26. Save the Whales, Screw the Shrimp

Joy Williams writes an article that deals mainly with environmental issues in today's society. She talks about all the ways people willfully ignore issues such as landfills, ocean pollution, an unnecessary demand for disposable products, and a human tendency to shrink away from nature. She points out how we enjoy controlling nature, driving out animals and mowing grass and chopping trees, confining it to a manageable space. She ends by saying that it's our responsibility to see what we're doing to the planet, be shocked, and take action, not just stand there and let it all happen.

Williams addresses the reader directly in a highly sarcastic way, personally blaming the individual for the problems that she points out; according to her, it's due to the reader's passivity that it happens. She often makes rhetorical questions to which she gives the sarcastic-but-true replies. Her writing style is a bit standoffish and might even offend some, but on the other hand it might be applauded by people who feel above these kinds of practices. So while she writes skillfully, her method isn't so effective when it comes to illiciting a response. Plus, some of her points are difficult to comprehend, especially when she's being sarcastic. Some readers really don't have a clue about what's going on in the world, and being agressive isn't the best approach for these people. Her concluding paragraph, however, summarizes the essay well, and explains what she expects the reader to do. She could have put a little grace into it, though.