TOW #23 (Visual Text)- WWF Deforestation

Goals- Choose an image with a deeper meaning and/or an analogy or metaphor of some sort. Also, write so that the analysis flows together with mature syntax so it does not seem like a list of the necessary information.

Aside from pollution and global warming, one of the single most destructive human forces is deforestation. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), 15 square kilometers of rain forest are destroyed every minute to provide the world with wood and a variety of other resources available among the trees. Although, this process of deforestation comes at a huge cost. Without adequate space left in rain forests, thousands of species of animals are subject to habitat loss. Animals no longer have the space and resources needed to survive, therefore leading to the extinction of many species. The purpose of this image created by the WWF is to urge humans as a whole to limit the destruction of habitats across the world, specifically in rain forests, which they effectively achieve by portraying a well-known character in popular culture.

            The movie Tarzan is one of the most popular Disney movies of all-time and is easily identifiable as the main character, Tarzan, is usually depicted swinging from vines in the rain forest, which he calls home. In this WWF image, Tarzan is clearly picture swinging from a vine, although he has reached the end of the rainforest. Instead of safely reaching another tree, Tarzan appears to be falling onto land recently cleared by several large bulldozers. Despite being a cartoon, this depiction is very affective because people are more likely to care about the deforestation taking place when they see a character, that they all know and love, falling to his death as a result of human’s carelessness and destruction of rain forests. In addition, the WWF states at the bottom “15km² of rain forest disappears every minute,” which was likely added to back up the cartoon with fact and hint that Tarzan and animals living in the rain forests cannot bear the deforestation as it happens so quick and at such a large magnitude.

            Ultimately, I found this image to be very effective at getting people to care and realize the terrible effects deforestation has on the Earth and its inhabitants. I though it was creative and interesting that the WWF depicted Tarzan rather than a more realistic animal because Tarzan likely has much more cultural significance to viewers.