From The Times/January 19, 2008/Swindled: the story of artificial food


I liked this lede because not only is the perspective humorous, it effectively lightens up a topic that is generally handled more seriously--providing mental contrast and an element of mild surprise. It is well-worded, and packs a lot of information about the coming article into the space of two sentences, while not losing the tone or artistic effect of the rest of the article. I also liked the subtle use of alliteration in, "privileged pupils," "universally used," and the near-alliteration of, "Eton... Orwell," in the second sentence.



2. The cavernous, dingy interior of the National Stadium in Kabul has echoed with many sounds during its eventful history. Communist rallies roared from its terraces, the condemned screamed for mercy at Taleban executions, and in recent years it has even heard the cheers and catcalls of the sports for which it was built.

From The Times/January 19, 2008/Girl boxers are a knockout at the Taleban’s former stadium of death


This lede has an feeling of fiction rather than of news to it, making for a very engaging and gripping intro. The wording is vivid and strong, and appeals strongly to the senses and emotions. At the same time it gives a time and a place and even a brief history in the space of only two sentences. While I tend to appreciate humor more than drama, I thought this an effective and interesting lede, for it gripped my attention and made me want to read the rest of the article immediately.



3. There are two things in the world over which I think it is important to take great care: food and spelling. Which is why my recent trip to Jamaica was spoilt utterly in its first, tender hours by one of Britain’s most fêted living novelists.

From The Times/January 19, 2008/Jamaica


This author starts with a surprisingly general but humorous observation. While it is the author's opinion, it is given in such a manner that it is humorous rather than obnoxious, and which also reveals much about the tone of the piece and personality of the protagonist. The prose is almost floral in nature--very delicate and decorative--yet somehow avoids being frivolous. Once again, the lede captures the unique tone of the piece while at the same time conveying the essentials about the piece in just two, relatively brief sentences. Overall, this had a very engaging, personal tone and made good use of the humor that would sprinkle the rest of the article.