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Roles of the media in environmental issues and human lives
Roles of the media in environmental issues and human lives
Roles of the media in environmental issues and human lives
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“When somebody pounds at your door in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada,” begins Arthur Unger’s 1982 article in The Christian Science Monitor, “you better not open it without checking on your uninvited caller. It might be a polar bear.” The article, titled “Polar bears are charming on a TV screen, less so in person” strikes a different tone than the 2013 anecdotal novel Wild Ones by Jon Mooallem. Mooallem’s stories, in conglomeration with a less-than-subtle critique of conservationists and American culture alike, provide a much different glimpse of the polar bear. Instead of vilifying the bears, Mooallem sensationalizes the bears’ struggle, pointing to their helplessness in the face of extinction (34-37). These two works, written over 30 years apart, …show more content…
It is exemplified by Mooallem’s work, but it is literally on display at Sant Ocean hall. If it were 1982, it would be hard to imagine a stuffed bear with brandished teeth displaying anything other than savagery. But at Sant Ocean Hall, the opposite is the case. The entire section discussing arctic conservation is towered over by a bear in the same pose, but the displays (displays that are, no doubt, effective else they would be replaced) still appeal to those who visit the museum as a call to conservation. The bear is used, but not as a mechanism to espouse fear. Instead, it is used to conjure up the imaginations of those who visit the museum. Those who, as the designers of the display presume, already have a special place in their hearts for the beloved creature, instead view the bear as a symbol. This is undoubtedly a consequence of that changing narrative; if public opinion hadn’t changed, the museum wouldn’t portray the bear in this way. The museum is in and of itself proof of the claims made in Archibald and Foote’s respective journals. The cultural shift shown in these two works culminates in the museum's choice to display the bears as they are, without appealing to emotion; society has already grown to empathize with the
When Jon Krakauer published a story about the death of a young man trekking into the Alaskan frontier in the January 1993 issue of Outside magazine, the audience’s response to Christopher McCandless’s story was overwhelming. Thousand of letters came flooding in as a response to the article. Despite the claims, especially from the native Alaskans, questioning McCandless’s mental stability and judgement, it soon becomes clear that McCandless was not just "another delusional visitor to the Alaskan frontier" (4). As Krakauer retells the life of Christopher McCandless and gives his own take on the controversy around McCandless’s death in Into The Wild, the reader also creates his own opinion on both McCandless and Krakauer’s argument. Krakauer
The book Into The Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, tells the story of Chris McCandless a young man who abandoned his life in search of something more meaningful than a materialistic society. In 1992 Chris gave his $ 25,000 savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, and burned all of his money to chase his dream. Chris’s legacy was to live in simplicity, to find his purpose, and to chase his dreams. Chris McCandless’s decision to uproot his life and hitchhike to Alaska has encouraged other young adults to chase their dreams. Neal Karlinksy illustrates the love Chris had for nature in the passage, “He was intoxicated by the nature and the idea of a great Alasican adventure-to survive in the bush totally alone.”
In a society dominated by visual activity, it is not uncommon to be faced with images meant to render a specific reaction. It is the intention of industries to provoke a reaction whether it is mental, emotional, or physical and specifically through the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. Both images displayed, the first by the PETA organization or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the other by UNESCO or the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization share similar tactics in which they influence their audience’s reaction. As an American animal rights organization that campaigns for the “ethical treatment of animals”, PETA’s most dominant mode of persuasion is especially exemplified by the use of pathos. In an attempt to induce sympathy from the audience, specifically from animal rights advocates, PETA uses the representation of a woman with the pattern of a tiger’s stripes.
The novel “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer goes into great detail to describe the main character, Chris McCandless, who died traveling alone into the Alaskan wilderness. McCandless, whom in the novel renamed himself Alex, left his home and family to travel to Alaska in 1992. In Alaska McCandless planned to live an isolated life in the desolate wilderness, but unfortunately he did not survive. This non-fiction novel portrays his life leading up to his departure and it captures the true essence of what it means to be “in the wild”.
grizzly bears prefered habitat is deserted rivers, wild mountains, and thick and dense forest. Grizzly bears are majestic symbols of the wild. Bears live in and use a variety of habitat types, playing important roles in each one. This makes them an “umbrella species,” meaning that when we protect them and their habitat we also protect many species. Grizzly bears can also help ecosystems by distributing seeds and nutrients through their scat, and occasionally regulating ungulate populations.
