Currently, we are discussing ecocriticism in English class. For my readers who aren't quite as familiar with this topic, I will fill you in. From language and literature to images and media, ecocriticism examines how nature is represented in society. Keeping with my blogging lens, I would like to explore the role of animals and their appearance in media and culture. After studying ecocriticism, I have learned to view how nature is presented in a drastically different way than previously.
Often, society portrays animals as "cute" and cartoon-like in order to gain appeal. While I believe animals should be positively represented, they also must be accurately represented. The documentary, "Blackfish," offered insight into the world of sea-park industries. This emotionally wrenching story challenges viewers to consider their relationship to nature and discloses how little we humans have learned from such highly intelligent and sentient fellow mammals.
Prior to watching "Blackfish," I fell into the trap that SeaWorld presents to its audience, and I believed that it was normal to hold killer whales captive in concrete pools. I had stuffed Shamu toys and other accessories covering the bookshelves in my room. I was blindsided with the personal, interactive and thrilling elements the park offered to its audience. After watching, however, I realized how cruel SeaWorld and other sea-parks can be. “If you were in a bathtub for 25 years, don’t you think you’d get a little psychotic?” Jane Velez-Mitchell, a CNN anchor, wonders in a clip that’s used in the film. The parks are used for entertainment and monetary purposes, without any consent from the animals themselves.
It is important to recognize the perspective of ecocriticism in order to fully understand the role of nature and animals in our daily lives. "Blackfish" opened my eyes to the realities of SeaWorld and challenged me to think about killer whales in a new light.
