In 2010, a well-known trainer of SeaWorld Orlando, Dawn Brancheau was murdered during a performance with Tilikum the orca in front of an audience. Blackfish claims the incident was caused from anger, although, SeaWorld claims the accident was due to trainer error. Psychologist explains how humans could also become mentally ill if one was to live in a crowded bathtub for an extensive period of time. Blackfish predicts the reason behind Tilikum’s bizarre outbreak with Brancheau was because he had grown mentally unstable and furious due to his captivity. It is said if the orcas have a healthy mind and body, they will hold a more cheery lifestyle. SeaWorld believes stunt training the orcas help achieve exercises for their minds as well as keeping
Director, writer, and producer, Gabriella Cowperthwaite, in her documentary, Blackfish, describes the shameless hunting and treatment of killer whales. Cowperthwaite’s purpose is to persuade us into opening our eyes to the reality of what we are doing to killer whales by confining them in captivity. She invents an emotionally wrenching tone in order to transmit to the adult viewers that living in captivity may not be acceptable life for the whales. The film effectively showed that the whales should not be kept in captivity by giving the audience examples of their signs of aggression and displays of emotion.
In 2013, the documentary called Blackfish was released, a story about a killer whale that over the years at SeaWorld killed several people. It highlighted some of the major problems with animals in captivity. SeaWorld, known for having several different animal attractions; Dolphin Cove, Dolphin Nursery, Orca Underwater Viewing, Shark Encounter, Wild Arctic (Habitat) and many more. The organization first started with the intention of learning more about animals in order to educate the public about different behaviors of each animal. Trainers at Seaworld are offered the opportunity to get hands-on training with animals and are eventually are allowed to entertain the public with the skills they have acquired. Over the years there has been controversies with the way SeaWorld treat the animals and the type of behaviors animals portray as a result of its enclosures. SeaWorld's defense of capturing
Animals once worshipped like gods are now abused and used for entertainment. The circus and SeaWorld, two places common for entertaining children, display their animals in grand shows, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg of the truth. Hidden, are the cruel practices, immoral punishments, and unhealthy psychological effects that most of the animals experience. There is a reason why animal rights activists protested. There is a reason why Sea World is ending its world famous Orca whale shows. There is a reason the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is shutting down, after touring the United States for 146 years.
In conclusion Gabriela Cowperthwaite made a strong argument using ethos, logos, and pathos with only having two small downfalls to her argument. She touch the viewer 's hearts by using fact, reason, emotion, and appeal to authority. Blackfish was a documentary with a good argument that showed the viewers that we need to help not only the orcas but help and protect the trainers who work for
Blackfish is a 2013 movie directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite it concerns an orca named Tilikum which is held at SeaWorld. The movie speaks of the present incarcerated killer whales living at the SeaWorld Park. The film uses many forms of rhetorical strategies, such as pathos, ethos, and logos to positively persuade the audience of their argument. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are three persuasion tools used both in Julius Caesar and in Blackfish. Ethos is persuading through the character of the author. Pathos is convincing through the attraction of the reader's emotions. Logos is the persuasion through logic. In Julius Caesar, Mark Antony uses these strategies to turn the Roman crowd against the conspirators with a very convincing speech. Also, in
The documentary Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite released in July 2013, explores the mistreatment of killer whales and the relationship between the killer whales and trainers as well as the significant problems of the sea-park industry, with a focus upon SeaWorld. Cowperthwaite positions the audience to feel sympathy towards the killer whales by making deliberate choices in sound, visual, language, and structure through the representation of trainers as unprofessional, and whales as mistreated, also experts as reliable information source.
Killer whales were initially captured in the 1960s, when a female orca was captured and put into a tank. Two days into the female orca's stay she repeatedly bashed her head against her tank wall and perished the following day. Unfortunately, people did not heed or take any precautions from this traumatic incident and since then killer whales all over the world have been captured for entertainment purposes and have been stored in facilities such as SeaWorld. From these types of facilities incidents continue to happen such as killer whales killing their trainers, killing themselves, dying due to medical conditions, and more. Continuous accidents such as these have caused suspicion among the public of whether killer whales live healthy and prosperous lives in captivity and brings up the concern of ethicality.
In 2013, Gabriela Cowperthwaite directed the documentary Blackfish. This documentary is about Tilikum, an orca from SeaWorld that has taken the lives of many trainers. The documentary makes the claim that orcas should be freed from captivity. While in captivity they are causing harm to both themselves, humans, and the other orcas. Blackfish is a great example of an argument that can be rhetorically analyzed because it has pathos, ethos, and logos.