This internal conflict between how society characterizes bears versus the natural behaviors of wild bears is exemplified in the documentary Grizzly Man, by German film-maker Werner Herzog. The documentary analyzes the life and death of Timothy Treadwell, a want-to-be filmmaker, who spent the later years of his life living amongst wild bears while compiling footage of wild bears that aimed at educating the public about bears and how to preserve bears and their habitat. Unfortunately, Treadwell and his girlfriend are later mauled to death by the bears he was attempting to protect. In the film, it is immediately evident that Treadwell’s perspective on wild bears is abnormal; he treats the bears as if they were harmless animals by petting them, turning his back, reading to them, and giving each bear a nickname. However, throughout the film it is apparent Treadwell is fighting with an inner struggle, shown by baby-talking to the wild bears, yelling at them when they get too close, and then immediately apologizing for yelling and professes his love of the bear. In an interview Treadwell states that bears are misunderstood, and that people should not harm wild bears. In one scene, Treadwell films himself in his tent, cuddling with his favorite teddy bear, so it is apparent that the concept of virtual bears has clouded his beliefs about wild bears. In For the Love of Nature: Documenting Life, Death, and Animality in Grizzly Man and March of the Penguins, Jennifer Ladino describes Treadwell’s view on nature, “The fact that he frequently occupies the frame alongside the bears undermines the tendency of the wildlife film to draw a stark line between animals and humanity” (Ladino, 75). While Herzog conveys the message that wild nature is indifferent to humans, Treadwell is
Christopher McCandless’ long, fascinating, but an ultimately fatal journey into the wilderness of Alaska is depicted in the biography, Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer. Late in the of summer of 1990, a very young Christopher McCandless left his ordinary world in Annandale, Virginia to pursue a solitary life in the untamed wilds of Alaska. Many will insinuate that Christopher McCandless’ actions were childish and idiotic, but a stronger argument would be that his unconventional thinking and desire to live life on his own terms allowed him to reach self-actualization.
Christopher McCandless’ long, fascinating, but ultimately fatal journey into the wilderness of Alaska is depicted in the biography, Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer. Late in the of summer of 1990, a very young Christopher McCandless left his ordinary world in Annandale, Virginia to pursue a solitary life in the untamed wilds of Alaska. Many will insinuate that Christopher McCandless’ actions were childish and idiotic, but a stronger argument would be that his unconventional thinking and desire to live life on his own terms allowed him to reach self-actualization.
"The Bull Moose" by Alden Nowlan is a finely crafted poem which reminds us of how far man has strayed from Nature. Through a carefully constructed series of contrasted images, Nowlan laments, in true Romantic fashion, man's separation from Nature.
Who could possibly know that the story of one young man could turn the people of Alaska against him, and others from around the country to rally behind his almost majestic journey. Jon Krakauer set out to get Chris McCandless’s story written in greater depth after his article was ran in the magazine Outside and he received so much mail on that topic that inspired him to do more, more than just Chris’s journey itself. This essay will analyze Jon Krakauer’s book Into The Wild in order to show how well he used the rhetorical analysis concepts and rhetorical appeals.
Millions of people visit Sea World each year (The Fate). They crowd into Shamu Stadium to be entertained by the killer whales as they perform. Their eyes widen, and they sit in awe, as these enormous creatures effortlessly propel themselves out of the water. The children in the audience squeal with delight as the orca’s giant tail sends a wave of ice water over the crowd. But these fast-paced, high-spirited shows hide a darker reality. They are designed to mask the reality of the bare, cold concrete walls that the Orcas are forced to call home. It’s time for people to realize the plight of these mammals. Keeping Orcas in captivity is both harmful and cruel.
For years, we have heard of the devastating effects of global warming and how the melting of the polar ice caps will cause severe climate changes. One animal that has suffered most from global warming is the polar bear. Global warming has caused the polar bear population to decrease due to the results of having to swim longer distances, loss of habitat, and lack of mates to reproduce offspring. Global warming has caused this species to become endangered and has some attention with social media. Global warming has caused much damage to the polar bear population due to the warming of their habitat.
In former United State’s president Jimmy Carter’s Foreword to Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Season of Life and Land, A Photographic Journey by Subhankar Banerjee, he states his opinions on the topic of turning the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge into a building for industry. In this foreword, Carter uses three main rhetorical devices in order to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument of protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. These three rhetorical devices: ethos, pathos, and logos, are considered universally as the three necessary tools of persuasive literature.
Professor LaFleur in lecture on November 11 mentioned, “Museums were extremely powerful in shaping the way people saw the world” (Lecture 007). This same reasoning is why Fusco and Pena embark on this ethnographic journey. By displaying “A Savage Performance”, we see that they are subverting the past notions of ethnography. Ethnographic museums as the ones Sara Baartman was displayed in served a purpose and created a certain kind of discourse. “Discourse do not simply reflect reality, or innocently designate objects; rather they constitute them in specific contexts according to particular relations of power” (Lidchi, p. 185). Lidchi goes on to say that ethnography was created by the dominant culture in the imperial c...
Marseille, Mirko M., Birgit H. M. Elands, and Meike L. van den Brink. "Experiencing Polar Bears In The Zoo: Feelings And Cognitions In Relation To A Visitor's Conservation Attitude." Human Dimensions Of Wildlife 17.1 (2012): 29-43. Environment Index. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.