Analysis of Letters

The two letters, despite having the same intention, are written in ways which contrast greatly.

The converging letter is writen in a more conservative tone, as shown by introducing the letter with 'regret to inform'. This is a way of non-directly saying that something bad has occured and preventing the use of a face-threatening act. The diverging letter, however, starts with 'I am extremely pissed off...'. This is a very direct, taboo introductory sentence and will most certainly come across as a face threatening act. 

The converging letter is an example of the influential power that teachers have over the parents of there students. This is shown through the tone created by the language used by the teacher, the way the text is written in preverbial 'peaks and troughs' displaying a negative being covered up by a positive. This is shown through 'a shame consindering his incredible achievments prior to the academic year'. this is a way implementing power in a more influential respectable way.

Again, this is contrasted by by the the continual negativity shown in the diverging letter, in this text the teacher is trying to implement instrumental power which is a more forceful way of gaining respect and is used a lot less freguently and virtually never in this context.