These people supported this as SeaWorld made posts through different social media websites and commercials. On their YouTube page, they uploaded an advertisement for their website stating they do not “collect killer whales from the wild”, and they have the “highest standard of care” on the globe. It ended with what became a popular hashtag on Twitter, #AskSeaWorld (SeaWorld). SeaWorld's website openly answers the people’s questions. With such a slogan, “You ask. We answer.”, majority of those questions were about Tilikum. SeaWorld explained Tilikum’s actions did not originate from aggression and how he did not express any after the incident (You). Those who agree with their statements may also believe in the idea that most of the information online is false. This is ironic as they do not know what SeaWorld is stating is the truth. No one other than the author knows whether their words are one or the other, and this will be a continual problem. Even though this is true in many cases, this does not go against the campaigns many have made. With their voices, they were actually able to make changes. Last month, SeaWorld stated they have “plans to revamp its long-running killer whale show” and hope to focus on the natural behaviors of the killer whales. The replacement with the new program in 2017 was a shock to Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the creator of Blackfish (Smith).
Stuck in a cement container that’s only eight meters wide for 14 long hours a day, practically motionless. That’s how his circus life began. Tilkilim, also known as Tili, was torn from his mother at the age of only two (A Killer Whale Gone Very Bad). He would spend 14 long hours in an eight-meter-wide enclosure with two park female killer whales, who viciously bullied him (A Killer Whale Gone Very Bad). Now today, he spends most of his time alone, drifting lifelessly in a pool at Orlando’s Seaworld (A Killer Whale Gone Very Bad). Killer Whales in captivity at SeaWorld have not been getting research done on them and go under psychological stress so the killer whales are striking out on their trainers due to being treated inhumanly but SeaWorld
I believe keeping orcas in captivities is not humane .To keep orcas in a zoo for display is acceptable, but it is morally unacceptable to use them for entertainment at SeaWorld. I saw the film Blackfish and now, I resent SeaWorld. They care more about profit than animal welfare. Keeping these sentient animals in captivity for an extended period of time causes them severe psychological damage, as evidenced by several killer whale attacks on trainers. SeaWorld Entertainment has had a rough year in the wake of Blackfish, the explosive 2013 documentary about its killer whales, most notably Tilikum, a 12,500-pound male who has fatally attacked two trainers. The film sparked protests at SeaWorld’s three marine parks and attendance has been steadily
Blackfish written by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. From the start attraction at Sealand of the Pacific in 1969, the aquarium grew attention for their orcas that would perform. Years later a two year old whale was captured and arrived in 81’. His name was Tilikum, coming in at two years old and 4,000 pounds. How do you go about taking orcas out of their setting, changing how they feel, and go about certain lies of how situations occurred? Why was Tilikum to blame? What really happens when you take orcas out of their natural habitat?
Although the orca can be found in both in the open ocean and in the coastal waters, they primarily inhabit the continental shelf’s in the water less than 200 meters deep. In the cold water area is the most distribution limited by the seasonal pack ice. The killer whale is the top carnivore consumer on the food web. Killer whales may be large in size and appetite, but they still act on instinct and have no desire to kill intentionally. The killer whale is also a very playful and intelligent creature like most dolphins are, therefore they do not deserve the name killer whale. There were many instances where the killer whale has been misunderstood based on the weighed out factors of said instances. Stated by an article titled “Killer Whales: A Reputation Deserved?”, in Victoria, Canada 1991 at Sealand, a woman fell into the killer whale pool and was repeatedly tossed around until she drowned. When the killer whales tossed her around it was not their intention to kill her they were only playing. In Orlando, Florida yet another event occurred producing the same results, although the common fact remains killer whales were in captivity when these human being were killed. The whales most likely thought these women were fish not people. It is a common misconception of natural instinct and imaginative onlookers; these whales are not people they are wild marine life. It is no secret that killer whales have a bad reputation, however what earned the reputation was sheer unintentional killings. Orinus Orcas are wild marine life that should not be prosecuted like human beings, and the name “Killer Whales” is the result of false
SeaWorld has been in the spotlight for several years now. Whether it is negative or positive publicity, someone is talking about SeaWorld; from the new animal births at their facility, killer whales attacking their trainer and the sudden unexplainable deaths of many of their animals. In 2013 the documentary “Blackfish” explained how SeaWorld’s animals and staff are really treated. Since the release of Blackfish, SeaWorld’s image and attendance has gone down the drain. SeaWorld San Diego’s attendance is down 12% and SeaWorld Orlando is down 8% (Weisberg, 2015). People want to see change; some have even suggested SeaWorld closing for good and releasing all the animals back into the wild. However, preparing the animals to be released is costly