26. Save the Whales, Screw the Shrimp

      This essay written by Joy Williams talks about how us, humans, are not taking caring of nature, and this is affecting the lives of animals (negatively). She says that the only way we will stop destroying the environment is by changing our own cultural and individual character. Many people in society are aware of what is going on, but choose to ignore the problems because it is less complicated that way. Williams talks about different organizations and examples in society like the Wildlife Services who protect farmlands by shooting, poisoning, and trapping animals (she talks about other organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency and The Forest Service); and how 46 Canadian lakes were contaminated to test the effect of pollutants on the environment. She also mentions that how catcing shrimp is deadly for other marine animals (like whales and turtles) because of TED (Turtle Excluder Device). Williams also explains that growing trees is no longer a solution for air pollution because trees cannot survive in such polluted environments. She concludes by stating that the solution does not depend on politics or technology, it depends on us. We must make fundamental changes in our "personal consciousness" to get things done.
    The purpose of this article is to persuade the readers to take action. Joy Williams is very effective in persuading the reader because she addresses the reader directly. Right in the first sentence she boldly states, "I don't want to talk about me, of course, but it seems as though far too much attention has been lavished on you lately -- that your greed and vanities and quest for self-fulfillment  have been catered to far too much." In this case, she is using pathos. Williams is appealing to our emotional side. This sentence also catches the readers' attention because it is as if she is having a direct conversation with us. She makes the reader to want to read more since it makes us want to defend ourselves. Her tone seems to be angry but casual at the same time. It is as if she were having an argument with us. However, she also uses many sources and examples (such as the Wildlife Service, TED, Canadian lakes, etc.) making her essay more credible. Williams also makes us readers feel guilty (ethos) when she states how people know about the problems but do not do anything about it (I think 90%, if not more, can relate to what I am saying). She tells us how we must change ourselves and our culture if we want to get anything done. The change starts with us, not technology or politics. Williams purposefully makes us feel responsible for what is going on in the world, and also makes us responsible for finding a solution. She makes the reader think further and reflect on his/her actions.

http://disassemblingwalle.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/savethewhales1.pdf