TOW #13: WWF (Visual Text)

          The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) is the world's leading non-profit conservation organization. Their primary goal as an organization is to combine global reach with a foundation in science, involve action at every level from local to global, and of course to ensure the delivery of innovative solutions to meet the needs of people and nature across the world. Or, in layman's terms, to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats on the environment. In order to achieve this goal, the WWF relies heavily on the sponsorship and support from the common citizen and it is for this reason that the majority of their advertisements are geared toward the general public. This ad in particular is used to demonstrate the harsh effects of deforestation, showcasing its impact on the wildlife in an area. Through the use of symbolism and contrasting color palettes the WWF ad is able to successfully bring forth an emotional response from the audience, causing a reconsideration of deforestation and an ultimate demand for change.
         The true genius in this ad comes from its masterful use of symbolism. In showing the cluster of trees in the shape of lungs, the ad symbolically represents the life of the forest and corresponding wildlife. So, with this comparison made, the effects of deforestation are made much more powerful -- showing the death that it causes. In that sense, the contrasting colors of the various hues of brown against the hues of green also create a powerful image for onlookers. This stark difference in colors make it clear how different the brown depicts a sense of death and destruction. It is the four words at the bottom which serve as the final call to action for the audience of the image. The words, "before it's too late" make it clear that the WWF wants those who see this image to make a change and to end the death of the forest. Ultimately, it is these four simple words that make the point of the ad crystal clear and cause a stir in anyone who looks upon it. It is for this reason that this ad is so successful, because it is able to call to the emotions of its audience.

TOW #12: The Elegant Universe (IRB)

          Written in response to his major success with his theories in numerous published scientific magazines The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene provides a comprehensive, though strictly non-technical, assessment of string theory and its shortcomings. In doing so, it also takes a unique perspective on what scientific discovery is truly about and how this relates to the expectations we have toward our own capabilities -- something which he refers to as the "ultimate theory". It was this amazing insight which ultimately made the book a finalist for the non-fiction Pulitzer prize in 2000. Though the book begins on a primarily scholastic subject, it quickly evolves to something much more in depth and thought provoking as the work continues. Greene's success most heavily falls in the fact that he tells such a topic in an almost narrative form, one which is very unlikely given the subject matter. He is most effective in his use of colloquial diction to describe the mysterious of the universe to the "average man".
          Beginning with a brief consideration of basic physics, the book concentrates on the major conflicts regarding the study. Greene establishes a historical context for string theory as something that could someday become a necessary means of integrating the probabilistic world of particle physics and deterministic Newtonian physics of the macroscopic world. And yes, as Greene himself admits, "this is just as complicated as it sounds" (Greene 45). This concession of its difficulty is one of the many things that makes the book such an enjoyable and easy book to read. Greene continue this colloquial throughout the rest of the chapters to easily relate to audience members. This book, probably better than any others I've read, best relates its scientific work to the average and everyday lives of its audience, only furthering its discussion on the common man.

TOW #11: The Art Of Dying

       Written as an editorial in The Guardian, the emotionally charged article, "The Art of Dying", takes a unique look into the work of famous physician, neurologist, and best selling author Oliver Sacks, a man who successfully revolutionized the way scientific case studies were told. Following the announcement of Dr.Sacks' terminal cancer, the author describes, in much detail, the emotions of finding out the misfortune of such an influential man while simultaneously exploring the lasting legacies of his life (and death) on the science community. The author of the article, Ranjana Srivastava, does this most effectively through the use of many difference anecdotes, describing her own time as a physician and how Sacks had inspired her in her work. This use of these anecdotes serve to bring an emotional feel to the writing and convince the audience, assuredly other fans of Sack's work, of the very thing that sacks himself believes -- that his death should be seen as a way to remember his accomplishments and that there truly is value in embracing our mortality.
        Like much of its body, the article begins with an anecdote. The author tells of her feeling when it was first announced that Dr. Oliver Sacks, her idol, had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, discussing the immediate distress that she felt as a "stab through the heart" (3). She is recalls "a former patient who came into the hospital dying of liver failure and metastatic bowel cancer" (5) and begins to tell of the struggle she felt to break the news of her terminal condition. It was at this point that the work from Oliver Sacks had inspired her most, and taught her how to treat people, not just conditions. In a similar fashion, it was the words from Sacks himself who was able to bring her comfort, "like the genial, grandfather-figure he is, he reassured us, oncologist and all, that he still felt intensely alive" (5).  Srivastava ends her article with similar message, exploring the numerous works done by Sacks and expressing the extreme gratitude she felt toward him. She believes, as many still do, that Sacks did what other biological scientists were afraid to do. He taught what it meant to be human and frail.